Tobias’s most vicious act to date proved to only be the beginning as Black Lightning continued down its dark road. Ripping Khalil’s spine enhancement out barehanded left the young man in critical condition, bringing the whole crew together as he battled for his life. The sight rallied the Pierces and their allies to find any way to save Khalil and bring down Tobias. The good thing about being clued into Freeland’s meta treatment scene is that there are many options to exhaust on both fronts. Unfortunately, figures on both sides of the battleline exist. No person is exempt from the race against time, but the pain of that realization doesn’t dull when the finish line is in sight. All one can ask for is a few more moments before crossing it.
Justice Where Justice Failed
Khalil is laid up in the hospital after Tobias’s attack. It isn’t long before the Pierce family and Nichelle arrive. Nichelle breaks down at the sight of her broken son and all leave the room except for Jefferson. Khalil asks him to kill Tobias for him. Jefferson refuses, believing he should be taken down through the justice system. Khalil scoffs at the notion that a system that failed both of them is worth another shot. He asks Jefferson to make Tobias suffer. Jefferson apologizes for not being there for Khalil, but Khalil pushes back. Principal Pierce was always there. Khalil just couldn’t see him.
Henderson visits Jefferson, telling him that Rev. Holt died during a sermon. The belief that Holt had a heart attack doesn’t sit well with Jefferson. That keen insight is right as Cutter was in the congregation and poisoned Holt. Jefferson floats the idea that he and Henderson team up, using Khalil’s knowledge of Tobias’s operations to take him down. In a gesture of trust, Jefferson brings Henderson to Gambi’s lab, exposing his last secret. Gambi confirms that Holt was poisoned and Henderson is convinced to team up with them. They send Henderson into Tobias’s home with a scanner. They locate a safe, but the briefcase isn’t within it. Jefferson is called back to the hospital before the new team can plan their next move.
Old Friends
Tobias finds bigger fish to fry when he recognizes Helga in ASA footage on the briefcase. He sends Todd to find her. Tobias congratulates Cutter on a job well done regarding Holt. Cutter hints at a past between them and the two share a moment before Tobias reverts back to his arrogant ways. He now has free will to find the pods from the ASA’s original experiments hidden with the clinic’s walls.
Tobias gets an assist from Helga after Todd frees her from prison. It appears that she and Tobias go way back as well. Helga developed the anti-aging serum used by Tobias and experimented on him with it without his consent. She runs through her past as head of the original ASA experiments and her work with meta-humans in Markovia before offering to make a deal. She knows the location of the pods. The two strike up a deal and uncover the dormant metas.
Last Dance
Jennifer tries to hold it together after seeing Khalil laid up in the hospital. She doesn’t find much solace in the parking lot as a white woman falsely accuses her of trying to steal her car and calls the police. Jennifer lights up her car, blowing it up, when the woman turns her back. She walks away while trying to hide her charge. Jefferson finds her but isn’t able to absorb her charge. Perenna shows up out of the blue and helps Jennifer center herself and control her powers. Jennifer returns to Khalil’s side, but leaves again after realizing that he is dying. She asks Lynn if her powers would allow her to jump start Khalil’s electrical impulses. Lynn shoots the idea down, but Jennifer has another idea: put Khalil in a pod. Lynn agrees to try even though the pod could kill him.
Lynn brings in her team from the ASA to test Khalil for pod compatibility as Khalil comforts Jennifer about his impending death. Jennifer isn’t ready to give up, but Lynn informs her that Khalil can’t be put in a pod. There are no options left to save Khalil. Jennifer finally comes to terms with it and brings Khalil into her metaphysical safe space for one last moment with her love. She places them at their prom and shares a final embrace with him. They exchange I love you’s and Khalil disappears from her arms. Jennifer returns to reality and lays hands and tears on Khalil as he breathes his final breath.
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