[Jefferson] Previously on Black Lightning...
[Khalil] I still have a demon in my head,
and he almost killed Jennifer's sister.
You'll always be a part of me.
Then, trust me.
[Gambi] We're just gonna have to accept the fact that this is the new Jen.
Let's go over your backstory one more time.
Name is JJ Stewart.
-You're new here, right? -That obvious?
Uriah.
There's a video going viral of Lightning opening a can on Freeland PD.
The people love when I do my thing.
We now consider Lightning to be Freeland's public enemy number one.
[Grace] Who is this maniac?
He's known as Ishmael.
Trying to get into the League of Assassins?
You can start with these.
[Lauren] Mr. Bates asked me to work on it himself.
It's called an energy field emitter.
Tobias will understand.
You have 48 hours to deliver the emitter.
Mr. Pierce, we have a warrant to search this house.
How could they think I embezzled money from Garfield?
It has to be Tobias, Jeff.
[laughing]
He won't stop until Mr. Pierce is in prison.
And I haven't found anything that will clear his name.
I used to collect for Tobias. I can help.
Wow. She really did it, huh?
She figured out a way to kill the meta-gene and increase power.
She's finally going to get that Nobel Peace Prize and become rich-rich.
Girl, everything is not always about money.
Oh, try telling that to Blackbird.
How about we just go in and celebrate your mom?
Lynn, we're here.
Mom, hey.
[alarm sounds]
What's going on?
I'm not sure.
Lynn, the door's locked. We can't get out.
I know.
It's the only way.
For what?
We can be a normal family.
Your powers aren't who you are.
They're making us people we don't want to be.
Okay, so you're just going to do this against our will?
Trust me. I know this doesn't turn out well.
My mind's made up.
Lynn, don't do this.
[gas hissing]
[coughing]
[coughs]
[zapping]
[grunts]
Dad.
[coughing continues]
[groans]
[all coughing]
Mom!
Mom, please!
Mom...
Mom.
Mom!
[sobbing]
No. Oh, my God. Oh, God. Oh, no.
And then I fell down, overwhelmed with guilt.
And that was it.
[psychiatrist] In your dream, you try to fix your family.
Maybe your dream is the subconscious telling you
your family doesn't need fixing.
And if I try anyway, I...
will hurt them.
Badly.
♪ Last night I saw a superhero He was black ♪
♪ He said "This is for the street Black Lightning's back" ♪
[humming]
♪ Whoo ♪
♪ Hope I'm what You're looking for ♪
♪ Pray you need To look no more ♪
Yo.
The real Lightning?
[chuckles]
Yo, my mama ain't going to believe this!
I can't even believe this.
This is crazy.
In the flesh.
Well, technically, the suit,
'cause that would be inappropriate.
Hold on, wait.
If somebody told you I'm selling drugs,
it's some bull crap.
What? No, I saw a repost
from some girl named JJ
about your Garfield Music GoFundMe campaign.
Noticed it needed some help getting attention,
so here I am.
[scoffs] Damn. It's crazy.
-You really wanna help? -Yeah.
Just give me your phone and I'll log into my IG.
Then we can go live.
You bet. [chuckles]
[typing on cell phone]
[clears throat]
Hi, everybody. This is Uriah.
And he and I could really use the community's help.
[keyboard clacking]
I received your alert. What's going on?
It's Lightning, sir.
She just went live on her IG.
She looks different, but it's definitely her.
Garfield, the pride of Freeland
has lost its music program funding.
Yeah. What's up, y'all?
Uh, I'm just asking for donations in cash,
music supplies, instrumental form,
really anything to keep the music program afloat.
Great work.
-Go alert the chief. -I'm on it.
And if you want to find more ways to help, make sure to follow Uriah,
at All-Eyes-On underscore Uriah and click the link in his bio.
-[both chuckle] -Thank you, and please support.
Yo, I... I don't know
how to thank you enough.
It's no problem.
We need more people like you.
It takes a special person to do something
when everyone else is just standing by.
Look, I... I better get back to, uh, delivering the food.
Nobody likes cold fries.
Hmm.
[high-pitched ringing]
[Jennifer] Ah, it's too much. It hurts.
[Uriah] Will I see you around?
[electricity crackling]
[chuckles]
Guess not. [chuckles]
[Ishmael] You won't.
But I will.
You met a human, Lightning.
[Uriah] Whoo!
Save recorded speed, acceleration and energy levels to Cloud.
[music playing]
[Gambi] Anissa.
Anissa.
Your new suit.
[laughs]
-What, I got an upgrade? -Mmm-hmm.
Your father's and sister's suits
work with an electrical charge.
Yours works with a sonic trigger
if you... snap your fingers while you're in high density.
All right, I'm gonna try it.
[music continues]
[grunting]
[laughing]
You have really outdone yourself this time.
[laughs]
I don't know if I'm ever going to be Blackbird again.
[chuckles]
[gunshots continue]
What the hell? [sighs]
Have you lost your damn mind?
You're fine.
Your suit now has a memory function
to maintain your density for a while.
Now you won't be vulnerable the moment you stop holding your breath.
That is really cool and all, but I would've liked to have known that before.
[chuckles]
Maybe. Sure, but where's the fun in that? Come on.
-Huh? [laughs] -Oh! Whoa-oh!
I'll see you in a bit.
You look amazing.
Thank you, Uncle Gambi.
[Jennifer] Grounded? For what?
Lightning is grounded, period.
What were you thinking? Someone could've gotten seriously hurt.
All I was trying to do was help Uriah.
Wait, Uriah? Come on, Jen, that's not a reason to be Lightning.
All I was doing was bringing attention
to a campaign to save the Garfield music program.
That's no reason to go out as Lightning.
Well, you try helping the school
when you are the daughter... the niece
of the person accused of stealing the program's funds in the first place.
Whoa, Jen, chill out.
[Jefferson] No, you're just being reckless.
Not thinking about the consequences of your actions, as usual.
I think what your father means
is that now is the time that we all have to be extremely careful.
You're still public enemy number one.
And with the looming threats of new, deadlier DEGs...
you need to stay out of sight, period.
What did you wanna show us?
[Gambi] His name is Ishmael.
Advanced training in hand-to-hand combat,
especially swordsmanship.
Adept with technology, a master tactician.
And he's a meta hunter.
A meta hunter?
With a digital footprint as small as a fly's.
Wait, is this the guy who ambushed you and Grace?
-Mmm-hmm, that's him. -Well, be glad you're still with us.
There's chatter on the dark web about him being up for the League of Assassins.
What's that?
The League of Assassins have been around for centuries
and have made more people dead than World War II.
They're the most notorious assassins in the world.
And here's the worst of it.
One way to get into the League
is by making high-profile kills,
like killing metahumans.
-Wait, so they're after us? -They better not be.
I say we don't wait. He can have his swords, I'll light him up.
No one is doing anything until we collect more intel.
We don't even know if he's here alone.
-I'll see what else I can find. -[Gambi] Good idea.
[beeping]
Got it.
Ishmael was brought here by Destiny in the Kobra Cartel.
He's on their payroll.
With this guy out there,
it is extremely important you don't go out in your suits
without overwatch from me or TC.
Check your corners and double-check them.
And if you do run into Ishmael,
best to keep him and his blades at a distance.
Do not engage.
Look, we already know these second-generation DEGs can go through our shields.
I'm getting close to an upgrade that'll protect you.
-But until then-- -I know.
-Be careful. -Right.
Or light them up before they can blast me.
Jennifer.
-[laughing] I'm just playing. -[sighs]
[Anissa] Seriously, did you not just hear what he said?
-It's not a joke... -Thanks for the briefing.
[Jennifer] I know. I know.
Keep us posted.
-Of course. -Of course.
♪ Blue cheese ♪
♪ Goat cheese ♪
♪ Mo, please ♪
♪ I've been spending American Cheddar ♪
♪ Ain't nobody finna... with my feta ♪
♪ If you do you 'bout to have a vendetta ♪
♪ When we do you better have that Beretta ♪
♪ Blue cheese ♪
♪ Goat cheese ♪
♪ Mo, please Mo, please ♪
Good morning.
What is going on?
I know the embezzlement was Tobias' fault, but I was mad at you,
so I made you breakfast to say sorry.
Wait, is that even a real apology?
I don't know, Dad, I'm trying.
[both chuckle]
Okay. Well, thank you for trying,
and, uh... thank you for all this breakfast.
You're welcome.
Now, you know, just because you said you're sorry
doesn't mean I'm going to forget
that we need to discuss Lightning's IG page.
-[toaster pops] -[sighs]
There's no such thing as grounding a social media page.
No, but you can delete it.
Delete it?
Come on, Dad. Really?
-Yes, really. -Ugh.
Look, we don't do what we do for attention or applause.
And as Lightning, you need to remain focused and vigilant
if you want to remain alive.
So delete it.
Okay, I lied.
How about I just...
deactivate it for a while?
That's like grounding it.
How about... you delete it?
Okay. Before you put a period on it...
My mistake. I won't go live ever again.
But Lightning is a role model.
The kids that look up to me need my voice.
I get to inspire them without contact.
Sounds pretty safe to me.
Okay, deactivate it for now until further notice.
Did I tell you how sorry I am?
Young lady, don't press your luck.
Just because you said sorry, you can be as sorry as you want to,
doesn't mean you get to go out as Lightning.
I know. Bye, Dad.
Mmm. Bye.
♪ Ooh, ooh ♪
♪ There's more to be said In the silence ♪
♪ Fill in the blanks you left... ♪
[gasps]
I'm sorry, but Dr. Stewart, you can't be on the premises.
-Excuse me? -Your privileges have been rescinded.
-Rescinded by whom? -I'm not at liberty to reveal.
-Please, leave peacefully. -Are you serious?
-This is my work. My... my lab. -Negative.
-Your files have already been transferred offsite. -What?
Where? No... That's mine.
I'm just doing my job, Doctor.
And I'm trying to do mine, Michael.
Do you know why I fought so hard
for you to keep your job here last year
even though they had every right to fire you?
Look at me!
It was the right thing to do.
Are you doing the right thing now?
-I'm sorry, Dr. Stewart. It's my ass if I don't. -[scoffs]
-It's time to-- -Hey! Ow!
You didn't hear this from me,
but does a Special Agent Mason ring any bells?
Yeah, he's the agent on Jefferson's embezzlement case.
Well, he's the one that came in and took everything as evidence.
That's all I know.
[sighs]
They're probably making sure your husband isn't hiding anything at your office.
You'll get it back.
Dr. Stewart. Doctor!
[breathing heavily]
♪ Avoiding all the street signs ♪
♪ That lead me back to your name ♪
♪ We've been coming undone ♪
♪ We broke the last thread... ♪
[Jefferson] I thought you went to work.
Work?
There's no point going to work
with no lab and no research, Jefferson.
Wait, what do you mean, "no research, no lab"?
Did you know they took my research?
-Who? Tobias? -No! Special Agent Mason.
What? What for? Wait, can he even do that legally?
I called Gambi and he checked,
and your embezzlement money funded my research, so, yes, they can.
No, no. The embezzlement isn't real.
This is all Tobias' doing.
Yeah, but until you can prove that, Jefferson,
it's 26 years of my... my life, of my work, of my research,
that means nothing!
Lynn, I'm sorry. We'll get you back--
Don't... don't do this right now!
[shuddering breaths]
♪ Ooh, ooh ♪
[upbeat music playing]
[laughing]
[speaking in foreign language]
[banging on counter]
[speaking in foreign language]
I got you, boss.
Salud.
Huh?
She's nice.
[exclaims]
Jesse Gentilucci.
[groaning]
We need to talk.
-Get me out of here. -Boss, come with me.
Get up.
Sweetheart, you never saw me.
[speaking in foreign language]
[gunshots]
[men screaming]
Fire! Shoot!
Jesse, I just wanted to talk.
Get him!
[men grunting]
[grunting] Khalil! What do you want?
Khalil, look, I got nothing against you.
Okay? That was all Tobias.
You can have whatever you want. Money, whatever.
[breathing heavily]
[Painkiller] But I'm Painkiller.
[grunts] Oh, my God! What did you... It burns!
-[Khalil] PK. -[Jesse] It burns!
-I can't get information out of a dead man. -Huh.
[panting]
[Khalil] You okay?
What? Hell, no!
That was a natural venom my body produces,
after what Tobias and the ASA did to me.
You're lucky. Now I can change my poison glands with the antidote one.
[whimpers]
I'm sorry for what Tobias did to you, but that was not my fault.
[Painkiller] The hell, it's not.
Look, money is power, and this guy writes checks for Tobias.
He was in bed with the ASA. He a son of a bitch.
Listen, will you shut up and let me do the talking?
Who are you talking to?
Look, you only need to focus
on providing me the answers I need.
Now, what do you know
about the embezzlement frame
on Jefferson Pierce?
How did Tobias do it?
Look, I don't know what you're talking about.
I just cut checks for the folks I'm supposed to.
-That's it, I promise. -Let me in.
No, don't... [grunts]
Don't fight me.
[grunting]
[Painkiller] Now listen.
This can all change and stop if you just tell me about Tobias' books.
I can't. He'll kill me.
What, in five, four seconds?
That's how long my poison takes.
Okay! Okay! There's a hidden ledger.
This is where you can find it.
Hmm...
Thank you for your cooperation.
[grunts]
[Khalil sighs]
Now why would you do that?
[Painkiller] What?
Look, you were wrong, I was right. See?
You can get information out of a dead man.
Let's go.
[playing soulful tune]
[clearing throat]
[music stops]
Heard there were a lot of donations coming in earlier today.
Came by to help, but it looks like you're finished.
Yo. You sent my message to Lightning's IG account?
-Thank you. -[both chuckle]
You're welcome.
-I figured it'd be worth the shot. -Yeah.
She showed up and she killed it.
-Guess what the best part is? -What?
Now we got the funding for the rest of the year.
-We good! -Shut up. Seriously?
-Yeah. -That's amazing.
[both chuckle]
-I'm so happy. -Hey, you made it possible.
Not me.
I'm not a hero like Lightning.
It takes a special person to do something
when everybody else is just standing by.
Uh... what's wrong?
Nothing.
This is amazing. That's all.
[both chuckle]
-Uh... -[both chuckle]
[hip-hop music playing]
Black Lightning.
[Black Lightning] I tried calling.
[Shakur] Been busy.
Keeping kids off the street, coaching them to a championship.
Step on out onto the court.
I wanted to thank you for the heads-up about the chief and Lightning.
[Shakur] No problem.
What do you need now?
There's a new bad guy in Freeland.
Goes by the name Ishmael. You heard of him?
Yeah.
The streets say he's running with Destiny and the Kobra Cartel.
The streets say he's looking to take out some metas?
Word. If you're looking for protection,
be a cold day in hell before Lopez allows that.
All I need is a cleared-out area.
No cops, no Meta Task Force, nothing.
I'll handle the rest.
Twenty minutes. That's it.
Fair enough.
Let's see what you got.
Nah, man.
One shot.
Thanks.
[music playing]
Why does everything negative that happens to me
have to be blamed on my age?
It's like they want you to feel stupid for being young.
You're straight?
-Yes, I'm straight. I like girls. -[chuckles]
Especially Lisa.
Nah, bruh. Do you wanna smoke?
Oh. Uh...
I just say no.
Did you quote Nancy Reagan?
Of course. I grew up with her.
[Jennifer chuckles]
How about you "just say no" to mass incarcerations?
Isn't the '80s anymore.
A little weed is good for stress.
Aren't you stressed, like, 99% of the time?
Yes, because my family rides me, like, 99% of the time.
[cell phone chimes]
It's Uriah.
Are you monitoring my DMs, like, all the time?
Of course. That's my job, remember?
Well, take a day off.
Didn't you say that your dad said to deactivate that account?
He doesn't know how to use or check social media.
Besides, I promised to never go live again, not deactivate it.
Why do you need to be Lightning to be with a boy who already likes you?
You ask a lot of questions.
Because it's fun. Ever heard of that?
He wants to thank Lightning in person
for helping him save Garfield's music program.
Isn't Lightning grounded?
Does that mean Lightning can't go out at all,
or just stopping crime?
Definitely stopping crime.
Lightning shouldn't be friends with a boy that JJ likes.
So I won't post it on IG.
Why can't you just be JJ?
You're a genius.
I will go as JJ...
and then change into the suit right before I see Uriah.
If anybody asks you where I am, just say no.
That is not what that meant.
[chuckles]
[Cabrera] You were right.
She took the bait.
Knew it as soon as I saw her body language with him.
I'll alert Detective Hassan.
No, stay here.
I'll alert Hassan myself if I need him.
Keep Uriah locked out of his page until we have her in custody.
Saddle up.
[speaking Spanish]
Babe, I don't know about that.
-[mouthing] -Thank you.
Well, babe, I just never shared my location with anybody before.
I actually think it's weird.
[woman over PA] Dr. Johnson to Cardiology, please. Dr. Johnson to Cardiology.
Okay, fine.
[cell phone chimes]
There. You happy?
Whoa.
Excuse you.
Babe, hold on for a second.
I said excuse you.
Darius, what the hell?
I did what you asked me to do.
And I found out some serious dirt
on this fake cystic fibrosis treatment.
-Okay, that's great, right? -No, it's not great.
The system locked me out, so now they know it was me.
Look, we can't talk here. Meet me at my place later tonight.
I'm already uploading everything I got onto a thumb drive.
And as soon as I get it to you, my ass is leaving town.
All right. I'll meet you there.
Yeah. You just heard?
No, listen, don't meet me there, babe.
I'll be in and out and I'll be home straight after, okay?
Gambi, we set?
I can't track him, but I've got a lock on the satellite he last pinged
and a mirror of his signal.
We are a go right...
now.
Get up.
[cell phone vibrating]
[Kobra thug coughing]
[Black Lightning] Ishmael, this your boy, right?
Kobra Cartel?
[grunts]
Freeland's my city.
Come get a ass-whoopin'. I'm waiting for you.
[grunts angrily]
Mr. Bates.
My philosophy has always been, "Do what you love,
and the money will follow."
Run your mouth and death will follow quicker.
I prove my worth with my action, not my mouth, Mr. Whale.
[chuckles softly]
Excellent.
Red, see our guest out.
[elevator dings]
Dr. Stewart successfully harvested my powers into the vials.
The nullifier boosters are authentic.
Nice.
Let's make our move on Dr. Stewart.
It's already done.
[chuckles softly]
Good.
I want that neon, candy-coated Captain Save-a-Hoe
to feel exactly what I felt when he took my sister.
The love of my life...
gone because of Black Lightning.
Well, now he'll feel loss.
Finally, I shall accelerate to my throne.
Knock Black Lightning off of his.
[chuckles maniacally]
[Ishmael] So you're looking for me, huh?
Well, here I am.
I'm surprised you didn't think it was a trap.
Wouldn't matter if it was.
Enough talk.
[both grunting]
[typing on tablet]
[negative beep]
[knocking at door]
Jefferson's not here right now.
I'm here for you. You're under arrest.
-What... what... what for? -Violation of civil rights.
Turn around, miss.
[distorted] You have the right to an attorney.
If you cannot afford an attorney,
one will be appointed for you.
[indistinct radio chatter]
[female MTF officer] Oh, my God. She got taller.
Watch your spacing. Be careful of her power.
[Lopez sighs]
You're surrounded.
Surrender, Lightning.
Leave me alone, bitch!
Take her!
[all exclaiming]
Find her! Come on! Go!
Go! Go, go, go! Find her!
[man] Yo, check your eleven! Move!
[male MTF officer] There's no one here. She's gone.
Move out!
[camera shutter clicks]
[female police officer] Right.
Right.
Hands up, fingers spread, please.
Turn 'em around.
Hands down.
♪ With a nappy head Christ by they side ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ May your streets Be paved with gold ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Hope my whole hood Make it home... ♪
[grunts]
You don't have to manhandle me.
I don't have time to play patty-cake with you.
[sighs]
The federal building was destroyed in the war at Markovia.
I have too many criminals to process. So stop resisting.
-I'm not. -Mmm-hmm.
Yeah.
This way.
We need to do a pat-down.
[clanging]
Turn.
♪ At one point They sold us for profit ♪
♪ But we made it Out of the gauntlet We chosen... ♪
What could you possibly be looking for?
[gasps]
Tongue up.
Tongue down. Head back.
Head down.
[gasps]
You're going into lockup.
It's time for your cavity search.
Clothes off.
What?
Clothes off.
♪ I pray you catch a wave ♪
♪ That doesn't subside ♪
♪ This for the nappy heads In heaven ♪
♪ With a nappy head Christ By they side ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ May your streets Be paved with gold ♪
-♪ Paved with gold ♪ -♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Hope my whole hood Make it home ♪
♪ Make it home ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ May your streets Be paved with gold ♪
-♪ Paved with gold ♪ -♪ Yeah ♪
♪ Hope my whole hood Make it home... ♪
[sniffles]
[officer] Sit down.
Sit down!
Open your legs.
Drop your arms.
Drop 'em.
♪ Black people are golden ♪
♪ That's why I pray you catch a wave ♪
♪ That doesn't subside ♪
♪ This for the nappy heads In heaven ♪
♪ With a nappy head Christ By they side ♪
♪ I pray you catch a wave ♪
♪ That doesn't subside ♪
♪ This for the nappy heads In heaven ♪
♪ With a nappy head Christ By they side ♪
[Tobias] Oh, Tori.
My beautiful sister.
I miss you.
You believed in my dreams before I knew how to dream them.
Look who's almost the king of Freeland now.
It's time to show the Pierce family,
when you go against God's plan,
a great whale swallows away your powers.
[inhales deeply]
The last shall be first...
[chuckles]
and the first shall be last.
Yeah.
[emitter powering up]
[electricity crackling]
[laughs]
[laughing maniacally]
[Anissa] Darius?
Darius, are you here?
Oh, no. No, no, no. No, no, no. Darius.
God damn it!
[breathing heavily]
Come on. Come on, buddy. Come on.
[door opens]
[running footsteps]
[car tires screech]
[Anissa grunts]
[both grunting]
We'll see how you fight in the dark.
[power fizzles out]
[Ishmael] What's wrong? Afraid of the dark?
-[grunts] -[electricity fizzles out]
I guess you can't keep it charged.
[Black Lightning breathes heavily]
Gambi, something's wrong.
I don't feel my powers.
[alarm sounding]
[Gambi] Jeff, I don't know what's happening.
TC, over here!
He's gonna find you an escape route.
Get out of there right now.
I... I... I...
I... I... I can't feel my powers either.
My... my powers aren't working.
[grunts]
[high-pitched ringing]
[panting]
[screaming]
[closing theme music playing]