Black Lightning 2×4:”The Book of Consequences- Chapter Four: Translucent Freak” Recap and Review

For a recap of the last episode, “The Book of Consequences-Chapter Three: Master Lowry,” click here

***This post contains major spoilers for episode 2×4 of Black Lightning,”The Book of Consequences: Chapter Four: Translucent Freak.”

As Jennifer happily walks down the stairs of her home in her prom dress, her family is there to support her during her most “normal” high school moment, that’s until Khalil shows up and starts taking her family out with darts. In an impressive fight scene in the Pierce house, Jennifer & Khalil fight until Jennifer zaps Khalil out of the window with her lightning. This however is not real, it’s just another one of Perenna’s exercises with Jennifer. As Jennifer struggles to put her emotions in her box, the thoughts of Khalil over power her enough to lose focus.

Jennifer is sad that Anissa is leaving. (Courtesy of SpoilerTV/The CW)

Henderson takes Tobias into questioning to ask him about Marsellus White, Alvin Pierce’s file, and the detective that was burned alive. Tobias however has witty answers for all his questions. Henderson calls Tobias a “translucent freak,” which Tobias thinks is an interesting choice of words as he deciphers it as someone being able to see through him.

Gambi finally tells Jefferson about helping Anissa steal the money from Zlovac to give back to Reverend Holt for the pod kids. When Jefferson gets back to the house, Anissa and him argue over the matter and Jefferson tries to use the house against her which leads to Anissa moving out. Meanwhile, Jennifer is sad that everything around her is being taken away. Anissa sees that Khalil is texting Jennifer and although Jenn doesn’t respond, she tells her to stay away from him.

Henderson brings in Jefferson to the station to tell him that all the evidence against Tobias is gone. Jefferson asks to be put on the stand to testify against Tobias but Henderson is tired of all the lies and half truths he’s been told before.

Kara, the former ASA spotter is dying of sepsis in Gambi’s layer after being harpooned by Tobias. Tobias is trying to get information from her but she won’t give up anything, she’d rather die.

At Garfield, Jefferson breaks up a fight between two students. Jefferson gets the students to hash it out and was going to let them away scott free, until Principal Lowry arrives and expels and suspends the students. Jefferson thinks it’s completely unfair as these are two exemplary students, however Lowry says there is a zero tolerance policy for fighting and there’s no room for interpretation. Jefferson argues that putting these kids back on the streets is going to make them into something to be feared.

At the ASA headquarters. Dr.Jace purposely allows one of the pod subjects to die, which infuriates Lynn. Dr.Jace says that they needed more “data.” When coming across some blood samples of meta DNA, Dr.Jace comes across Jefferson’s sample and she realizes that the metagene can be passed down.

In prison, Tobias meets with Steven Connors, who tells him about the meta who stole his money and give it to the church. Connors wants to take the meta (Thunder) out, but asks for Tobias permission first. Tobias’ last request is to have facial recognition monitors outside the clinic just in case Black Lightning shows up there.

Anissa comes back to the family home to ask Black Lightning for help, Gambi thinks the clinic is in trouble. The 3 of them meet at Gambi’s and come up with a plan to diffuse the bombs at the clinic. Thunder & Black Lightning clear the clinic of all the people before each of them diffuse the bombs. However, outside the clinic Gambi is overpowered by a previously pregnant woman that just walked out the building.

Thunder & Black Lightning save the day. (Courtesy of SpoilerTV/The Cw)

Jefferson Pierce meets with Tobias’ lawyer who basically tells Jefferson that there’s no proof of Jefferson ever witnessing the murder of his father and that because he’s lied before, nobody will believe him when he gets on the stand, even know the lawyer knows he’s probably guilty.

Jefferson and Lynn tell Jennifer that she’s not going back to school because there’s too much risk with her powers. Jennifer doesn’t take the news well.

Back at Gambi’s, a dying Kara tries to kill him before recognizing this is it for her. Before taking her last breath, she hands Gambi a cell phone.

Tobias is let go from jail and is now a free man. On the news, Tobias says, he hopes that they find the killer so Jefferson Pierce and his family finally find peace.

Jennifer finally texts Khalil back and they meet in the halls of Garfield.

In the last scene, at Club 100, Tobias makes his grand re-entrance and claims that “he’s back.”

Thoughts:

One thing that Black Lightning has always done well ever since the inception of the show is that it always deals with its family drama head on and deals with it’s issues in the containment of the episode, it doesn’t let these small battles ramble on. While Anissa is upset with her dad and vice versa, they always come back to each other when it matters most.

In Jennifer’s meeting with Perenna, Jennifer showed exactly what kind of fighter she could be if she ever could control her powers and become a super-hero. Her hand-to-hand combat was better than anything we have seen from Black Lightning and Thunder so far. I’m starting to tire from watching Jennifer fail to control her powers because we know at some point its going to click, however, when it does, i’m sure the moment will be epic.

I’m starting to feel as if Master Lowry isn’t really who we think he is, maybe he’s someone sent in from Tobias, because the way he’s tearing through this school and causing problems with Jefferson, it seems on the nose. Don’t let it take away from the fact that Lowry isn’t a good guy and he doesn’t really know what’s best for this school and the community. As a guy coming in from his background, he should be leaning on the backs of the teachers of Garfield, trying to bring everyone together. Where Jefferson always argues for his kids no matter what the board says, Lowry just goes along with everything they say, even if it’s something like a zero-tolerance policy for fighting. Fighting is the cause of a much bigger problem and expelling kids for it, is eventually going to cause more drama in Garfield High.

Tobias Whale is back! Not that he ever really left, but this is a big deal. Now that Freeland knows he’s back, Tobias can show his face and actually be the face of what he’s trying to accomplish, no more hiding for Tobias.

While we will have to wait 2 weeks for the next episode (because of Tuesday’s election) I’m very interested in what was said between Khalil and Jennifer. Can Khalil be redeemed? Or is he too deep in the hole?

Your Thoughts?