The tension in Freeland has reached its breaking point this season. Last week, the ASA occupation forces pushed things to the point where Black Lightning struck back, an event that saw significant repercussions. Now, as those repercussions make themselves apparent, it’s time for an all-out battle for a significant part of Freeland’s history — and events set into motion that could define the rest of the season.
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Spoilers for tonight’s episode of Black Lightning, “The Book of Resistance: Chapter Three: The Battle of Franklin Terrace,” below.
We open with Tobias Whale at the ASA facility just talking, similar to what we saw in the season premiere, though here Tobias claims that he’s not like the others. Elsewhere, Jefferson wakes up alone after Lynn and his argument prompted her to leave. She also doesn’t answer his call. Gambi tests Anissa’s powers. She’s back to normal, though she still has a wound/scar where she was infected. She wants to get back to work. Gambi shows her a news item from outside the city that has been sending misinformation about the reason Freeland is on lockdown. Gambi says they need to find a way to get the real information out there.
At the ASA, Lynn continues to look for Khalil when Tobias is brought in. He continues to pester her, telling her that she knows what the ASA will do with the metas once she stabilizes them. Lynn says she knows but she thinks she’s giving them a choice. Tobias says they won’t, and neither will anyone in Freeland with a meta gene as the ASA will just flood the city with Green Light and it’ll be her fault.
Jennifer shows up at Brandon’s. They apologize to each other after he threw her out last time. He theorizes that his powers ground out Jennifer’s. Blackbird pays Jamila a visit to ask her to put together footage so they can get the message outside of Freeland. At home, Henderson visits Jefferson and agrees they need to be on the same team. Their third grade teacher, Mrs. Shepherd, needs their help because the ASA has taken over Franklin Terrace as barracks and evicted everyone — but Mrs. Shepherd is refusing to leave.
Brandon reveals that Dr. Jace experimented on his mother while pregnant with him and he ultimately watched her die. He ended up in foster care. Now he’s looking for Dr. Jace to end her. Jennifer reveals she knows the doctor’s last known whereabouts. At Franklin Terrace, Jefferson and Henderson go in to speak with the lady refusing to leave. She reminds him of the significance of the apartment and how it’s part of their history. She isn’t leaving. She wants to fight back. Jefferson leaves, but calls Henderson and tells him to rally the troops. They’re making a stand. Jefferson suits up.
Gambi locates an abandoned radio tower they can use for their broadcast when news of the Franklin Terrace incident hits. Jennifer suits back up as Thunder to go aid Black Lightning. Thunder shows up right on time and the ASA troops fall back and the resistance shows up. At the radio tower, Gambi encounters one of the Pod Kids, Baron and convinces him that he’s trying to help save Freeland. At the ASA, Lynn teams up with Tobias to stop the ASA, though his plan is for her to break him out. He wants Lynn to give him Maryam’s powers of camouflage. Jennifer reveals that Jace isn’t in Freeland and in his upset, he essentially causes an earthquake before passing out.
Baron — who goes by Technocrat or TC — helps Gambi get things up and running. Meanwhile at Franklin Terrace, Painkiller shows up and faces off with Thunder. He takes off his mask and she discovers he’s Khalil before he goes down. Thunder arrives at the tower to help get out the broadcast. As they are uploading things, the signal starts to jam but Baron gets it through. Later, Gambi pulls out Baron’s ASA file and is alerted that the ASA lockdown procedure has initiated and they’re trying to lock Lynn in. She grabs a bunch of her pills and the cure and Gambi guides her out but she drops her bag in the process.
At Franklin Terrace, the commander adapts Black Lighting’s power and attacks him but he’s quickly overwhelmed by the power and collapses. The resistance wins the day with Black Lightning finally on board.
