Last episode on Black Lightning, Jefferson and his allies successfully saved Lynn from the Markovians but the fight is far from over. The Markovians are now making their move on Freeland and the risk is even higher than ever as the Pierces and their allies attempt to acclimate to being back home. In the process, there are some surprising revelations that may change everything as the show heads into its final arc of the season.
Warning: Full spoilers for Black Lightning, “The Book of War Chapter One: Homecoming” below.
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The episode opens with Gambi talking to Dr. Jace, telling her that he should have killed her forty years ago. Jace tells him they’re fighting on the same side now thanks to the real threat Markovia poses and reveals that Gravedigger is in charge as well as what he wants: the stable metas. Jefferson updates Odell while Grey is enraged about the fact that Tobias managed to get away and the Markovians now surround Freeland. Jefferson tells Odell about Gravedigger. War is coming.
Jen and Anissa disagree about Khalil with Anissa having deep concerns about his Painkiller personality. Elsewhere, Devonte collects the money Lady Eve owes Lala. She convinces him to indulge in the services of one of her ladies, but she has him drugged. At Gambi’s, TC checks Khalil’s firewall while Gambi gives him an art set to help him with PTSD. Gambi also suggests therapy with Perenna.
At home Lynn nearly collapses making dinner with Jefferson and she tells him she’s an addict and apologizes for her treatment of him in the past, but in the bathroom she retrieves a pill of the Glimmer. She confesses this at dinner and Jen helps her out by destroying it. The family bonds again, having given themselves a “clean slate”.
After drugging Devonte, Lady Eve discovers the briefcase situation and calls for a meeting with Lala. She confronts him about the briefcase and reveals that she also can control him, just like Tobias. Turns out Tobias used Lady Eve’s technology and offers to free him. Meanwhile, Anissa vents to Grace about her distrust of Khalil because of the Painkiller personality. Grace encourages her to chill out about it, but an urgent call comes in from the Perdi. The Markovians found them and have massacred them. Whoever is left is trying to get to Freeland. Black Lightning, Thunder, and Grace show up to help. Black Lightning goes to work looking for supplies for these new refugees while Thunder and Grace go back to help those left behind.
Jen takes Brandon to speak with Jace. He wants to use the crystalized ashes of his dead mother to kill Jace and the not-so-good doctor reveals that his father may still be alive. Talking to Jen later, Brandon tries to suss out who his father is based on powers. He talks to TC and Jen sees Khalil drawing a picture of her as Lightning. They share a sweet moment but he zones out, glitching. His firewall breaks, prompting Khalil to fight Painkiller inside his own mind while in the real world Painkiller is strangling Jen. Khalil defeats Painkiller and comes back to himself just in time. Khalil later comes to visit her on the roof to apologize, but she won’t have it and he leaves.
After cutting out the eye of one of her lackies, Lady Eve comes to see Gambi. She has the briefcase. She can’t open it and gives it to Gambi and says her quarrel with him is over. TC unlocks it, much to Gambi’s delight. He calls a meeting with Lynn and Jefferson and reveals that the United States is responsible for the Markovian situation, linking it all back to Gravedigger, who was experimented thus giving him metahuman powers with the military ultimately turning him into a killer. Gravedigger is Meta Prime and he was the only part of the program that survived and the government has been spending decades and loads of money to replicated it.
Lynn reveals that she left behind the meta boost serum in Markovia. Gravedigger now can have any power he wants and he’s headed to the United States.
