Black Lightning Recap: The Book of Consequences–Chapter Four: Translucent Freak

Season 2 / Episode 4, ‘The Book of Consequences: Chapter Three: Translucent Freak’/ The CW

It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye

This episode starts with Jennifer working with Perenna to control her powers. Jennifer has some really intense feelings over Khalil, and she doesn’t seem ready to let him go quite yet. Just when it seems that she can control her power, she remembers the old times with Khalil, before his accident, and loses it. Emotional meta-teens, amirite? Over at the station, Detective Henderson is about to lose his hold on Tobias, which is exactly what Tobias envisioned when he let himself get captured. With the evidence gone, the witnesses dead, and Jefferson unable to testify in court that he was at the scene when his father died, Tobias walks. Not only that, but while in jail, Tobias gets a visit from the dude Anissa stole money from. He wants Tobias’ blessing to terrorize the Freeland Clinic, and he gets permission to kill Thunder if he can catch her. At the clinic, Black Lightning and Thunder thwart a bomb threat, but Tobias has placed facial recognition on site, and we don’t yet know how that will turn out.

She Bad

Things are tense in the Pierce household, especially after Jefferson finds out from Gambi about Anissa’s Robin Hood stunts. After confronting Anissa, Jefferson uses the age-old parenting technique of threatening to kick a kid out if they don’t follow the house rules. Anissa calls his bluff and decides to move out, much to Jen’s dismay. The sisters have a moment to talk about communication and care, promising to keep their relationship strong. I truly love how well the Pierce family talks to and cares for one another. I especially like the model of forgiveness that the Pierces show. When Jefferson and Anissa finally are on speaking terms again, they admit they need to listen to each other more, and Jeff offers his father’s house to Anissa to move into. Don’t you love having a healthy model of Black families on network television, because I do.

Over in the ASA lab, Lynn walks in on Dr. Jace having a Frankenstein moment as she experiments on one of the pod kids. After the poor (Black) boy is dead, Jace tells Lynn that he was going to die anyway and it’s better they get the data than try to save him. Lynn isn’t having it, but it really does seem that she is losing control of her lab. Dr. Jace also happens upon the DNA samples of the Pierce family, and even though she doesn’t know who the samples are from, her devilish delight at having found them is scary. It looks like she intends to figure out who the meta-family is and perform her nasty experiments on them. Not a good look, Lynn! Something has to give. Speaking of giving, Kara isn’t giving any info up to Gambi, even though he’s trying to help her. Unfortunately, it seems the harpoon wound from when Tobias shot Kara has gotten infected and Kara doesn’t have long to live. Gambi implores her to give him information about the mysterious briefcase and right before she dies, Kara admits it is in Tobias’ hands. Whatever is in that case, I’m guessing it’s not going to be good if Tobias wields the power. Best get that from him, Gambi.

Rise Up

Many of the characters in this episode attempt to rise out of their previous bondage, including Tobias. He has a warped plan that a convicted criminal who peddles in lies and coercion can achieve political greatness. In America?! With the evidence against him in the death of Jefferson’s father nonexistent, Tobias is back in the public eye, pretending to care about Freeland. I expect Really Bad Things to come of this. On the topic of Really Bad Things, the new Garfield High principal, Mr. Lowry, is a dick. First of all, this fool called Jeff “Black Jesus” to his face, and I am incredibly bothered. Secondly, his No Tolerance policy has the potential to ruin the lives of a lot of young Black folks in Freeland, and Jefferson is not at all happy about it. Lynn advises Jefferson to take his school back and reminds him that nothing can stop the man she loves from achieving his goals. Yes Queen, support your King!

With all the drama going on, the Pierces decide that it isn’t safe for Jennifer to go back to Garfield High School, particularly because she cannot control her powers yet. Jen, of course, doesn’t take the news well. After promising Anissa she isn’t going to mess with Khalil again, she ends up texting him to meet up in the dark corridors of Garfield High. Girl, nooooooo! Watching Black Lightning? Find BNP’s other recaps of the series here. Want to get Black Nerd Problems updates sent directly to you? Sign up here!

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