For a recap of the last episode, “The Book of Rebellion-Chapter One: Exodus,” click here

*** This post contains major spoilers for episode 2×9: “The Book Rebellion:Chapter Two: The Gift of the Magi.” ***

After escaping from Cutter, her father Black Lightning and her sister Thunder, Jennifer carries the poisoned Khalil to a cabin in the woods. Jennifer notices the pasty looking Khalil and runs off to a nearby hospital in search of antibiotics.

Gambi, who’s still at Khalil’s aunt’s house,  notices a blood pattern and expects that one of them (Jennifer or Khalil) is in need of expert medical attention and might try to go to the hospital.

Lynn goes to Khalil’s mom’s house to talk to her. Lynn finds out that Khalil had a brother who was in the 100 gang who was murdered when he was 15 and had a deadbeat dad.

Todd Green, an exemplary black student gets passed over for a grant by a white student whose dad just paid for a new gymnasium. As security takes the boy to his car after making a scene, the boy finds an invitation in his car to a club 100 party from Tobias Whale.

Jennifer, cloaked in a hoodie, makes her way to a hospital to steal antibiotics. As she makes her way into the medicine room, she fries the computer with her powers to unlock the drawers full of medicine. Meanwhile, her dad, Anissa and Cutter are all at the same hospital. Anissa and Jefferson over-hear something about a power outage in the hospital and realize that Jennifer was there. Gambi eventually pulls up the camera at the hospital and it shows that they were all there at the same time.

Jefferson tries to fly away without his suit to save his daughter but Gambi pulls him right down. Gambi believes Jefferson shouldn’t go there without his suit and he’s lost perspective, Anissa agrees.

After giving Khalil the antibiotic, he’s still not any better. Jennifer tells him the story of how she met him which makes Khalil smile just for a second.

Todd Green meets with Tobias Whale at club 100. Tobias proceeds to make Todd feel like he’s special by giving him $500 wine and sitting him between some very “classy” women, telling him he hates to see a man like him get passed over for a grant because of white privilege.  Tobias wants to change Todd’s life but Todd doesn’t understand what Mr.Whale wants with him.

Lynn sneaks into the Sactum (Gambi’s hideout) to find information on Khalil’s father. In the Sanctum she finds a gun, which she takes.

As Khalil is barely holding on, Jennifer says a prayer. Jennifer walks outside to cry because she knows he’s going to die. Outside, Jennifer hears a static noise and she ends up in her mind with Parenna who is there with the Jennifer who holds all her fear. Jennifer accesses a part of her mind she didn’t know she had and she feels Cutter watching her with binoculars. The other Jennifer in her mind gives her facts she learned in school and tells her electricity can be found in her body, and also that she should run.

Cutter finds Khalil dying but Jennifer shocks her from behind, knocking her out. Jennifer ties Cutter up and begins to slightly torture her with her electric powers. Jennifer decides to use Cutter’s poison knife on her and realizes that she has an antidote on her. Jennifer takes the antidote off her necklace and gives it to Khalil reviving him.

Black Lightning, Thunder and Gambi are still searching for Jennifer and Jefferson is starting to get mad. Meanwhile, Lynn is stalking out Khalil’s father and goes to him to get any information.

Black Lightning realizes that most generators run at a certain power so if Jennifer is out there she must be running at a higher power than a generator. They use this knowledge to find the old, abandoned house in the woods.

As Khalil wakes up, Jennifer tells him she loves him and he sees Cutter all tied up. Jennifer tells Khalil she hates her but she decided to give her the antidote. K & J leave right before Black Lightning, Thunder and Gambi get there.

Back at club 100, Todd shows back up and declines his offer. Tobias congratulates him on the power move but he really needs him and shows him this by putting a whole lotta cash in Todd’s bank account. He’s in.

K & J drive off and Khalil questions why Jennifer wants to keep running. Jennifer tells him, she’s ride or die and Khalil says he’s worried about the die part. Jennifer tells him they’ve already been through a lot and there’s nothing the both of them can’t get through.

In the last scene, a new killer meta show’s up and accepts a job in Freeland (presumably from Tobias).

Thoughts

Black Lightning’s mid-season finale, “The Gift of the Magi,” is a solid, but unspectacular finish to the first half of the second season. Don’t get me wrong, i’ve loved how the writers have handled Khalil & Jennifer’s relationship over the first season and a half of the show, but after 2 straight episodes dealing with K & J on the run, i’m ready for Black Lightning to get where it needs to go. That’s not to say that the episode was bad or anything like that, i’m just tired of Black Lightning, Thunder and Gambi being too late to the party which is driving Lynn insane. Jennifer & Khalil outsmarting everyone isn’t exactly how I saw this ending up again either. The addition of Todd Green (RJ Cyler, Power Rangers) is definitely intriguing and I love seeing Tobias at his best, acting like a sly gangster. Lynn is a straight up mess and i’m not sure what finding Khalil’s dad is going to do, but maybe he’s the key to finding K & J at the end of this arc. With a new meta in town, it’s only going to get worse for Khalil, Jennifer & the Black Lightning crew.

+ Finally giving Gambi’s hide-out a codename (The Sanctum)

+ Always gotta give a shout out to my man Tobias, but I thought he was great this week

-Khalil & Jennifer over-kill

-Black Lightning crew unable to find K & J again

-Cutter getting outsmarted by a teenager

+ Jennifer understanding her powers better

+Todd Green, hopefully he turns out better than Kwame Parker

 

***New episodes return January 21st, 2019***