Black Lightning (2018–…): Season 3, Episode 1 - The Book of Occupation: Chapter One: Birth of the Blackbird - full transcript

[Jefferson] Last season
on Black Lightning...

You've been classified
a clear and present meta-human
threat to national security.

The Pit is a black site
which exists on no map

and from which
there is no escape.

[Lynn] I've been studying
Green Light for some time now.

And I understand
its components
and neurological effects

better than anyone.

[Issa] Ever since
I came back alive

and when I'm around people
and when I look at them,
it makes them tell the truth.

I don't want anything
to do with you.

Mom.



I'm sorry.

Oh, my God.
Stand back!

Those meta-humans
are out of the pods.

Odell's gonna wanna claim them.

[Agent Odell] You are close
to stabilizing

the pod kids,
the Markovians know it.

And if they can obtain you

and force you to do the same
for their meta-human army--

They'd be
the most powerful country
in the world.

I'm swearing in
Black Lightning, Thunder,

and whatever you're calling
yourself.

The Markovian War is coming.

And Freeland
is ground zero.

[police siren wailing]



[computerized voice] Name.

Maryam Luqman.

Date of birth.

April 16th, 2004.

Confirm.

Confirmed.
Your enhancement?

I don't know
the technical name for it,

but I can blend into
any environment,

basically making me invisible.

Like a chameleon.

When did you start using
Green Light?

I didn't.

I've been here almost a month

and you ask me

the same questions.

I go...

I went

to a private school,
Chatiers.

Most of the kids
there were white,

so everything
about me stood out.

Kids learn about Muslims
on social media

and the news,
and they make comments.

"Is that a bomb
in your backpack?"

They filled my locker
with pork ribs,

and they would call me names
like "Bacon Slice."

Anyway, I...

The school, they were
having a gym party,

and I wanted to go
and, for the first time,

my parents said that I could.

My friends and some boys,

they thought it would be funny

to put Green Light in my food.

Of course, I flipped out,

they accused me of using drugs,
kicked me out of school,

and by the time that
the girls could confess

what they did,
it was already too late.

They had already
put me in a pod.

[computerized voice] Name.

You know my name.

Devonte.

Devonte Jones.

Date of birth.

June 28th, 1992.

Confirm.

Confirmed.

Your enhancement?

I don't have
no enhancements, man.

I don't got powers,
I don't got none of that, man.

Look at me. Do I look like
I got enhancements?

Only enhancements
I got is hypertension

and type two diabetes.

When did you start
using Green Light?

You gotta be...

Yo, when y'all
gonna let me out of here, man?

Name.

Jefferson

Pierce.

Date of birth.

September 12th,

1974.

Confirm.

Confirmed.

[grunting]

No.

I'm not answering
another damn question

until I speak to my family.

[vomiting]

My father took me to the clinic

to get the vaccine and...

[grunts]

[panting]

Please return to your NICHE
and you will be emancipated.

♪ Last night
I saw a superhero
He was black ♪

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

It's been precisely 37 days
since the children

escaped from their pods
and most of them

have not been located.

The government's reaction?

Separating any suspected child
from their parents,

and putting them
into detainment facilities

like the one behind me
until they've been

cleared of the meta gene.

Just moments ago
we were told by a source

that Deputy Chief Henderson
will be holding

a press conference
later today regarding

the government's quarantine
of Freeland.

We hit the streets
of Freeland to see

how its residents are reacting.

Where is Black Lightning?

I don't see him.

I blame his black ass,
that's right.

Soon as he come back,
got all these soldiers

rolling up in these streets,

arresting anybody they want,

they don't care nothin'
about our community.

People just gonna have
to face the fact

that Black Lightning
is dead.

And that Blackbird has taken
his place.

She cares more
about the people anyway.

And that's the overriding
question in the streets.

Has Black Lightning,
who appears

to have abandoned
the city again,

been replaced by the woman
people are calling Blackbird.

I'm Jamillah Olsen,
for Clap Back News.

[sighs]

-[indistinct chattering]
-[people coughing]

[girl] I'm scared.

-[guard 1] Easy now.
-[girl] I'm scared.

[guard 1] Back up.

[Reverend Holt]
This right here

is an abomination.

Really is.

[electricity crackling]

[rumbling]

[people screaming]

[alarm blaring]

[guard 2] Freeze.

Stay where you are.
Stop now.

Get on the ground.
We will shoot you.

Light his ass up.

[guards groaning]

[alarm continues blaring]

[Commander Williams] Ned?

Ned Creegan?

I prefer Cyclotronic.

Cyclotronic?

[chuckles] That's funny.

Ned.

Why all you metas gotta come up

with these corny ass names
for yourselves?

You about to give me
another one

of your speeches, Commander?

You abandoned
your sisters, your brothers,

-and your country--
-The only time

my country ever cared
about me

was when they found out
I had powers.

Did they try and cure me?

Help me?

No.

They put me in every
war zone on this planet,

killing over and over
and over again.

-You were a soldier.
-Come on.

I was a petty criminal.

Doing time for stealing
a minivan.

Not a murderer, an assassin.

You made me that.

That's true.

I did.

And I have to take
full responsibility.

No.

Uh-huh.

[both grunting]

[Commander Williams groans]

[grunts]

[both grunting]

[struggling]

[neck cracks]

[panting]

Markovians breached
the compound

with a special ops
strike team and one meta.

All dead.

-The children?
-All accounted for.

Put Freeland on lock down.

Copy.

I'm Commander Carson Williams.

Welcome.

[panting]

[groans]

You know those children
aren't getting out

of that place anytime soon.

And maybe you guys are used
to seeing this kind of stuff,
but I'm not.

That was a war zone back there.

That Cylophonic, tronick,
whatever the hell his name was,

he was trying
to get to those kids.

And we're just riding back
like nothing happened?

Some of those children
came from the clinic.

Is that a coincidence?

Betty, you are a nurse.

Just do your job.

How they got there,
what happens to them

is up to the government,
not you and not me.

Has the clinic
become one more place

to identify metas,
then turn them over

to the government?

We were there with
the good Reverend
and the Congresswoman

to make sure
the government

is treating
those children humanely

and according to the law.

You think that's humane,

collars on their necks
like dogs?

Anissa, you're okay with this?

Of course not.

-Stop the van.
-Betty, wait.

I'm not gonna be
a part of this,
it's wrong, Anissa.

It's wrong, that thing attacked
the facility for a reason,

and these idiots,
including this bitch

sitting in the front seat
of this van,

know more
than she's telling us.

Those are children
being separated

from their families.

And ain't no telling
what happened
to their parents.

Betty, don't. Betty, what,
are you gonna walk? Betty.

Betty, come back.

The door is open
if you wanna follow her.

I don't give two shakes
of a lamb's ass

what you need
or what you want.

There's no way
I'm going on television

and letting myself
or this department

become the face of
your experiment gone wrong.

You will follow orders,
Deputy Chief.

I'm not a part of
your damn army.

You and everything,

from the heavens
to the smallest crawling thing

in this stain on
the map you call a city,

is under my command.

And either you will
follow orders,

or I will find the next person
in line for your job do it,

fire your black ass,
and make sure

you don't find another job

until you've defaulted
on your mortgage,

your daughter's
school tuition dries up,

and your wife leaves you.

-Hey.
-[grunts]

Hey, enough.

Get off of me.

I'm guessing
you don't understand

the situation, Deputy Chief.

This ain't
no damn street fight,

this country is
on the brink of war.

How we handle this crisis
in Freeland will determine

the future of warfare.

Now you either with us,
or you with them.

News conference before
the day is out.

[both laughing]

Wait, what are you doing,
they're watching?

-I don't care.
I missed you.
-Oh.

Besides, I'm horny as hell.

I missed you too.
Okay.

-[laughing]
-Can we go home?

Well, you gotta get
out of this suit, don't you?

-Yes.
-So then let me help you.

[both laughing]

Sorry to interrupt.

What the hell
is your problem?

There was a Markovian attack
on one of our facilities today.

They sent in a strike team
and a meta

to try to take the children.

Well, sounds like
a personal problem to me.

Not really, Mr. Pierce.

There is a clear and present
Markovian threat,

and until that is eliminated,

we cannot allow you to leave.

Or you, Dr. Stewart.

What?

Whoa, law, you don't get to
say a damn thing

about what my wife can do.

The only person more valuable
than Black Lightning

at this point in time
is your wife.

They already have Dr. Jace.

So consider this protective
custody for your good

and the greater good
of the country.

Agent Odell, now I only
came here because

we agreed that my girls,
my wife, would be left alone.

And you made the best decision
for you and your family.

Yeah, well,
my patience is running thin.

Believe me,
you don't want to see me
when I lose my patience.

I'd like to see that,
just not now.

But as a gesture
of good faith,

-go ahead, you can take
that off now.
-[beeps]

[beeps]

Have a, um...

good night.

An 8:30 pm curfew
begins immediately.

Anyone found on
the streets of Freeland

without the proper paperwork

will be subject to arrest
or prosecution.

Freeland PD is working closely
with the ASA

to help Freeland get through
these extreme circumstances.

So, we ask the public
to please cooperate.

If you see anything
or hear anything

that you feel will lead
to meta engagement,

-please call our hotline
at 1-800-55--
-[turns video off]

It's getting worse.

God, I'm so glad
Dad's coming home.

Me too.

Man, this is all
so bizarre.

Code word "bizarre" confirmed.

Call Gambi.

-Calling Gambi. Call secured.
-[chuckles]

-Girl, Gambi pimped
your ride out.
-[both laughing]

-[Gambi] I'm here.
-All the kids are in cages.

Metas everywhere,
military everywhere,

Yo, it had to be at least
50 of them.

Betty's face and Ms. Reek's
smug, satisfied face...

Ooh, I swear it took everything
I had not to

go off up in there.

We need you
in that clinic, Anissa.

It's a hot spot
for identifying metas,

so you did the right thing.

Soon as your father gets home

we'll come up
with a plan for the facility

to get those kids out.

[Anissa] Oh, and there was
a new meta there as well.

He said his name was,
uh, Cyclotronic?

He can make things
disintegrate into nothingness.

It was just like
this weird black ash,

then this Commander
Carson Williams

called the meta
by his real name,
uh, Ned Creegan?

All of it was crazy.

I gotta go, Anissa.

I may have found a weakness
in the ASA's perimeter.

Talk soon.

[people speaking indistinctly]

-[beeps]
-[Shonda] Anissa,
good to see you.

-Would you like for me
to turn on the lights?
-Yes, please.

-Shonda.
-What's up?

-Play Chaka Khan.
-Of course.

["Sweet Thing"
by Chaka Khan playing]

♪ I will love you anyway ♪

♪ Even if you cannot stay ♪

♪ I think you are
the one for me ♪

♪ Here is where
you ought to be ♪

♪ I just want to satisfy ya ♪

♪ Though you're not mine
I can't deny ya ♪

♪ Don't you hear me
talking, baby? ♪

♪ Love me now
or I'll go crazy ♪

♪ Oh, sweet thing ♪

[sighs]

-Shonda.
-What's up?

-Mirror, mirror.
-Of course.

♪ Oh, sweet thing ♪

♪ Don't you know
you're my everything? ♪

-Hey.
-Hey, Uncle Gambi.

We don't have much time.

Okay. But listen,
Dad was supposed
to come home today.

Odell stopped by the house

and said that Mom and Dad
have to stay with the ASA,

something about helping
fight the Markovians.

Your mother's research
is important

to understanding
and controlling these metas

and your father
is biologically priceless.

Odell is protecting his assets.

Okay, so what do we do?

We follow the plan.

Your father can
take care of himself,

and your mother certainly
can hold her own.

We have to continue
to destabilize

the ASA's presence
in Freeland.

The soldier you saw
at the facility is
Commander Williams.

He's like your father
in that he is a product of

the original vaccine trials.

He's a meta
that can mimic the powers

of any other meta that
he comes in contact with.

Sheesh, that's
a hell of a power to have.

He needs a special serum
to keep him healthy.

He's basically got
sickle cell for metas.

The other meta you saw is
exactly who Williams
said he was,

Ned Creegan, Cyclotronic man.

He was a part of
the government's
meta force project

that was run by Williams.

I found an ASA convoy
with metas

heading to
the detention center.

I need you to intercept it.

The window of opportunity
is small, but will be fruitful.

Okay.

Everything you need
is on your computer screen.

-Jennifer all set?
-Yep, she's at the house.

Excellent.

-Be careful out there.
-Got it.

I'll be watching.

[rock music playing]

-[thuds]
-[tires screeching]

[all grunting]

[screams]

Down on the ground--

-Freeze.
-[grunts]

[all grunting]

-[bone cracks]
-[screaming]

I hope you all don't mind.

We gonna take us
a small detour.

These days,

everything's live...

in HD.

And we're watching it
like it's a form of
entertainment.

Like it's a reality show.

We see kids in cages.

We see children
taken from their parents.

Some of them may never
ever see their parents again.

Now, does that sound
familiar to you?

But the president
and his administration say
they're breaking the law.

What laws
are these children breaking?

-They say the parents are
breaking the law.
-How?

All the parents are
trying to do

is get their children
out of Freeland,

so that they won't be
taken away because
they might be a meta.

Not long ago, Jim Crow

was the law of the land.

Laws are not infallible,
my dear. Remember that.

Listen, I gotta stop now.

Just one more question.

Blackbird stole a bus
transporting people.

No one knows what happened
to those people,

and several soldiers
are near death.

What do you think
about her actions?

We don't know what happened
to Black Lightning,
if he's dead.

We don't know what happened
to Thunder.

But it is good to know
that we have somebody
out in them streets

fighting for the people.

Even though she's
breaking the law?

See, there you go
with that "law" again.

I'mma pray for you, sister.

[Jamillah] Thank you,
Reverend Holt.

[recorder beeps]

[Reverend Holt] It's good
to see you.

I was just talking about you.

You're a celebrity now,
young lady.

Everybody's a celebrity
nowadays, Rev.

[chuckles] I don't know
about that.

-[Blackbird] Listen.
-Yeah.

Be ready,

we'll get them through
and across soon.

It's gotta be soon.

Room is getting crowded,

and a room full of
scared meta children
ain't a good combination.

I hear you.

[funk music playing]

People are saying
Black Lightning's dead.

Feels like he is in here.

[gasps]

Excellent work.

How's everyone holding up?

Oh, we gotta get them
out of Holt's church, ASAP.

It's getting crowded,
and a lot of them

are losing their faith
and their patience.

The hole in the perimeter
should be big enough
by tomorrow night.

All right, good.

Wait. You, uh,
you had something
you wanted to show me?

I picked this up
a few moments ago.

[Barnes] Cap, I, uh...
what the hell?

[Captain] Spit it out, Barnes.

[Barnes] Uh, Cap, a leopard
just ate Sergeant Thomas.

-[Captain] A what?
-[Barnes] A leopard.

It just ate, Sergeant...

-[growling]
-[gunfire]

No! [screaming]

It was a little odd
to say the least,

so I took a look around.

[sighs]

That's Grace.

[slow music playing]

[bartender] Another one?

Yeah.

Thank you.

Hey.

Hi.

You were at
the detention center today
with the clinic delegation.

Sorry, I'm...
I'm Jamillah Olsen.

I'm a reporter
for Clap Back News.

In town, I thought,
for a couple of days,

but now that no one can
go in or out, kinda stuck.

You always come to bars
lookin' for stories?

No.

I come to bars looking
for a beautiful woman
like you to talk to.

[chuckles] Talk?

-Yeah, talk.
-Okay, so you
shooting your shot.

Maybe.

[chuckles]

You're a reporter?

Indeed.

So, if you're trying
to find somebody
who doesn't want to be found,

how do you go about that?

Depends on the person.

You trying to find someone?

[laughing]

I am.

["Recue Me" playing]

I don't usually do
this kind of thing.

I'm not judging.

-I don't do it that often.
-Okay.

I mean...
I'm just saying that--

Damn it, woman, this is not
an interview. Okay?

Just nervous, I guess.

Don't be. Come here.

You okay?

Yeah.

That didn't sound
very convincing.

[soft music playing]

When I went to the bar...

I was hoping to...

Run into your ex, Grace?

Right, I told you.

[both chuckling]

Now I'm here with you,

and it's like, what am I
even doing? Like... [sighs]

It's called loneliness.

That's why you're here.

I suffer from it as well,

and you shouldn't feel bad
for wanting a cure,
because it hurts.

No pressure, but...

I'm here if you ever want
to get another drink or talk.

'Cause whatever this is...

it's good.

I've been talking
to some of the people
in the community.

They think

the clinic is being turned into
a place where they identify
possible metas

for the government.

[Anissa] Hmm.

You know people think a lot.

Like I thought...

I thought that reporters
dealt in facts, not rumors?

Ouch.

-[scoffs]
-[cell phone vibrating]

Hey.

Oh. Where is she?

All right.

This damn girl.

[computerized voice]
Please step in.

[music playing]

You winning or losing?

Excuse me?

You winning or losing?

I always win.

[chuckles] You mind
if I sit down?

Yeah, go for it.

What's your name?

Jennifer.

Jennifer, it's nice
to meet you.

Nice to meet you, too.

I guess if there's
a bright side

to all these police
and soldiers being around,

it's at least we can walk
the streets without worrying
about the 100.

There is that, but...

you aren't afraid they may
pick you up one day,
put you in a camp?

[chuckles] Nah.

Okay, real talk? I'm like
crazy paranoid about it.

[both chuckle]

[horn honking]

Get in.

I said get in.

Oh, it's over, buddy.
Good night.

[sighs] Man...

Turn that damn thing off.

What the hell
is wrong with you?

Uncle Gambi did not make
that cloaking device

so you could be
running the streets.

You do know that
there's a curfew?

Okay, so you just gonna not,
you ain't gonna say anything.

-It hurts, Anissa.
-What?

It hurts.

My powers, they're growing
inside of me.

And if I don't use them,
it hurts.

Who was that boy?

He was nobody.

I met him
at the pizza joint, okay?

He was walking me
to the metro, that's it.

[sighs] Look, I know
all of this is hard for you.

You can't be just
a regular teenager.

All that drama
since we was in that motel

has robbed you
of any kind of normalcy.

You don't deserve this.

We don't always get
what we deserve.

That's true.

But, Jen, you can't be
out here like this.

You don't know if that boy's
a spotter or what.

We don't know when Odell plans
on letting Mom and Dad out.

All we got is us.

It's way too dangerous.

I'm telling you right now
if I lose you,

-I'm gonna lose my mind, girl.
-[laughs]

Seriously. So please, Jen,
for real.

If you need to go out again,
just let me know.

Promise me that.

I promise.

-I promise.
-All right.

[chuckles] Come here.

-[Jennifer] Sorry.
-It's cool.

You know, the test...

the experiments they did on me,

must have opened a door
in me in some kind of way.

Well, you've always
been able to see through...

Yeah, but not without the suit.

Gambi's tech was always
interfacing with my powers.

This... This vision
comes from within.

Like, naturally clearer.

Tobias?

In a bad shape.

Doesn't look like
he's gonna make it.

Issa?

Oh, he looked fine.

I need to talk to Odell.

I need to see Issa.

[clears throat] Lynn,
you can't do that.

The first thing he's gonna
want to know is
how you found out.

Well, I'll lie.

And if he uses Issa
to make you answer?

[blues music playing]

You okay?

[Tobias] I'm dying.

[Issa] How?

Old age.

Time catching up to me.

[Agent Odell] Where is
the briefcase?

Where's the briefcase?

Hidden.

[Agent Odell] Where?

Where?

I don't know.

Ask him again.

[clears throat]

Where's the briefcase?

I don't know. [coughs]

[Agent Odell] When's
the last time he saw
the briefcase?

When's the last time
you saw the briefcase?

When that bitch Lightning
came flying through my window.

What's in the briefcase?

What's in the briefcase?

I don't think you wanna know.

Why?

Because what's in it can...

Ask him again.

What's in the briefcase?

[grunts]

Proctor wasn't a rogue agent.

He was always meant to be
a scapegoat.

Proctor was working directly
under orders from Odell,

who received his orders
from POTUS.

Odell was sent to Freeland
to follow three orders.

Obtain all meta subjects.

Turn the metas into weapons.

And clean the Freeland project
of anything and anyone

who could link POTUS
to the program.

-[Tobias clears throat]
-[music continues]

[door opens]

You're gonna kill me.

[scoffs]

So you can read minds now?

No. Snakes bite.

A lot of wisdom
for a kid like you.

I stopped being a kid
as soon as I got these powers.

Wish I had a choice.

Your powers are
simple but devastating,

and the truth is so rare

and so dangerous.

I thought you came to kill me?

I did.

I want to know
what Issa is doing here.

He's here because
the Markovians have
no more use for him.

Markovians?

Yes, Mrs. Pierce,
the Markovians.

The people I told you
we were at war with,

the people who are trying
to destroy our country,

the people who want to
either enslave

or murder your children,
Mrs. Pierce.

Yes, the damn Markovians.

Apologies.

It's been, as they say,

one of those days.

They kidnapped him
from his sister's home,

tortured him for information
that he didn't have,
and left him for dead.

What?

I know this is hard.

You cared deeply for him.

If you'd like,
you can say your goodbyes

before we turn him over
to his family.

I'd like that.

Thank you.

I'll make it happen.

Where the hell are we?

[whispering] Quiet! I told you,
people are listening.

Don't be shushing me.

I'm a grown-ass man,

and I want to know
where the hell
are we going?

[softly] There are
voice-activated sensors
in these woods.

If you value
your daughter's life,
you'll shut the hell up.

This could be
some kind of setup, y'all.

We don't know
who's behind this mask

and who she could be
working for.

Sorry.

Come on.
Let's go, let's go, let's go!

Guys, come on. Let's go, quick.

Come on, come on, come on.
Come on, come on.

[Gambi] Jen?

Yeah, we're still clear.

[beeping]

Oh, damn!

Hey. You got 'em coming
from all sides and fast.

[Blackbird grunts]

[all grunting]

[baby crying]

[soldier] Stand down.

[both grunting]

[screams]

Is she all right?

[door slams]

Not the right move, Jen.

-Jen!
-What?

The Markovians are hunting down
any metas they can get
their hands on.

Uncle Gambi, you saw them
blow Anissa through that hole.
She could be dead.

She could be.

She could be.

But we just have to wait,
do this the right way,

so we don't endanger her,
you, or your parents.

What's the point
of having powers
if I can't use 'em?

I know this is tough,

but this is
part of your training,

probably the toughest part.

Patience.

[sighs]

What do we need to do?

You go home, we wait.

If we don't hear from Anissa
by tomorrow, we come up
with a plan

to bring her back across.

Mrs. Pierce, uh, Dr. Stewart,

I know
what you must think of me,

and to be honest,
it's probably all true.

But what is also true

that your chances
of dying a natural death

are not good.

You come from a family of metas

and the Markovians
are hunting you.

So, believe me when I say

that you and your family

are in the best hands possible.

[blues music playing]

Mine.

[gasping]

Damn.

[closing theme music playing]