Black Lightning (2018–…): Season 1, Episode 5 - Aches & Pains - full transcript

You have to stop.

I can't keep letting you put
yourself, or me through this.

I promise...

no more.

It has been nine years since I've

even come close to using my powers.

Do you remember why you
became Black Lightning?

You wanted to give the people hope.

Somebody has to do something,

because all of this policing,
and marching, and praying,

it hasn't changed anything.



It is time that people
know that Black Lightning...

is back.

Previously on Black Lightning...

Tori, I missed you.

I missed you too, big brother.

I'm not gonna tell you
how to run your crew,

but you need to take
Black Lightning out,

and button this thing up quick.

My name is Tobias Whale.

I understand what you're going through.

Black Lightning messed my life up, too.

Look, the purpose of Black
Lightning was to kill Tobias.

He's shoving my father's articles
down his throat until he died.

Grace, if I could make people



who did bad things
pay for what they did,

that would be a good thing, right?

I found these on my student.

And he was so out of
control that the only way

I could keep him from hurting
anyone was to blast him.

Twice.

Must be this new drug, Green
Light I've been hearing about.

You sure about this?

In theory.

That's not exactly the vote
of confidence I was hoping for.

So?

This is one hell of a view.

Okay.

Ready to give this thing a little juice?

You know, I thought you'd never ask.

Really, really, really good.

I just found my new favorite thing.

But, okay.

Let's try something simple.

Stop.

Put your guns away.

All right, easy now, son.

Look, stop. No, I... I don't wanna...

Call for an ambulance.

This kid is definitely
high on Green Light.

Next time, try using a Taser first.

Yes, sir.

Nice job.

You heading back?

No. I wanna practice some more.

Been a long time, Gambi.

Not long enough.

We had a deal.

You're not supposed to be here.

You're supposed to be gone, forever.

I need a new suit.

Only thing I'm gonna
measure you for is a coffin.

Oh, I'll be here long after you're gone.

Just cause you got that
serum pumping through

your veins that's
keeping you from aging,

doesn't mean that you and your

sister are gonna have a happy ending.

You think they told you everything
before they gave it to you?

What they didn't tell me,
I've already figured out.

Another thing I've figured out is
you're still working for the ASA,

which makes you privy to
all kinds of information.

What I need from you is a name.

Who is Black Lightning?

I can't help you.

Oh, I think you can.

Knowing things about Black
Lightning gets men killed.

I do my best to avoid knowing
things that can get me killed.

Not telling me what I need to
know can get you killed, too.

I'll admit, Black Lightning
has become a personal problem.

I'm guessing his presence in
Freeland is a problem for you as well.

Only problem I have is you.

Gambi...

I'll see you later.

Look, people, there's a pattern here

and I've been connecting the dots.

The Tuskegee Experiments used syphilis.

The Flint water crisis used le...

What are you doing? Get out.

- Why? You watching porn?
- I'm studying,

and you need to respect my privacy.

I don't know why you moved
back in the first place.

- Once I go to college, I'm gone for good.
- You know what, out.

Listen, I'm just getting the
gray jacket, and then I'm gone.

No, let's go.

Kiesha and I are going skating.
I wanna look fly. What's this?

It was for a costume party.

Okay, so you into bondage now?

- What were you, Whips and Chains?
- You know...

- Take the jacket.
- Okay, I'll take it.

Please go.

- Thank you.
- Bye.

And shut the door, please.

I said shut the door.

Love you.

Legionnaires'. Don't believe
me? CNN, March 30th, 1987.

Thirty years ago in Freeland,

nine kids, all of whom displayed

enhanced abilities,
suddenly disappeared.

Hey! Can you hurry your ass up?

I came to skate, not
to pose for selfies.

Yes, I'm aware. Thank you.

Come on.

You gonna fall.

Get out there. I'll
be there in a second.

All right, girl.

Uh, you gonna need a lot more
than lip gloss to help that face.

Lana.

Damn, girl, you still mad
I dusted you on your track

in front of the entire school?

You really think you're all that?

Oh, honey, I know I'm all that.

Oh. Okay, well, I guess Khalil and his

days of dusting fools are over, though.

With his crippled ass.

Oh, okay.

You're still pissed he dumped you?

Well, maybe instead of
worrying about Khalil,

you should be worried about
putting some lotion on those

dusty-ass knees.

You know what, I've been waiting
to knock you out since sixth grade.

Her fever is sky high.

She's gettin' worse. She's weak.

- Dude, it's our policy.
- I told you.

I got home, opened up the bottle
and it was nothing but dust,

so you need to replace it or
give me my damn money back.

Look, I can't take used medicine back.

Bruh, that's what I'm trying
to tell you, it ain't used.

That's why her fever's up.

And that's why I'm still here
talking to you after working a double.

Come on, the man has a sick kid.

This expired three years ago.

Dude, I just sell what they give me.

Oh, come on. That is the
oldest excuse in the world.

"I just sell what they give
me. I just do what I'm told."

You're not a robot, son,
you're a human being.

So how about you act like one and help

this young man and his daughter out.

I can't do it.

Look, I promise you, that bat is not

gonna end up where
you're expecting it to.

Yo, you all right?

Yeah.

Uh...

Yeah, I'm good.

- Look, I'm sorry.
- Look, if...

if it was my call, I'd do
it. But it's... it's not.

I'll tell you what,

um, how about we find a
box that is not expired,

and, um, I'll buy you that medicine.

- No, I'm all right, bruh.
- No, no, no.

This is not a handout. I'm
expecting you to pay me back.

Uh, next time you find someone in need,

help them out, we're even. Cool?

Cool.

My sources tell me, David Poe,
the editor of the Freeland Gazette,

canceled a series of articles
which would've exposed the vaccine

as the source of those
enhanced abilities.

The reporter was Alvin Pierce.

Grandpa?

He was murdered a week later.
His murder was never solved.

_

I watch TV.

I know who you are, and
I ain't scared of you.

What I don't know is, why
are you here at my place?

Why do you have a factory's
worth of chemicals here?

What I have or don't have
ain't no business of yours.

I asked you a question.

Look here, you electrified lawn jockey,

you're a wanted man,
and you're trespassing,

which means I can shoot your black
ass and I'll be called a hero.

Mother...

Uh-uh-uh.

Now let's try this again.

What are the chemicals for?

Green Light.

It's not mine. It's... it's...

I usually pick up and deliver.

This time, they gave me a little extra

- to keep it around.
- Who's "they"?

I don't know his name.

Did you just lie to me?

No, no, I didn't.

Then why don't I believe you?

Joey Toledo.

His name is Joey Toledo.

I don't get it.

I mean, how could
you, you of all people,

not know that Joey Toledo was back?

- Jefferson...
- No, don't "Jefferson" me.

You're supposed to have your
finger on the pulse of Freeland.

Now we are talking about the guy

worked for the man who killed my father.

Look, I... I can't even say
for certain that he ever left.

What I can say for certain is that I

haven't heard about him in a long time.

So, calm down.

Joey Toledo was
Tobias's right-hand man.

If he is still around,
then Tobias is still around.

- It's certainly possible.
- Not certainly possible!

If Tobias is still out
there dealing Green Light,

I have to have him.

If that means going through
Joey Toledo, even better.

Jefferson.

Jefferson.

Jeff?

If I'd brought him to the hospital,

there would've been too many
questions which I couldn't answer.

You did the right thing.

Based on these diagnostics, it
wasn't a stroke or a heart attack.

He's been having headaches and
exhibiting aggressive behavior.

For how long?

I don't know.

But I don't see anything that would

cause a headache or
a change in behavior.

Could this be Black Lightning related?

He hasn't had any problems before,

but the suit's got a
new hover function...

Jeff?

Jeff?

I don't know what I'm...
What am I doin' here?

You passed out.

- Lynn?
- It's okay, just relax. Okay?

- I've gotta get Joey Toledo.
- No.

You're not going anywhere until I
figure out what's going on with you.

I need you to stay here and rest.

Can you do that?

Well, this is some ominous lighting.

What's going on?

I paid the tailor a visit.

Why would you do that?

Thought he'd give me
Black Lightning's identity,

help me find him, so I could kill him.

Lady Eve won't be happy.

I'm not afraid of Lady Eve.

This is not about fear,
it's about strategy.

You're being reckless.

I'm their top earner.

When her cartel asked
me to put Green Light

on the streets, I put
it on every corner.

I deserve a seat at
the table next to her.

Patience.

You'll get there.

You know they're using Black Lightning's

return as an excuse to not promote me,

so I'm stuck babysitting
The One Hundred.

Tori, I'm tired of
managing these Negroes.

When I was city council
member, I had sovereignty,

I conducted real business.

Lady Eve and the rest
of them gave me respect.

They respected me like an equal.

Okay. Okay, calm down.

You are making bad decisions

because you haven't dealt
with your root problem.

What do you mean?

You never dealt with your first enemy,

your worst enemy.

And you can't forgive yourself.

Good news.

Hmm?

I found Eldridge.

There's not a day I go get the mail when

there's not at least one medical bill.

I spend my whole day working the line

just so I can come home
and give half my paycheck

to taking care of your pale ass.

So what?

"So what?" It's my money!

To think, I was happy.
"It's a boy, Eldridge."

I was gonna watch you play

sports, teach you how to drive a car.

Look at you, you can't
even take your pale ass

out on the front porch.

- I can do anything anybody else can do.
- No, you can't.

- Yes, I can.
- No, you can't!

- Yes, I can!
- You ain't normal!

Look at you. You ain't black.

You ain't white. You ain't nothing.

Dad, don't!

What... what, you got
something you want to say, huh?

Sit your pale ass down.

- Stop it.
- Or what, huh?

Shut up!

Tobias?

Tobias?

I've read about
overcoming childhood stuff.

Believe me, we handle this business,

you'll be a new man.

Where is he?

Hey, Dad?

Hey. Uh, what's going on?

Hmm...

Nothing much.

What's on your mind?

Grandpa.

Uh, what about him?

Well, I'm doing some research

on a school project and
it's about family histories.

Grandpa's work explored
some strange stuff,

like enhanced abilities,
missing kids. I wanted...

Yeah, your grandfather
had a lot of wild ideas

about a lot of things.

Okay, I'm sorry. I know talking about

Grandpa is hard for you, so I'm sorry.

No.

I'm sorry.

You deserve to know who he was.

Your grandfather...

he always did the right thing.

Always.

Yeah, I see a lot of him in you.

Thanks, Dad.

Yeah.

Thank you for seeing me so late.

How long have you been the
editor of the Freeland Gazette?

Over 40 years.

- Wow.
- Hey, uh,

- your grandfather was a good man.
- Hmm.

And a hell of a reporter.

Now what can I do for you?

So I have been doing research
into my grandfather, right,

and I was wondering if I
could ask you some questions?

Well, that depends on
what you want to ask.

I wanted to ask about the
expose on those missing kids.

I have a story I need to work on

for the morning edition.

Wait, did I say something wrong?

- I need to go.
- Mr. Poe?

And you need to leave, now.

I apologize if I offended
you, but I didn't mean to...

Young lady,

out of respect for your grandfather,

I'm gonna say this nicely.

Get out.

You know, I read up on you.

I heard you were a champion
for the common people.

Pretty jumpy for a cop.

You keep rolling up on me like
that, you're gonna get shot.

You turning yourself in?

Wishful thinking, Inspector.

You've been causing a lot of problems.

And you ain't changed much.

Change is overrated.

I'm here to help, man.

I don't need your help.

Yeah, you do, just like before.

Maybe more this time.

The Green Light drug is out of control.

There's been so many overdoses,

the first responders
started carrying naloxone.

Got a name of a guy who's either at
or near the top of the food chain.

Joey Toledo.

Joey Toledo?

- Thought he was long gone.
- No. He's back.

He's all up in the Green Light.

Now if you know of a way to find him,

I don't need a warrant.

If I decided to do that,
how would I get a hold...

Look in your car.

Are you serious?

Hey, I'm old-school. It's safer.

Consider this the black signal.

Yeah. You still got jokes, huh?

And you still do that.

So, I heard you've been trying
go back as Black Lightning.

I can't believe Gambi told you.

We're worried about you.

Yeah, but, Lynn, people are dying.

And the last thing that I
want is for people to get hurt.

But they're not my priority...

you are.

Now, what happened exactly?

She broke Lana's wrist.

I had to take her to two
doctors to get this fixed.

And honestly I don't
have that kind of money.

Look like he do, though.

We should have called the police
like I said, have her ass arrested.

Okay, we... we need to calm down.

What the hell you mean, "calm down"?

Gina, I told you, I got this.

Well, get it.

'Cause it seems like to me this man want

to pretend like ain't nothin' happened.

- No, I'm not saying that.
- He didn't even...

Ladies. Ladies.

I understand you're upset, I really do.

And as a woman and a mother,

I know there is nothing more
important than the safety of our kids.

Mmm-hmm.

Now, I don't know what
did or didn't happen,

but trust me, we will take full

responsibility for
our daughter's actions.

Come in, please.

Please.

Oh, yeah?

I thought Gina was going to tear off
her earrings and grease up her face.

When it comes to my family,
I do not play, Mr. Pierce.

- Hmm.
- I will fight you.

Yeah, I see.

Well, I guess we should get going.

Thank you, Lynn, and
Mr. Pierce, thank you.

Thank you. It was a
pleasure meeting you.

I'll walk you out.

Thanks for stopping by again, okay?

We'll be in touch.

What the hell were you thinking?

Okay, look, it wasn't my fault.

It doesn't matter whose fault it was.

Did you not see the cast on her wrist?

Uh, Jennifer, how do
you expect us to feel

when someone shows up to tell
us you were involved in a fight

that we didn't know about?

There were two girls.
They both run for Booker T.

Two girls? Wait, Lana
didn't tell us that part.

You... And you weren't hurt at all?

No, you taught us how
to defend ourselves.

Jeff, this is not a good thing.

Right. Right.

That's no excuse for hurting someone.

- I barely touched them.
- Jennifer, her wrist is broken.

And since grounding seems
to have no effect on you...

Wait, so I'm not being grounded?

Oh, you are.

Why am I getting in trouble
for defending myself?

You're grounded for lying.

I didn't lie, I just didn't
tell you guys about it.

Oh, you really wanna play
with me right now, little girl?

Mmm-mmm. You don't.

Exactly.

And you need to figure
out how to resolve

conflict without fighting
or losing your temper.

And as your father taught you how
to fight, he can be a big help,

because believe it or not, not everyone

solves their problems with their fists.

Two girls?

Two.

Didn't I kick you out?

Listen, my grandfather was murdered

shortly after investigating enhanced
abilities and those missing kids.

I just need to know what happened.

You sound just like him.

Why didn't you run those articles?

It was the same exact story
you've built your career on.

Well, if you're anything like Alvin,

I know you're not gonna
leave me the hell alone

until you get your way.

I dug this up.

What's this?

I've saved this for over 30 years.

Just holding on to an
old friend, I guess.

Thank you.

This... this means a lot to me.

Good.

Young lady...

Alvin tapped into somethin' far
bigger and much more dangerous

than I care to be a part of.

Jefferson made a good life
for you and your family.

Maybe walking away from this is best.

Alvin said it then, and I still
believe it to be true today,

they're watchin'.

Wait. Who's watching?

I'm sure if you find out,

you'd get killed.

Now go and don't come back.

Who is it?

Who is it?

Eldridge.

You still hit like a little bitch.

What the hell you doing here?

We have some questions to ask you.

About what?

Your parenting skills.

My parenting?

Yeah.

At least I stayed, huh?

I didn't leave in the middle of
the night like your damn mama did.

Instead, I fed you,

and I clothed you.

Even tried to take care of
'em twitchy-ass eyes of yours.

You're right.

Mom's left, and you stayed.

- You did feed and clothe us.
- Mmm.

And I can appreciate that.

Now.

Yeah, I can appreciate that.

The question is why?

Why did you stay?

Was it just so you can
have someone to torture,

to beat on, to blame for your failures?

Or was it about collecting
money from the state?

Because it certainly wasn't about love.

You stayed.

Leave him.

Your back is broken, Eldridge.

You're gonna die,

and you're gonna die slow.

Tobias!

Alvin said it then, and I still
believe it to be true today,

they're watchin'.

Wait. Who's watching?

I'm sure if you find out,

you'd get killed.

"ASF."

Jennifer!

Do you have my black hoodie?

Uh, no, I got my own hoodies.

Yeah, right.

This sucks.

Yeah, it does.

I don't know why I'm on punishment.
I didn't start the fight.

Sin of omission.

Our family doesn't communicate that way.

I'm a target.

The daughter of the principal.

They call me the Queen of Garfield, Dad.

"The one thing you
can't take away from me

is the way I choose to
respond to what you do to me."

MLK?

Viktor Frankl, holocaust survivor.

How you respond in a
crisis is your choice,

but to exercise that choice, you
have to recognize your emotions

and regulate them.

Okay, well, what about when somebody's

trying to regulate upside your head?

Look...

fighting should never be
about adding fuel to the fire,

fighting should only be
about putting the fire out.

And often, I mean, not the best choice.

Even when it is so hard
to do, is to walk away.

It's easier said than done, Yoda.

Yeah, I know, my little Padawan.

I know.

Damn it.

All this ass. I'm gonna need
something that really fits.

Well, whoever he is, he's gonna
think he died and went to heaven.

She.

And there's probably gonna
be a room full of them.

Okay. I'm not mad at that.

So tell me, what's your name?

Monica.

Uh, so, we're thinking black, I assume?

I was thinking something a bit brighter.

Leather?

Uh...

How do you feel about latex?

- Mmm-hmm.
- Mmm-hmm?

- Yeah.
- Yeah?

Yeah. I like those.

Red would be great.

Uh-uh. No.

Think I got it.

Everything is in there.

Listen, I cannot thank you enough.

Now you are about to be the fiercest

and most fabulous
superhero on the block.

- Ah.
- Be safe out there.

Promise, I will. See
ya. Have a good one.

Bye.

What you got?

I tracked down an old
girlfriend of Joey Toledo's,

and then did some asking around.

Turns out she's been seen with
a guy matching his description.

But that's not enough to
get a surveillance warrant,

so I will send you her
info, along with a photo.

Thanks, Inspector.

Don't make me regret this.

I won't.

Take the suit off, Jefferson.

Don't you get it? You could
kill yourself wearing that suit.

We already had this conversation.

Look, just calm down.

If Toledo is out there,
he'll be out there tomorrow

and then the next day.
He has no reason to run.

I can't take that risk.

Give me the control module, Gambi.

I found an issue with the capacitor
array. That's been the problem.

Now just give me a day to fix it.

I want Toledo, I'm gonna have Toledo,

so give me the control module,

or I'm gonna Black-Lightning your ass.

Did you know that in Africa some

people believe that albinos are magical?

These people will actually
kidnap random albino,

cut 'em up, grind up his bones,

and sell it as "magic" dust.

Ugh!

Okay, listen, if you
wanna be a superhero,

you can't be afraid of dead rats.

Do you know who I am?

Please don't hurt me.

Unlock your phone and give it to me.

If you try to do anything else,

if you try to contact anyone else,

I will find you.

Go.

_

_

Where is Tobias?

Where is Tobias?

I'm not telling you nothing.

He may not have killed you before,

but the next time Tobias sees you,

he's gonna finish
you, and I'll bury you.

You should have stayed away.

You shouldn't have come back.