I understand that Tobias killed his father and he’s now, somewhat, within reach and that killing him/bringing him to justice was the entire reason that Jefferson became Black Lightning in the first place, but this go around he’s in the superhero game to save Freeland from The 100. His reason for doing the superhero thing isn’t about revenge this time, but he seems to be blinded by that desire because all he cares about now is Tobias. Which, again, I understand, but still.
Gambi’s still shady as hell for whatever secret past he has with Tobias and keeping it from Jefferson, even so, I was so glad when he reminded him of why he became Black Lightning again in the first place. Sure, Jefferson was right that getting rid of Tobias will help him achieve the goal of cleaning up Freeland as well. But and however, what I wish Gambi had told him when he said it looks like he doesn’t want him to go after Tobias, was that there’s a difference between going after him for vengeance and to save his city. It’s the intention behind it that matters.
I thought that Lynn would have been the best person to dissuade Jefferson from killing Tobias…but it didn’t seem like what she was saying to him was working. She did say though, at the beginning of the episode, that she doesn’t want to be pulled into his whole Black Lightning crusade so I wasn’t mad at her for saying “no” the first time that Gambi asked. The only reason that Jefferson didn’t kill Tobias was because he knew that Lynn was in danger. I was genuinely surprised that Lynn wasn’t able to convince him.
The moment that that shot focused on that statue I knew it would be something about it being a racist slave owner or something. I didn’t think they would vandalise it though. Aside from the whole “don’t give the police a reason to shoot you” thing that Jefferson mentioned – which I hadn’t even thought about – there are ways to protest something that don’t involve breaking the law, which just seems to be Anissa’s default. I appreciate what she’s trying to do with her activism, but in this case I don’t exactly agree with her methods.
That particular storyline was the very definition of “Well that escalated quickly.” Regardless of how Anissa and company would have gone about protesting the statue, I think, those white nationalists would have still counter-protested and it would have still ended the same way with someone driving their car through the crowd and killing someone. They really ripped that story point from the headlines.
It was obvious that after the vice-principal said the line about wishing you could do something, that Anissa would go into superhero mode to do something about the incident and that she’d make the wrong choice. I didn’t expect that to be her going back and destroying the statue. Which, again…that’s not how you go about things! She was so disappointing and frustrating in this episode. She and her dad were on the exact same path of misusing their powers.
Everything for Anissa and Jefferson came to a head when they met at Lynn’s research lab and they fought. As kind of cool as it was to see the two of them fight – who knew that Anissa was strong enough to deflect bullets and withstand lightning – I don’t understand why Anissa would have attacked Black Lightning when she knows that he’s a hero. A simple; “I’m here to save her” could have prevented that fight. So would have removing the duct tape from Lynn’s mouth. But the writers wanted them to fight I guess.
Hopefully it’s Anissa’s being a metahuman and a superhero that convinces Jefferson not to kill Tobias. Because if he agrees with, or at least accepts, her being a superhero – and Anissa being Anissa, he’s going to have to accept it – then he has to set an example for her in that capacity. I know he’s not going to want her going around using her powers to kill people, so he can’t do that either.
I don’t blame Jennifer for feeling the way she did about her relationship with Khalil moving forward, in light of his paralysis. She had a particular image of what it would be like and that’s been, tragically, shattered. It’s not wrong to mourn the loss of something you wanted and can’t have. That’s exactly what Khalil is going through as well. Although I know where his anger is coming from and I sympathise with him though, the second that he was unnecessarily and undeservedly mean toward Jennifer I wanted her to leave him. That was so unfair of him, but I understand why he’s acting that way and I hope he didn’t mean it.
Hurt as she was by his words, Jennifer still tried to comfort him, but he continued to push her away. Because I understand why he’s behaving like that, I do think he needs Jennifer more than ever. Still, she shouldn’t have to take that abuse from him so I still want her to break up with him. She can still be there for him as a friend. When he fixes his attitude they can get back together.
Random thoughts:
- Jefferson picked the wrong time to make a pass at Lynn.
- Vandalism is not the way!
- Why do Jefferson’s brain scans look like those of people on Green Light?
- Are we sure that it’s the suit that was causing the issues? Because that seems like a pretty easy fix for something I feel like was a bigger problem than that and would have narratively worked better had it been his powers.
- I swear that is the same site that Anissa found the video about her grandfather on.
- His mask is so inadequate in hiding his identity…
- Holy crap I didn’t think that Jefferson actually saw his father’s murder.
- Well both of her parents know that she has powers and she knows that Jefferson is Black Lightning now. Jennifer is the only one out of the loop.
- Dammit they’re going to give Khalil that serum Tobias uses and he’s going to become a supervillain isn’t he?
- Shady, shady Gambi.
