Original subtitles

[Jefferson] Previously on Black Lightning...

I found out some serious dirt

on this fake cystic fibrosis treatment.

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.

Darius.

[Gambi] His name is Ishmael.

Advanced training in hand-to-hand combat,

especially swordsmanship.

And he's a meta hunter.

Dr. Stewart successfully harvested my powers into the vials.

The nullifier boosters are authentic.

Let's make our move on Dr. Stewart.

You're under arrest.

- What... what... what for? - Violation of civil rights.

[camera shutter clicking]

Mr. Bates asked me to work on it himself.

It's called an energy field emitter.

Look who's almost the king of Freeland now.

[laughing maniacally]

Something's wrong.

I don't feel my powers.

[Gambi] Jeff, I don't know what's happening.

I can't feel my powers either.

My powers aren't working.

[gasping]

[screaming]

[TC over radio] Lightning!

TC, something's wrong.

[breathing heavily]

I could really use a little help here.

[TC] I'm trying.

[Lightning screaming]

[TC] Hold on, I'm trying.

Lightning, can you hear me?

[Lightning] What the hell is going on?

It seems that somehow everyone lost their powers.

Yeah, I just figured that out the hard way.

Are you hurt?

No.

Thankfully, Gambi is always full of surprises.

Wait. If everyone lost their powers,

how are you talking to me right now?

I'm on an old earpiece from, like, 1903.

How do people still use these things?

I'm headed to the Sanctum.

[grunting]

[Ishmael] This isn't even a battle.

I'm almost ashamed to keep going.

Almost.

[grunts]

Gambi, I need you to activate

the stealth mode in my suit remotely.

You're good to go.

[police sirens wailing]

[tires screeching]

Hands! Don't move!

[blows landing]

[Black Lightning] Get your men outta here.

I can't hold him much longer.

- Get outta there, now! - He's on the ground.

- We could take him right now. - Just do it.

If Black Lightning's telling us, he knows something we don't.

[straining]

[tires screeching]

Jeff, you need to get back to the Sanctum. Now.

[Ishmael] You gonna show your face?

Huh?

I thought Black Lightning was supposed to be a badass!

Or are you just a coward in a costume?

I'm on my way.

[horn blaring]

[grunting]

Grace?

Babe, you okay?

No, actually.

Anissa, you're bleeding.

Wait, the person in that car almost took you out.

Why is someone trying to kill you?

Wait, why are we bruised and battered?

What the hell happened to our powers?

Come on.

[singing] Last night I saw a superhero He was Black

He said, "This is for the street Black Lightning's back"

[papers rustling]

[Grace sighs]

- [Grace] Okay, we shouldn't be in here. - [Anissa sighs]

Look, babe, I know this is messed up,

but whatever's on that thumb drive,

Darius was trying to give to me.

It had him so terrified he was ready to leave town.

And now he's dead.

- We gotta stay and find it. - Okay, what if the killer took it?

How do we even know it's still here?

[sighs]

What is it?

[Anissa] Wow.

That dude really did love his dog.

This must be Rusty.

What the hell?

So look, when you were in the hospital,

he was telling me he had to euthanize his dog,

and that they were... Ugh. That they were really close.

So, he compared me to his dog?

He never compared you to his dog.

- He was just saying... - Whatever.

That is way more disturbing than that dead body lying four feet from us.

Listen, I agree with you. I think it's weird, too. But look.

Jackpot.

Wow. If I wasn't so repulsed, I'd call you a genius.

That's all right, baby. You can still call me a genius.

[Anissa chuckles]

All right, but really.

If the neighbors heard gunshots,

the cops are probably on their way.

- We should get out of here. - Yeah.

Damn.

We should go.

[Anissa] Damn!

[Anissa] Uncle Gambi, is it just our powers affected?

Or all the metas in Freeland? TC lost his powers, too.

Or all the metas everywhere?

I don't know yet.

But I am working on it.

We know you are.

Let's just get out of these suits.

How do we do that with no powers?

[snickers] Aw.

You stuck in the same outfit. How are you gonna make it?

This isn't funny, Anissa.

[Gambi] This is a prototype

of the module I use to conduct the electrical currents within the suits.

It should do the trick.

[chuckles softly]

Thanks, Uncle Gambi.

And thanks for putting that bubble thing in my suit.

- Kicked in just in time. - [Gambi chuckles]

After your dad fell from the ionosphere

trying to save you,

I incorporated them into your suits as an extra safety measure.

Good call.

Hey, look, you think you can decrypt this?

Not without my powers.

But I think I may know someone who can help.

All right, good.

[cell phone buzzing]

Yeah.

You should probably get down to the precinct.

Lynn's been arrested.

This is nowhere near orthodox.

Not to mention, I already put my ass on the line tonight.

Let's just say things didn't go so well.

The name Jefferson Pierce is trash in Freeland right now.

People say you betrayed the entire city.

But I trusted Bill Henderson with my life.

And apparently, he trusted you with his.

So... you got five minutes.

All right. I appreciate you, man. Truly.

Jeff.

- You all right? - No.

No, the... the charges are really serious, Jeff.

Fourteen counts of violation of civil rights.

Human experimentation on children in a government black site,

reckless endangerment. I...

I'm scared. Jeff, I'm really scared.

- We're gonna get you out of here. - Where... where are the girls?

Uh... I just left them at the Sanctum.

Something's not right.

We all lost our powers.

What? How?

We don't know yet, exactly, but...

It's Tobias. It's all Tobias.

He just put out a statement

disassociating himself from you and the clinic.

Oh, son of a bitch.

Okay, look. I promise you,

I will do everything in my power to get you out of here.

- Oh, Keith. - Got here as soon as I could.

[Lynn] Thank you so much for coming.

This is Jefferson.

Oh, hey. Good to meet you. Keith Michaels.

Michaels. Oh, you're Lynn's old college buddy.

We're gonna get Lynn home. Real soon.

I'm not sure we can afford you.

No, Jeff, it-it-it's handled.

- Appreciate it, man. - [door opens]

Jefferson, you need to go.

Feds'll be back in here any second.

She's in good hands.

Thank you. You stay strong.

- Yeah. - Thank you.

Thank you so much for coming.

["Focused" playing]

It's mini mini boom boom

[sighs]

Thanks for letting me stay over.

You know you're always welcome.

Mm-hmm. Except when she's not.

[Anissa chuckles]

What?

I kid, I'm kidding.

We need to get our powers back.

They were the only real tie I had left to my identity.

If I can't be Lightning anymore,

who am I?

Look, whether you have your powers, or you look different or not,

you are my sister.

And that, I know in my soul.

So just hold on to that, okay?

Until Gambi can... figure out a way for this all to go back to normal.

You know damn well this family doesn't do "normal."

- [Anissa chuckles] - She's not wrong about that.

[Grace] Mm-mm.

Glow of success.

"If a man shall begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts.

But if he will be content to begin with doubts,

he shall end in certainties."

I wanna see this thing in action.

[shell clatters]

[Tobias chuckling]

Cool.

Now remove the bracelet.

[chuckling]

I wasn't gonna actually shoot you, Red.

Now that we have assurances that the emitter is working,

time to initiate phase two of the plan.

[chuckling]

Oh, and...

you owe me a vase.

That was Lalique.

- [Jefferson] Hey. - All right. What's happening with Mom?

Her bail's been set at three million.

Dollars?

Yeah. Your mother's facing some serious charges.

Bogus as they may be.

How're we gonna come up with that kind of money?

It's never gonna come to that. She's innocent.

And she has the best attorney in the country

fighting her case right now, so...

Wait, how... how do you know about who her attorney is?

Well...

Mom used her call at the precinct, and she reached out to me

and asked if I could reach out to Keith.

Who's Keith?

She had you call him?

Dad, look, you said yourself that she's fighting some really serious charges.

And a public defender just won't cut it.

We need a pit bull on this.

Uh, yeah. How're we supposed to pay for all this?

It's okay. I got it covered. [sighs]

Right. Of course.

Dad, come on. You don't want her sitting in jail, do you?

Now, I know my supplemented income is a sore subject for you,

but we don't have time for a moral debate right now.

Getting Mom home is the first priority, by any means necessary.

Second priority is getting our powers back.

Uncle Gambi, have you been able to find anything out yet?

Trying to identify what might be interfering with your powers

and what could possibly restore them.

Promise you, I'll be working on it all night.

Yo, thank you for helping me out with that drive.

I literally couldn't have done it without you.

Ah, don't sell yourself short.

You've demonstrated a real knack for coding even without your powers.

Now that you don't have 'em, lean into it.

- Let's find out how good you really are. - Maybe you're right.

I just couldn't have done it as quickly.

[chuckles] Okay.

Hey, TC, I gotta run. I'll talk to you soon.

Okay, no problem.

I'm gonna get the current drives over to Anissa

and I'll hit you back.

Thanks again.

Yo, my bad.

You in?

[Khalil breathes heavily]

Yeah.

All right. Now, where the hell am I going?

[Philky] Uh, looks like you've got about ten more feet.

Ten...

[breathing heavily]

I swear...

[panting]

there better be something

on that damn ledger to help nail Tobias.

[Philky] Wait, hold up.

Are you trying to tell me that the world's deadliest assassin

is claustrophobic?

No. No.

Hey... I just don't like tight spaces.

Okay. So I guess in other words,

you could say, maybe claustrophobic.

[panting]

Are we there yet?

Uh, well, let me see.

Philky, don't you play with me.

You know what, you're right. Affirmative. You are there.

[Khalil sighs]

[grunts]

[sighs] All right, I'm in.

What am I looking for?

A three-panel painting on a wall.

Behind the second one, there is a safe.

Inside the safe, there is a thumb drive with the digital ledger on it.

Got it.

What's the code?

It's 1956...

[beeping]

Wait, hold on.

You got company.

Hey!

[Painkiller] So...

who wants to die first?

[singing] Wu-Tang Clan comin' at ya

- Watch your step, kid - Protect ya neck, kid

- Watch your step, kid - Protect ya neck, kid

The Inspectah Deck

I smoke on the mic Like "Smokin' Joe" Frazier

The hell raiser Raisin' hell with the flavor

Terrorize the jam Like troops in Pakistan

Swingin' through your town Like your neighborhood Spider-Man

So, uh, tick-tock And keep tickin'

While I get ya flippin' off The... I'm kickin'

The Lone Ranger Code red, danger

Deep in the dark With the art to rip charts apart

The vandal Too hot to handle

Ya battle, you're sayin' "Goodbye" like Tevin Campbell

Roughneck Inspectah Deck's on the set

The Rebel, I make more noise Than heavy metal

[man exclaims]

The way I make the crowd go wild Sit back, relax, won't smile

Rae got it goin' on, pal Call me the rap assassinator

Rhymes rugged and built Like Schwarzenegger

And I'mma get mad deep Like a threat

Blow up your project Then take all your assets

'Cause I came To shake the frame in half

[exclaims]

So if you wanna try to flip Go flip on the next man

'Cause I grab the clip And hit you with 16 shots and more I got

Goin' to war With the meltin' pot, akh

It's the Method Man For short Mr. Meth

Movin' on your left, aah

And set it off, get it off Let it off like a gat

I wanna break full Cock me back

Small change They puttin' shame in the game

I take aim and blow that... Out the frame...

You said 1956?

[keypad beeping]

But I do, true Can I get a "suue"

'Nough respect due To the one-six-ooh

I mean, ohh Yo, check out the flow

Like the Hudson or PCP When I'm dustin'

Off because I'm hot like sauce

The smoke From the lyrical blunt makes me, hu

Ooh, what, grab my nut Get screwed

Ow, here comes My Shaolin style

True B-A-ba-B-Y-U

[sighs]

You are a miracle worker. Thank you.

[groans]

I couldn't have spent another night in there.

What, you lost faith in me after all these years?

- No. - You know I play to win.

Once I found out the judge on your case

was looking to score his kid a college entrance at our alma mater?

No-brainer.

Plus, I had added incentive.

It was either get you released or face the wrath of that daughter of yours.

- [both laughing] - Anissa's no joke.

No.

You could always make me laugh

in the worst possible situations.

I'm sorry we couldn't avoid that.

Oh, yeah.

It's not my best look.

- How you doin'? - Just glad to be coming home.

Give me a shout if you need me, no matter what time.

No, thanks, man. We, uh... we got it for tonight.

Uh-huh.

Oh, uh...

I'll touch base tomorrow, go over the next steps.

Okay, thank you.

Jeff, he moved mountains for us in there.

The least you could do is show your appreciation.

What? I thanked the man. What more do you want?

- We should go home and see her. - We'll go in the morning, okay?

I think Mom and Dad just need space tonight.

Mm, so they can discuss why you and Mom conspired

to have her ex-boyfriend get her outta jail?

Okay, we did not conspire.

Mm, I don't think Dad sees it that way.

[alarm chimes]

[Shonda] Front door visitor.

[sighs]

I'm sorry, guys. This took a little time.

No, it's all good. You came through. Now, what do you have?

[TC] It looks like a bunch of files.

I really can't tell what they are, though.

- Open that one. - Okay.

Uh-uh. Something's not right.

What is it?

According to this report,

none of the pregnant women at the clinic had cystic fibrosis.

But they all had the meta-gene.

Wait, is that what they were actually removing?

It sure looks like it.

This whole cystic fibrosis thing was just a cover.

A cover for what?

Why would someone wanna remove meta-genes?

More than likely to harvest to use them for someone or something else.

Okay.

Yep, look. According to this report,

shipments were leaving the clinic once a week.

And I bet that it's vials from the extracted meta-genes

being moved to where they're being harvested.

Yeah.

Darius knew about this.

Which is what he was trying to tell you before he got killed.

Your colleague at the clinic?

He's dead?

Yeah. He must have been going public with it.

Hey, TC, can you tell who sent the file to Monovista?

Yeah, Philky taught me how to put a tracer on IP addresses.

[Anissa] Okay, good.

One second.

Looks like the address is being linked to...

The Center for Gene Therapy and Genetic Research.

Someone at Mom's lab was after Darius?

I don't think so. I think someone with full access to her lab

trying to cover their tracks makes more sense.

- Tobias. - Tobias.

Those delivery addresses are probably just drop spots.

He's not that stupid.

He's gotta be keeping all of them somewhere else.

All right, look, we're gonna have to find them

because whatever he's trying to do with these meta-genes,

we have to stop them.

Okay?

It looks so much better in here.

Adds that special something to the place, don't you think?

All right, so you taunted me with stealing my property.

Did you ask me here for anything else?

As of this moment, your war with The Hundred gang ends.

And whatever's left of the Kobra Cartel belongs to me now.

Of course, I'll throw you a 10% management fee.

But let's be clear, I run this now.

[Destiny] Hmm.

Should've had your people search me

before you started talking about taking over my entire operation.

Because that ain't happening.

Ain't she cute? [chuckles]

I could always put in a call to my girl, Chief Lopez.

Feed her all kinds of juicy tidbits about the Kobra Cartel.

Money drops. Illegal card games.

Human trafficking.

Without a doubt, incarceration would be swift.

But why bother when I can just force the issue now?

[Tobias chuckling]

If he did that with a gun, imagine what I'll have him do to you.

What are you waiting for? Do something.

Tobias already got to you, didn't he?

[Ishmael] He made me a better offer.

Nothing in Freeland gets by me.

When a highly-skilled meta hunter of Ishmael's caliber

goes slumming it with the likes of you,

it's only a matter of time before he decides to explore, shall we say,

more lucrative options.

[Ishmael] Nothing personal.

Hmm.

[scoffs] You have a nice day.

[knocking at door]

[knocking continues]

Guess I should've known you'll always be a spy first.

- Lauren... - Back up.

And I was dumb enough to believe

that those memories actually meant something to you.

You just wanted to steal promethium.

I don't blame you for being angry.

But you would've shot me already

if that's what you wanted to do.

So let me explain, okay?

All right?

[Gambi sighs]

Thank you.

While you're at it,

you can also explain to me what you did with the emitter.

The emitter?

The emitter, Peter.

It's gone. And I know you took it.

I know you have every reason to doubt me right now.

Using the Go board was a crap thing to do.

I'm sorry.

But I had to get access to that promethium

and I wasn't sure I could trust you yet.

Trust me with what?

I will explain everything to you when I'm able.

But I can tell you that I did not take the emitter.

- I swear. - Who did, then?

- [sighs] - [gun clicks]

I honestly don't know.

I'm gonna find out. I promise.

[Philky] So these people are all connected to Tobias how?

It looks like a payroll.

I mean, he's probably employing them for his dirty work.

[Philky] Hmm.

Damn.

What the hell does she do?

Whatever it is, she is definitely important to Tobias.

Twenty grand a month.

Say less.

[Anissa] Where is Grace with this takeout? I'm starving.

Uh, why does my kitchen look like an episode of MythBusters?

And what're you doing with my toaster, girl?

- This was a wedding gift... - Hear me out.

We know whatever Tobias is doing with these stolen meta-genes, it ain't good.

I'm thinking at least one of us needs our powers back before we take him on.

Jen, I hear you.

If we knew a way to make that happen, yeah, sure. But what are you...

Gambi said something at the Sanctum

that gave me an idea to bring my powers back.

If the key to my powers is I'm supposed to be a generator,

why shouldn't I be able to jump-start them?

You know, like a car.

You mean, electrocute yourself?

Basically, yeah.

And according to science, all this is the best way to do it.

Okay, you trippin'. I'm not helping you with that. For real.

Anissa, this could be our only shot at getting our powers back.

You wanna stay like this forever?

Jen, you're missing one small detail here.

You don't have your powers.

What if your heart stops, huh? Permanently?

See, that is where my brilliant, medical doctor sister comes in.

If my heart stops, you'll be right here to get her pumping again.

No! Hell, no. Jen!

[electricity crackling]

Jen! Jen!

Oh, my God!

Jen! Jen! Shonda!

Shonda, call 911.

[Anissa breathes heavily]

Come on. Don't do this, please.

Jen, please. Please don't do this.

Wake up. Damn it, wake up!

Jen, wake up!

[whimpers]

Please, don't do this. Wake up.

Jen! Jen!

Oh, my God.

If you would have died, I would have killed you.

Classic Anissa logic.

How you feel?

I feel great.

Anissa, it worked.

But I still need to draw a lot more power.

Girl, you just blew out all the electricity in my place.

Where are you gonna get a bigger source from?

You trying to blackout all of Freeland?

You know what? You have completely lost your damn mind.

Look, just hear me out!

Seriously? After everything you've been through,

you're telling me you wanna go back to the ionosphere?

It's the only way I can regain enough power.

And what do you want me to tell Mom and Dad

after you go up there and something goes wrong again?

It'll be different.

Since I'm only barely above empty, I won't overload myself like before.

- No. - Anissa, I know this'll work.

It has to.

My entire identity was wiped out.

Gone.

And I know everyone says

that they know that I'm the same old Jen, but do you?

Because I don't.

This isn't just about powers.

Being able to access Lightning was the only thing keeping me sane.

And I know I'm paying the price for the risk I took before.

But if going back to the ionosphere

is the only chance I have at getting my powers back

until Gambi can figure this all out,

you're damn right I'll risk it again.

No, you just can't, okay? What would Dad do?

Dad would do the same thing for me.

He did do it for me.

He almost died trying to bring me back from the ionosphere.

So I owe him this.

'Nissa...

A huge part of me is gone...

and I just want it back.

Jen, what happens...

What happens if this time you go up there and we lose all of you?

Hmm?

For good?

- I don't know. - Exactly.

How you feeling?

Better. Thank you.

Can we talk about what's bothering you?

Is it Keith?

Um, I know this must be uncomfortable for you.

No. It's not.

Then why are you acting like this?

Like what?

Ungrateful.

What do I have to be grateful for, Lynn?

That, uh... you have no faith in me?

You didn't think I could fix this.

That right now, I don't have the power to protect you?

Jeff...

[knocking at door]

[sighs]

- Hey. - Hey.

Thought you two might be hungry.

- Kitchen? - Yeah.

What is clear is that Tobias was using the clinic

to facilitate the loss of your powers.

Otherwise, why have it taken away from me?

The question is, how is he doing it?

Was there any part of the lab you didn't have clearance for?

No, I... I had complete reign over the clinic,

it was one of the terms Tobias and I agreed to.

If anything was being hidden in that lab, it would've been hidden in...

In plain sight.

Val.

He used me to harness Val's nullifying powers.

[grunts] I wasn't running tests to find a cure for ALS.

Tobias wanted a blueprint to produce the technology of a nullifier.

As opposed to using one in the flesh.

Enabling him to nullify any meta at any time.

But how did he manage to nullify me and Jennifer and Anissa

without being in close contact with us?

The emitter.

What?

It's a project that I was working on at Monovista.

It's a device that was inspired by a design of Tesla's.

It's a type of disseminator.

They were supposedly using it to...

to generate and distribute clean, free energy throughout Freeland.

How did he get his hands on that?

Tobias must have someone on his payroll at Monovista.

So the power to nullify and the ability to broadcast it.

Tobias just became the most powerful man in Freeland.

And he used all of us to do it.

Locating and shutting down that emitter

is our only hope of you getting your powers back.

[elevator dings]

Katie, when did this package arrive?

[Katie] Shortly after your departure for dinner.

Shall I scan it?

No, that won't be necessary.

Thank you for joining us, Mr. Whale.

We were wanting to check on your progress.

It's going quite well, actually.

I've gained full control of the city's gangs,

made all the right friends at City Hall

and have certain assurances that my election as mayor is inevitable.

The mayor's seat is crucial.

We'll need you to be able to operate publicly above board.

It's only a matter of time.

Freeland is mine.

And the metas?

Rendered under my complete control.

Each and every one of them.

That's quite a claim.

We assume you have evidence to confirm it?

I wanna see this thing in action.

Now remove the bracelet.

Impressive.

We were not certain that you could pull this off.

I assure you,

my appointment will be the board's highest asset.

And assuming your assurances play out with your mayoral seat,

so, too, will your seat on the board.

We appreciate your time, Mr. Whale.

Just close the box.

[sighs]

I can't believe you just let her go back up there.

Okay. Do you really think I just let her go back up there?

I tried to stop her, she was gonna do it whether I gave her my blessing or not.

What was I supposed to do?

Tie her to the couch?

And what's going on with you?

You've been acting really strange ever since we lost our powers.

And I know there's more to it than that. I know you.

It bothers me.

Yeah, babe, it's bothering all of us right now.

No, it bothers me how badly you all want them back.

Babe, what if I don't?

I mean, 'Nissa, this could be our chance to lead regular lives.

Whoa. "Regular lives"? No, that's not for me.

I have to protect Freeland.

More importantly, I gotta protect my family,

and that includes you.

Maybe we won't need protecting if we're not metas.

If we weren't...

Think of all the problems that have come with it.

How many of us have almost died?

Or gotten kidnapped?

Or arrested?

And then every time

we come even close to a moment's peace...

[scoffs]

I mean, how could we even be a real family

as long as we have powers?

Listen...

I understand how you feel, Grace, especially

on top of everything else that you've gone through

since you were a really little girl,

and you're still trying to control your shiftin', I understand that.

Trust me, I do.

But when you met me, I was a meta.

When you fell in love with me,

I was a meta.

And, babe, if I gotta go the rest of my life

trying to get my powers back,

then that's just what I gotta do.

I'm just saying, may... maybe this is a sign.

That it's okay to let Freeland take care of itself for once.

Its fate doesn't have to all depend on the Pierces.

Yes, it does. This is who I am.

This is who we are.

And, yes,

I'm terrified for Jennifer right now. I am.

But I also know that whatever is thrown at my family,

we always come out okay.

I just...

You know, the longer we do this,

I can't help but wonder

if one of these days, our luck is gonna run out.

[sighs]

I am Jennifer Pierce.

I am Lightning.

And no one or nothing can take that from me.

[singing] You know when you lost one

A good one You know when you lost

Go out and... Different people

To cope And ignore all precautions

You drink and you drink And get faded

You feel like That's your only options...

[beeping]

Jen, slow down!

[Lightning over radio] TC! How did you know that I...

Anissa told me everything.

Why would you go up there without me again?

I don't know what's happening.

Sometimes it's too late To make amends

Just hear me out before...

You're too far past the threshold.

You gained enough power about 97 kilometers back.

Slow down and come back to Earth.

TC, I can't.

You can.

The particles will phase out

the further you get away from the ionosphere.

Just start descending.

Oh-oh Try not to love no one

There is one thing I need for you to know...

[sighs]

I did it, TC.

- I did it. - [sighs]

Thank God.

Anissa would have killed me if you didn't make it.

Welcome back.

No one, no

Try not to love no one No one

Yeah

[closing theme music playing]