Black Lightning: And Then the Devil Brought the Plague: The Book of Green Light
February 13, 2018 7:38 PM - Season 1, Episode 5 - Subscribe
Jefferson's search for the Green Light source leads him closer to Tobias; Anissa's research on superpowers leads her to questions about her grandfather's death (and a supersuit montage); Jennifer gets provoked into a fight at the roller rink; Tobias confronts an old ghost.
This episode was all over the place. And the program listing/IMDb episode description bears little relation to the events in the actual episode, which makes me wonder if there were massive edits/rewrites sometime after whatever the deadlines are for whoever transmits the metadata to the network & cable companies.
posted by oh yeah! at 9:35 AM on February 14, 2018
posted by oh yeah! at 9:35 AM on February 14, 2018
Like, why was Lynn all ‘Gambi says you’re going out as Black Lightning again’ to Jefferson? Isn’t that why she called off their attempt to reconcile? Hasn’t she been watching the news?
posted by oh yeah! at 9:38 AM on February 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by oh yeah! at 9:38 AM on February 14, 2018 [3 favorites]
Geez, talk to each other. Headache? You're already on a comm link? You're flying? Maybe mention it?
Creepy guy shows up at your shop and you're already on a comm link with a superhero friend? Maybe mention it?
Can't even finish watching, sorry.
posted by amtho at 5:28 PM on February 14, 2018
Creepy guy shows up at your shop and you're already on a comm link with a superhero friend? Maybe mention it?
Can't even finish watching, sorry.
posted by amtho at 5:28 PM on February 14, 2018
I think Lynn meant "going out as Black Lightning again" in the "so soon after getting these headaches" sense. It wasn't very clear and it almost felt like a scene was cut between when they were in Gambi's lair and back at the house.
Who has been paying for the storage locker over the past thirty years?
posted by plastic_animals at 6:04 PM on February 14, 2018 [1 favorite]
Who has been paying for the storage locker over the past thirty years?
posted by plastic_animals at 6:04 PM on February 14, 2018 [1 favorite]
I think we're supposed to suspect that Gambi has ulterior motives and he's not telling many people everything he knows.
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 2:23 AM on February 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by Ivan Fyodorovich at 2:23 AM on February 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
Maybe he's a scientist from the Tuskeegee experiments or whatever, and he's running the whole thing as a massive experiment? Maybe the suits he makes have special sensors or trackers?
His voice doesn't sound right.
posted by amtho at 12:19 PM on February 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
His voice doesn't sound right.
posted by amtho at 12:19 PM on February 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
Jefferson is like the anti-Clark Kent. He puts on a pair of goggles, and no one seems to notice that Black Lighting has the same hair, beard, jaw, nose, and lips as the guy they've known for decades and just talked to earlier in the episode.
posted by GenderNullPointerException at 1:31 PM on February 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by GenderNullPointerException at 1:31 PM on February 15, 2018 [2 favorites]
But he has that robo-voice, and his suit has light-up lightning stripes! That's totally un-Jefferson!
posted by filthy light thief at 3:09 PM on February 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by filthy light thief at 3:09 PM on February 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
In one of the earlier episodes, one of the daughters after being rescued said that she couldn't look at his face; it was too bright.
posted by zeek321 at 3:17 PM on February 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by zeek321 at 3:17 PM on February 15, 2018 [1 favorite]
Right, it might be like the Flash supposedly blurring his face with speed or whatever that crap is.
posted by jenfullmoon at 4:45 PM on February 15, 2018
posted by jenfullmoon at 4:45 PM on February 15, 2018
I know the producers have said this show isn't in the Arrowverse and won't be involved in any future (if they have any) crossovers, but the more it goes on, the more it feels like they're just setting the stage for that to happen. Jefferson doesn't just have basic powers, he has powers funneled and channeled through a high-tech suit, and the suit keeps getting more and more capable to the point where he can use it to fly. Well, now he and Ray Palmer can go and be super suit buddies together when the team-up happens. And then he and Oliver can swap stories about the times their voice modifiers failed.
As for Anissa, I know the colours are different, but the design on her suit gave me an old-school Jessica Drew/Spider-woman vibe.
posted by sardonyx at 9:46 PM on February 15, 2018
As for Anissa, I know the colours are different, but the design on her suit gave me an old-school Jessica Drew/Spider-woman vibe.
posted by sardonyx at 9:46 PM on February 15, 2018
Latex is a terrible idea for a superhero suit, girlfriend, it doesn't breathe. AT ALL.
posted by desuetude at 10:34 PM on February 15, 2018 [3 favorites]
posted by desuetude at 10:34 PM on February 15, 2018 [3 favorites]
I loved the section of Anissa choosing a costume. She looks amazing. Also totally ridiculous costume and I assume she'll replace it with something a little more practical soon enough. Do we expect that she'll come out to her father, that he'll bring her into the fold? That seems like it'll be all sorts of complicated.
Didn't care much for the plot development that the super powers are tied to some Tuskegee-like experiment. I dunno, Tuskegee was really fucking bad, it feels a bit disrespectful to use it this way. But I'm a white guy and this show isn't primarily about how I see the world, I'm glad to be wrong. It certainly works as a superhero origin story, more Spiderman than Batman.
Gambi's mysterious story and connections to everyone fascinate me. I hope they've got this written out. The new thing we learned this week is "The A.S.A.", some organization both Gambi and Tobias respect.
posted by Nelson at 9:37 AM on February 16, 2018
Didn't care much for the plot development that the super powers are tied to some Tuskegee-like experiment. I dunno, Tuskegee was really fucking bad, it feels a bit disrespectful to use it this way. But I'm a white guy and this show isn't primarily about how I see the world, I'm glad to be wrong. It certainly works as a superhero origin story, more Spiderman than Batman.
Gambi's mysterious story and connections to everyone fascinate me. I hope they've got this written out. The new thing we learned this week is "The A.S.A.", some organization both Gambi and Tobias respect.
posted by Nelson at 9:37 AM on February 16, 2018
For the same budget, they could have done a really good Static Shock series. Just sayin'
posted by mikelieman at 1:26 PM on February 26, 2018
posted by mikelieman at 1:26 PM on February 26, 2018
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Anissa: has she found her Gambi? Hopefully he doesn't end up getting compromised like Gambi is.
And what's the deal with Gambi? Why hide Tobias' presence from BL if you're hostile to Tobias? Is there some part of their deal that still works for Gambi, or does Tobias have leverage that will last beyond his grave?)
Jefferson: maybe this is the time that you take your lesson to your daughter to heart for yourself?
Also, I see that flying would be frickin' amazing, but from Gambi's point of view, he just got a fragile, unreliable drone. You're the tech wizard, give Jefferson some micro drones that he can launch or throw or something. He already has the super vision goggles, add the option for a drone cam view to pop up there, too. And while you're at it, give him some rear view cameras, or at least motion sensors, because this is the second time he's been caught unaware by something behind him. Then again, for someone who's so keen on self defense, you think Jefferson be a bit more alert when in Black Lightning mode.
Really, I just have issues with how people are using their normal powers, super powers, and technology in this show. Fight smarter, not harder!
posted by filthy light thief at 7:05 AM on February 14, 2018 [1 favorite]