For a recap of the last episode, “The Book of War: Chapter Two,” click here
***This post contains major spoilers for episode 3×16, “The Book of War Chapter Three: Liberation.”***
The stakes have never been higher. Either team Black Lightning defeats Gravedigger or the ASA is going to nuke Freeland. We start out where we left off with Black Lightning and Gravedigger squaring off after Lightning was defeated by Gravedigger. Gravedigger puts it together that Lightning is Black Lightnings daughter, Black Lightning also informs him that they are family too. Jamilah Olsen is reporting the news before she is shot down by the Markovian’s. Gravedigger uses his new abilities to burn Black Lightning from the inside like a microwave. Black Lightning is able to energize by drawing electricity from the telephone poles and knock’s Gravedigger down before he retreats.
Agent O’Dell gives his lead commando’s Major Grey and Commander Williams their last mission, to tie up all loose ends of the ASA being in Freeland.
Lightning (Jennifer) is captured by Gravedigger and they squabble over the amount of change America has made over time. Meanwhile, Painkiller is out on the prowl and takes down a squad of Markovian’s, even taking their weapons.
Lightning is captured by Gravedigger. (Courtesy of the CW)
Lady Eve meets with Major Grey. Eve gives out the location of the briefcase (Gambi’s) and then realizes that she is going to be relocated and that she’s a loose end. Lady Eve starts firing at Major Grey but is shot by one of the ASA.
Gambi, Black Lightning, TC, and Brandon are trying to find Jennifer’s location. While searching for her location TC encounters some sort of lockdown measure and passes out. Brandon who had been keeping Dr.Jace locked up in his apartment is found by Commander Williams and killed.
On the streets of Freeland, Detective Henderson and the police force are in over their heads with Markovian’s. They decide to go fight and eventually LaLa and the 100 come out and support Freeland, killing the Markovian’s out on the street in the form of unity.
Black Lightning and Brandon rescue Jennifer from the Markovian’s and Black Lightning and Lightning fly out of there while Brandon laughingly takes his bike. Commander Williams next target is Lynn Stewart, however, Commander Williams is feeling shaky about killing Lynn since she is actively trying to defeat the Markovian’s. Lynn eventually calls him a meta and Williams shoots at her but Lynn has a power which shields her from the bullets and knock’s him on the ground unconscious.
Black Lightning and Lightning are flying back when Painkiller has them in his crossfire. Before he can shoot them out of the sky, Khalil and Painkiller start fighting in Khalil’s mind. Khalil eventually loses but the battle goes on long enough for Black Lightning and Lightning to get away.
Detective Henderson and members of the resistance are hiding out in the woods at the ASA compound when he see’s Gravedigger fly in from above. The ground crew engages on Gravedigger but he uses his mind control to put them all asleep. Gravedigger has entered the building and first up to stop him are Thunder-Grace. Gravedigger tells Grace to kill Thunder and this allows him to move on to the next floor while Thunder tries to hold Grace off. Thunder ends up having to put Grace down for a bit, but Gambi tells Thunder to stay on mission and get out of there and that they can get Grace later.
Out in the woods, Black Lightning find Henderson with a hole in his stomach. Henderson isn’t ready to die. Jefferson thanks him for saving his life although he cant get Jefferson out of there because of the big hole in his stomach. Jefferson calls him his best friend before he dies.
Jefferson makes his way through the ASA compound to find Lynn. Lynn has made an anti-booster serum which they are going to use to take away Gravedigger’s powers. Meanwhile, on the next floor, Brandon and Lightning are waiting for Gravedigger. Lightning tells him that their volcanic lightning beats his magnetic field and they fire on him but its not enough to hold him off completely. Lightning calls for Black Lightning to get up there and help. O’Dell, who is still there, call for the building to self-destruct in 10 minutes.
Black Lightning and Gravedigger have their second round and again Gravedigger is too strong for Jefferson. However, this time, Lynn is there to fire the anti-booster into Gravedigger’s back when he has Jefferson down. With his powers gone, Jefferson completely toasts him. TC finds out that the building is about to self-destruct in seconds and informs Black Lightning who wants to save Gravedigger but they don’t have the time.
As O’Dell makes his way to his car waiting outside, Khalil/Painkiller is waiting for him. This time however, Khalil is able to conform with Painkiller to become Khalil’s mind with Painkiller’s abilities. Before he can kill O’Dell Black Lightning shows up and tells him not to do it. Khalil eventually shoots him in the spleen keep him alive but in a lot of pain.
The ASA invade Gambi’s shop looking for the briefcase. Gambi is there to smoke them out but they make their way into the sanctum. Gambi ends up thwarting the attack with a machine gun, killing Major Grey in the process.
The Pierce family finally puts the ASA away for good. (Courtesy of the CW)
In Markovia, Tobias is visiting his mother while watching the fallout of the war in Freeland. Tobias decides that everything is copacetic and that it’s time to go back to Freeland. Lynn, Black Lightning, Lightning and Thunder are all testifying in from of the world organization against the ASA and have the proof of what they are doing in the briefcase. The judges (Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eeden) shut down the ASA immediately, with Agent O’Dell finally being arrested as well putting an end to season 3.
Thoughts:
“Liberation,” the finale of Black Lightning season 3, was another great finale of the show, tying up the lingering loose ends of not only this season but seeds planted all the way back in season 2. As Gravedigger made his way through the ASA compound, it set up a video game vibe, with Gravedigger and Black Lightning meeting at the very end. I wish the familial relationship between Jefferson and Tyson Sykes (Gravedigger) was built up more over the season but unfortunately, Black Lightning’s 16 episode run didn’t allow for that plot to be built up as much as it could have been in a 22 episode season. However, Black Lightning normally closes out every season on a high mark, tying everything up in a nice bow.
There were a few big surprises, including the death’s of Lady Eve, Detective Henderson and Jamilah Olsen, also the not surprising death’s of Major Grey and Dr.Jace. Also, Khalil mending his mind with Painkiller allows him to come back in season 4. In the end, everyone got what was coming for them and team Black Lightning again saved the day.
With the rising conflict between the Markovian’s and the ASA finally over, Black Lightning can finally (hopefully) break free from alot of the darkness that arose in season 3 making for a much lighter season 4. With the government putting away the ASA, Lynn and Jefferson have fought for Freeland to be the home of the meta’s, even allowing them to put a school together ala Professor X and the mutants. One of the main words in Lynn’s speech was the word OUTSIDERS, which may hint what is coming in season 4.
Thanks for watching and reading along this season, please drop your thoughts on the episode in the comments section. Until next time.
