Black Lighting returned for its fourth and final season last week and revealed a Freeland — and Pierce family — deeply changed after the Markovian war and A.S.A. occupation last season. Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) had given up being Black Lightning as he dealt with grief over the death of Bill Henderson while Lynne (Christine Stewart) was using metahuman power serums to give herself powers and both Anissa (Nafessa Williams) and Jen (China Anne McClain) were fighting crime as Thunder and Lightning. Meanwhile, a new chief of police made it clear that she wanted to rid the city of metahumans and Tobias Whale (Marvin “Krondon” Jones III) had returned, this time as an “upstanding citizen” all while having darker plans for Freeland.
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This week, the Pierces and Freeland continue to struggle in this new normal of grief, pain, and gang warfare on the city streets. If you need to get caught up on the major details and stories from this week’s episode, we’re here to help. Here are the major plot points for “The Book of Reconstruction: Chapter Two: Unacceptable Losses”. Warning: full spoilers for the episode beyond this point. Read on only if you really want to know.
Freeland
Chief Lopez doubles down on her anti-mutant crusade by telling the police that they will be getting next-generation DEG weapons even more lethal against metahumans. Meanwhile, the gang war between La La’s 100 gang and Lady Eve’s Kobra Cartel (currently being run by Destiny as Lady Eve has been missing since the war) continues to rage on in the city. A shoot out during the episode results in a teacher at Garfield High’s child being killed despite medical intervention by Anissa and vigilante intervention by Lightning.
Jefferson
Jefferson is having nightmares about Henderson’s death, prompting him to get up, go outside, and just scream while expressing his powers until he passes out. Lynn finds him the next morning but he continues to not communicate with her. Later that day, Tobias approaches him and it’s revealed that Tobias’ new serum makes him immune to Black Lightning’s powers. He tells Jefferson that he will destroy everyone and everything he loves. After the son of one of his teachers is killed, Jefferson goes to therapy alone and, later, has another falling out with Gambi when Gambi won’t give him information on the gang member who killed the kid. Jefferson later calls T.C. and gets that information, going to rough up the man and demand he turns himself in.
Lynn
Lynn goes to therapy alone and the therapist suggests that she has nothing for herself outside of work and home. When the shootout goes down, she shoots up with one of the meta serums and goes to help using wind powers. She is able to save Lightning from being shot but is hurt herself. She later comes clean to Jefferson who claims she’s just traded addictions. Jen and Anissa also confront her and say she’s a liability. However, when the violence breaks out again, Lynn shoots up again though it is clear the words of her family are weighing on her.
Jennifer and Anissa
Jennifer has apparently decided to just not go to college, seeing a life as Lightning as the better alternative. She also is revealed to be using energy from the upper atmosphere to heal, something that is implied to be dangerous.
After being unable to save the kid from the shootout, Anissa goes out as Blackbird and has both La La and Destiny rounded up and brought to her. She declares that the parking lot where the homeless gather — and where the kid was shot — is off-limits to gang violence. After some tension, all parties agree, though the gangs clearly see this as a future opportunity for their own businesses.
Gambi
Gambi realizes that Monavista is supplying the next generation DEGs and, has dinner with Lauren (Elena Varela) again refusing her job offer. He later breaks into Monovista and gets information about their weapons off their system. The next day, he goes to see Lauren and accepts a different job offer from her — on in their R&D department, presumably as part of his plan for dealing with the DEGs.
Tobias
Tobias injects himself with something – a new serum. He buys the Browning neighborhood but it’s unclear what his purpose for that purchase is and then has an AI hack into Lynn’s lab.
