Black Lightning (2018–…): Season 3, Episode 5 - The Book of Occupation: Chapter Five: Requiem for Tavon - full transcript

Previously
Black Lightning...

[Agent Odell]
Your body has reverted

to its natural age and
is experiencing withdrawal
from the serum

that's kept you virile
for the last 30 years.

I'm Brandon. I'm new,

and I was told to ask
Jennifer Pierce for a tour.

Tavon Singley,
I'm gonna need you
to come with us.

There's been a report
of meta-human powers
being displayed.

What? No, that's not true.

Straight through these trees.

The Perdi, they'll have
a truck there waiting for you.



But I'm not even a meta.

Until we can prove otherwise,
this is the safer way.

I was able to put
a radioactive resin

on the tires of
several ASA vehicles.

This will allow us to track
their frequently
traveled routes,

until they lead us to the Pit.

The results have been
nothing short of remarkable.

Every person who was infected
is on their way to making
a full recovery.

[Major Grey]
She's hooked.

[Agent Odell] I only saw to it
that she got a taste

of the most addictive substance
on Earth.

You have the ability
to do things

your father could never do,
Ms. Pierce.

[beeping]



[Tavon] I can see
the constellations
from here, Dad.

They just like you said
they'd be.

Hi, Ma. Look, don't worry.
I'm okay.

But if it wasn't for
Blackbird saving me
when somebody at school

lied about me
being a meta,

I'd probably still be rotting
in that ASA concentration camp.

I don't know where I am,

but here, humans and metas
live and work together.

Mr. Pierce said that
Freeland was our community.

We help each other.

All boats rise.

But that ASA occupation,
it changed us,

turned us against each other.

They say that
in every revolution,

there's one man with a vision.

I thought that was
Black Lightning.

But after being here,

I think the only way
to save Freeland

is if humans and metas

work together side by side
to stop the ASA.

Maybe then I can come home.

Look, I love y'all both.

Interesting.

[hip-hop music playing]

Are we dancing or
are we sparring,
you meta freak?

[all grunting]

-[heart beating rapidly]
-[groaning]

That fun exploding
heart technique.

[continues groaning]

Take five steps...

and boom.

Are you serious?

No, no, I'm not serious.

Black Belt Theater
last night.

I mean, what's knowledge
without a little culture.
Am I right?

-[choking]
-Oh, that's right.

My venom coursing through
your veins right now

must make it difficult
for you to think.

[gasping]

[man 1 continues choking]

Do you have kids, Sergeant?

A religious man, perhaps?

You see, I often
ponder my victims'

last thoughts before they die.

And the truth is...

it's fascinating to me.

[door opens]

That's enough!

Have the infirmary administer
the antivenom immediately.

[man 2] Yes, sir.

[man 1 groaning]

Painkiller.

The vigilante
known as Blackbird

The vigilante
known as Blackbird

has become a high-value target.

This is a problem
that requires your attention.

♪ Last night I saw a superhero
He was black ♪

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

[grunting]

Your vitals are spiking, Erica.
How do you feel?

[gasping]

I'm okay, Dr. Stewart.

I'm gonna ask you
to push yourself now.

Let your power absorb
the kinetic energy,

but don't release it
until I say, okay?

[grunting]

[shouts]

Now.

[screaming]

[gasping]

[gasping]

[Jefferson] Lynn.

You okay?

I didn't mean to wake you up.

You should... You should
go back to sleep.

I'm fine.

Wait. Are you going somewhere?

The curfew.

Curfew doesn't apply
to the ASA.

I need to go to the lab.
You should get some sleep.

I know that look.

What look would that be?

An afterglow,
a midnight epiphany.

All right, so...

when can I expect to see you?

Like two, three days a week?

I cured the meta-virus,
but this occupation won't end

until I stabilize
the meta-gene itself.

I'm close.
I have all the pieces.

I just... If I can
decipher them.

I just need to get to the lab
and run some tests.

Okay, okay. I love you.

I love you too.

[R&B music playing]

[Truthteller Johnson]
Good evening,
citizens of Freeland.

Truthteller Johnson
with another Resistance Alert

tailored especially for you.

There are rumors
spread by the ASA

claiming the recent assault
on our very own Precinct 13

was made
by those evil Markovians.

Don't believe the hype.

What the ASA
doesn't want you to know

is they were illegally holding
citizens of Freeland.

It was the Blackbird herself
who risked life and limb
to save them.

And it's to her,
we raise our glass tonight.

Stay safe out there.
That's the truth.

I had some help,
but I'll take it.

Hope you can handle it.

This is Truthteller Johnson
signing off.

The school bell
is ringing, young lady.

[R&B music continues playing]

There she is.

I thought I'd surprise you
with your favorite.

[gasps]

That hurt.

How many times
do I have to tell you
to not drag your feet?

You and our...
[voice distorts]

[normal voice] ...tricity-like
capacitors.

Jennifer.

[distorted voice]
Jennifer, are you okay?

Mmm-mmm.

No, I feel funny.

Nothing is really normal.

Well, that's good because...

We're not normal?

Yes, but, no...

Well... Look,
what I was gonna say is

it should never feel normal
living through an occupation.

The moment it does,
you will find yourself
on the wrong side of history.

The ASA--

Is protecting us
from the Markovians,
yeah, I know.

Maybe the ASA
is protecting us.

There is a fine line
between
[distorted] protecting

[normal voice]
and repressing.

You know, history is
full of examples of

liberators
who become oppressors.

Dad. Look,

I love you,
but it's way too early for
a history lesson, okay?

And I don't feel good,

so I'm just gonna
take a sick day.

Wait, hold on.

[sighs] I...

Hmm...

You're going to school.

[typing]

[door slides open]

You have an update,
Dr. Stewart?

I believe I know how to
stabilize the meta-gene.

I thought I was lucid dreaming.

Turns out my subconscious self
is quite demanding
when it wants to be heard.

Dreams of severed feet.

Dr. Jace deliberately infected
the metas of Freeland

to send me her research
sliced into the DNA
of the virus.

From which she was successful
in developing a vaccine.

Yes! On closer examination
of the virus' RNA,
it was revealed that

Dr. Jace used
a gene-editing tool

to send me
a specific amino acid chain.

What do amino acids
have to do with our
meta-stabilization problem?

[laughs] Everything!

Twenty amino acids like this
make up a protein chain.

This particular protein
was a byproduct
of a serum

that was the predecessor
to the metagenic vaccine
in Green Light.

Once it's metabolized
in a human host,

it strengthens
the mitochondrial membrane

potential of meta cells
significantly.

Don't you see?

Dr. Jace sent me the protein
I needed to theoretically

stabilize the meta-gene
permanently.

The only problem is,

it can't be synthesized
in the lab,

it has to be extracted
from a human host.

Any human host will suffice?

Well, that where
it gets strange.

According to the ASA database,

only one patient survived
taking the serum.

Patient 49.

New information
has come to light

and the vigilante
known as Blackbird

is now wanted in connection
with the recent assault
on police headquarters

as well as the abduction
of several prisoners,

including that of a minor.

As Freeland's
acting Chief of Police,

I implore anyone
with information on this matter

to contact
local law enforcement,

and a $50,000 reward
is now being offered

for any information
leading to the arrest
of this individual.

Remember, folks,
if you see something,
say something.

[crowd booing]

[Inspector Henderson]
All right, all right.

[crowd laughing]

Oh, I saw that.
What do you want me
to say about it?

No, no, no, no.
That's all right,
it's all right.

-[Two-Bits laughing]
-[man] Fifty K.

More like
30 silver pieces to me.

You ought to be
ashamed of yourself, son.

-It's all right,
it's all right.
-[crowd booing]

The ASA murdered our boy.

And now they're
covering it up.

They expect us to believe this

Blackbird broke our baby
out of a fully armed
police station?

Mr. and Mrs. Singley,

Tavon is
a very special student
here at Garfield.

But the ASA didn't murder him.

Then... then where is my son?

Where is he?

Tavon was identified as a meta.

Our son was no meta.

We took their test
and registered a month ago.

Look! Here's the paperwork
to prove it.

Tavon tested negative
for the meta-gene.

[sighs] A students swatted
on my boy,

and now he's gone.

The ASA knew
our son wasn't a meta.

They didn't care.

The law doesn't matter
anymore in Freeland.

[Mrs. Singley] It's the metas
who brought this misery

to Freeland in the first place.

If it wasn't for them,
Tavon would be in school.

Look, all we want
is our boy back.

If you could find out
something, anything...

-Please, Mr. Pierce, we're...
we're going out of our minds.
-Please...

Okay, you have my word.

[sighs]

[Anissa]
All right, so the vaccine
will make you immune

to the virus that
has been hitting metas.

You sure this is necessary?

Anti-vaxxer much?

I meant the babysitter
you called for me.

I survived this occupation
for a month without you.

And neither of us know
how your shape-shifting cells

will respond to this vaccine.

And since my father
has already proven
a trigger for you,

I need someone else here
I can trust

to look after you
while I'm out.

And Gambi's no stranger.

You didn't watch the video
Shonda cued up for you?

Which films
would you like to view?

Ask her anything
and she'll do it.

I don't feel comfortable
with that.

Doesn't it feels like slavery?

-Do not emancipate...
-[Grace laughs]

...my, my smart home.

Shonda is a robot.

Yeah, and robot comes
robota.

It means "forced labor." So...

[Shonda]
You have a visitor,

Anissa, fairest of them all.

Shall I permit entry?

Yes, Shonda. Thank you.

[Shonda]
It is my pleasure
to serve you.

[door opens]

-[Anissa] Hey.
-[door closes]

Hey.

I should have checked
for food allergies.

I'm sorry, I just...

All right, well, I hope that
there is no objection to...

fettuccine alfredo.

Grace, meet my Uncle Gambi.

I thought you'd be black.

I thought you'd have
leopard spots.

Looks like we have
a lot to talk about.

[Grace chuckles]

All right, look.
I'll be out late.
Don't wait up.

We'll be fine.
If anything goes wrong,
I'm here.

And, Anissa, remember.
Be careful out there.

Blackbird has a price
on her head.

Stay... I've got a bad feeling.

Hey, I am meta-fabulous.

I'll be fine.

Okay?

Come here.

All right. You two have fun.

We'll be fine.

Say...

do you want to see some of
Anissa's baby pictures?

Yeah.

So today, we'll be learning
the basics of coding.

-All those apps
you love to use...
-[electrical crackling]

...now you can
create them yourselves.

[whispering] Hey, Brandon.

Brandon.

Yes, Your Highness?

Look, not today, pretty boy.

Prove chivalry isn't dead
and give me your jacket,
all right?

I'm freezing.

Here.

Hey, you're welcome.

[all gasp]

[powering down]

All right, everyone,
just remain calm.

It's probably just
a power surge.

I'll be right back.

[Jennifer groans]

You okay, Jen?

Oh, yeah. Just a bad comedown.

I was flying high
on pure energy last night,

and now I feel like
gravity's crushing me,
you know.

It must have been
some party.

Best way to beat a hangover?

Electrolytes.

Thank you.
I'll hit you back, okay?

Patient 49, as requested.

-[Two-Bits]
Oh, you look lost, Chief.
-We need to talk.

Ah, afternoon rush
about to hit, but, um...

-[bartender] Here you go.
-This should
hold you out until then.

Mmm.

All right, everybody,
listen up.

In 60 seconds,
the ASA rolls in here.

-They will be verifying
your registration cards.
-[protests]

If you do not possess one,

you will be
taking a ride downtown.

[Two-Bits] Hey, hey.

Hey...

Have a nice day.

Bro, was all that necessary?

They ain't never
coming back now.

You stealing supplies
from the ASA and selling
them at markup?

Occupation's been
good to you, huh, Two-Bits?

Make you feel like a big man

profiting while everybody else
around you suffers?

Better than goose-stepping
with the ASA.

Is that
what you think I'm doing?

I didn't say nothing, man.

Why are you
hounding me anyway?

Hey, I did miss.

You're under arrest

for assaulting a police officer

and for the possession
of stolen goods.

You have the right
to remain silent.

Anything you say can
and will be held against you
in a court of law.

Goose-step that.

Listen to me.

Inoculate everyone here

before we take them
outside the perimeter.

I'll deliver the rest
of the vaccine
to the Perdi tonight.

The good Lord works
in mysterious ways.

Now, if I'm being honest,

I can't handle
much more mystery.

But we're very thankful
for the guardian angel
he did send.

Get them prepped
and ready to go.

Make sure they're all
wearing black.

[earpiece beeps]

[Shonda]
I hope this isn't a bad time.
You have a secure call waiting.

Put it through.

Hey, Gambi, what's up?

No, it's me.

Dad? Wait.
Is everything okay?

Dad? Wait.
Is everything okay?

Mixed bag.
I need to talk to you.

Look, the train's
about to leave.

Yeah, I know.
Look, I need you to bring
Tavon back to Freeland.

What the hell? No!

Look, his parents
are worried sick,

all right?
They think he's dead.

He will be, if I do that.

The ASA is hunting
metas down. And Tavon--

Tavon was misidentified.

He is not a meta.

All right? Now, he needs
to be with his family.

Besides, they're looking
for you taking people out,

not bringing them back in.

Too dangerous.

There is a price on my head.

And getting past ASA
is not as easy as
I make it look.

What if Grace
was taken by the ASA?

Wouldn't you do everything
in your power to get her back?

I'll see what I can do.

But for the record...

this is a bad idea.

[beeps]

[Anaya] More mouths to feed?

You live on a farm. Here.

We don't need
any more of your money.

An epidemic has swept
through Freeland.

The virus...

targets metas, specifically.

You heard of Ebola?

This is more lethal
and contagious.

We're isolated, we're safe.

You've already been exposed.

There is enough vaccine
to inoculate every meta here.

Here.

Excuse me while I go
save my people
from the plague you brought.

Look, nice, really nice
most of the time.

She's just a little scared.

Yeah, me too.

How you holding up, Tavon?

I miss my parents.

Look, I made a couple of videos
for them on my phone.

You think you could take it
to 'em for me?

You want to take it
to 'em yourself?

Really? What, you gonna
take me home?

Your parents have proof
that you're not a meta.

Now, it's going
to be dangerous,

but if you're willing
to take the risk...

[Agent Odell on earpiece]
I trust you're aware
that Blackbird

has been sighted
leaving the perimeter?

I cross-referenced
her prior breaches

against Freeland's power grid.

She's following
the grid's fluctuations,

slipping through
the weak windows
as they pass.

Can you predict her next
window of re-entry?

I'm sitting on it now.

Happy hunting.

I'm a fan of your work,
Mrs. Pierce.

It's Dr. Stewart.

Aw, it's gonna be that way.

I figured given our history...

Fair enough.

Like I said, I love
watching you work.

Tell me, how many of
those pod kids did you kill?

Ten or twelve?

Fourteen children
died in my care.

Broke me up inside watching.

I was rooting for you.

You do understand...

I have a thing
for the underdog.

And the way you handled
yourself with Dr. Jace... Whoo.

"Float like a butterfly,
sting like a queen bee."

You've got fire, that's for
damn sure Mrs... Dr. Stewart.

Woman after my own heart.

I'm nothing like you!

That syringe tells
a different story.

This is MB4.

That's right.

This is the MB4 serum
that made you the monster
that you are.

Augmented strength,

eternal youth,

all here in this syringe

that I'm about to plunge
into your body.

And why give it to me, then?

Because now, you work for me,
you miserable bastard.

[Tobias] Hmm.

[grunting]

Like I said,

fire, Dr. Stewart.

Fire!

[Tobias laughing maniacally]

[indistinct chattering
on computer]

[Grace sighs]

Grace, how're you feeling?

Everything seems normal...

for me.

[man through computer]
Blackbird has been spotted
at the perimeter.

Orders are to not engage.

I repeat, do not engage.

-[pinging]
-[Grace] What does that mean?

Trouble.

Come on, Tavon.

Stay with me.

Come on, quick.

What? You new?

ASA? Markovian?

Run!

[both grunting]

[Blackbird groaning]

[yelling]

[groaning]

Help! It hurts!

Don't talk. Don't talk,
okay? Shallow breaths.

Okay, I'm gonna
get you home.
I promise.

Somebody! Come in!

Blackbird, where are you?

Meet me in the tunnel.
I'm coming in hot.

Dad, hurry! It's bad.

Hi!

Thank you for seeing me
at this, uh, late hour,
Ms. Pierce.

I found myself in the...

area so to... speak.

I hope I'm not
interrupting anything?

I, uh, just catching up
on some reading.

Tea?

I must confess that
I'm very relieved to
find you safe at home.

Where else would I be
after curfew?

Where else, indeed.

Do you know
the vigilante, Blackbird?

Not, not personally.
I've seen the graffiti.

Uh... nice suit.

Why?

I follow data, Ms. Pierce.

And, uh, data...

rarely lies.

The individual I seek

shares your height, weight,

and other metrics.

Yet you simply can't be
in two places at once.

What do you mean?

[stammers] What do you mean?

Blackbird breached
the perimeter,

the ASA is engaging
as we speak,

and her reign of terror
has come to an end.

Apologies

for entertaining such
a ludicrous notion.

Let you go back to reading,
and good night.

[door closes]

Grace.

I'm fine.

Go. Anissa needs help.

Lord make me wait
out of no pain.
Gonna get me some dinner,

get on out of here, and pray.

[chuckles]

Reverend Holt. It's good
to see you on the mend.

There before the grace of God
goes I.

-Hmm.
-[chuckles]

What're you doing down here
at this time of night,
Chief Henderson?

Oh, you know, following leads.

Tracking down the Blackbird.

Tracking down the Blackbird.

You haven't seen anything
out of sorts lately, have you?

If I saw something,
I'd have said something.

-Mmm-hmm.
-[Reverend Holt chuckling]

The trouble is, all my leads
end right here
in this church.

You care to explain?

I have no earthly idea.

I suppose
those with the most sin

cast the first stone.

Well, I'm not the one
smuggling the metas
outside of Freeland.

All aboard! Choo-choo!

Yeah, I thought
that might ring a bell.

[handcuffs clicking]

Now, now, come on, Chief.
Listen...

You don't think
I'm human trafficking?

Huh? I am down here...

saving these poor souls.

These people have rights.

Chief Henderson,
they have rights!

Reverend Holt,
you have the right
to remain silent.

A right that I know
that you will waive.

Now, you hear me,
Chief Henderson. You cannot
arrest me here.

We are in the house
of the Lord.

And He sees all.

Yeah. Between me and you,
Reverend, He's seen worse.

Come on.

I owe you a debt of gratitude,
Dr. Stewart.
You made me young again.

Pay me in silence.

Your bedside manner needs work.

Tell me, what's on
the ASA agenda today?

Waterboarding,

thumbscrews,

conjugal visit, perhaps?

I'm gonna extract a sample
of your bone marrow.

Hmm, sounds excruciating.

When a local anesthetic
is administered,
it's quite painless.

After I make a small incision,

I'll insert this needle
into your pelvic bone

and extract the bone marrow.

Why me?

When your body processes
the MB4 serum,

it creates a byproduct protein
I believe I could use

to stabilize the metas
of Freeland.

I recently found myself
with a lot of time
to contemplate

what got me in
this godforsaken pit.

And all I can come up with
is Black Lightning
always showing up

whenever your daughters
are in trouble.

Once is chance.

Second time is coincidence,
but a third?

Now, that's a pattern.

Black Lightning saves
a lot of lives in Freeland.

This is true.

But after that boy
your daughter was dating
got his spine ripped out,

some new female
firecracker-type
superhero appeared

and lit my ass up,

with Black Lightning's help,
of course.

Do you see the pattern?

Only the musings of a lunatic.

Humor me.

Answer this lunatic's
one question.

What's your super suit
look like, Dr. Stewart?

And to think

I lie here before
superhero royalty.

[chuckles]

It all makes sense to me now.

One merry melanated meta-family

solving crimes
and protecting Freeland.

You're delusional.

No, I'm not delusional.

I'll make you this promise.

After I kill Black Lightning
and that lying bastard
Jefferson Pierce,

you and your
beautiful daughters

will have
nothing to fear from me.

I always pay my debts.

[wails in pain]

Did I neglect to administer
the anesthetic?

Ahhh!

[Gambi] There!

[grunting]

[Black Lightning]
What happened?

[gasping] We got ambushed.

They hit us with
some kind of poison.

I told you this was a bad idea.

Look what you've done.

Tavon. Tavon,
can you hear me?

[weakly] Black Lightning.

No. No, no, no, Tavon.

Tavon!

No! Come on,
Tavon, come on.

Tavon.

Tavon. Tavon!

I'm so sorry for your loss.

[Mr. Singley] Those
ASA sons of bitches
murdered our boy!

[sobbing]

Wake up! [wailing]

Wake up! [wailing]

I don't know whether
to throw Dr. Jace
a party or a funeral.

I trust you've finally solved
the riddle of
meta stabilization?

I'm preparing
the formula now.

Testing won't be far behind.

There were no issues
with patient 49, I trust?

You could've warned me!

Tobias Whale murdered
Jefferson's father.

What happens to him
when all this is
said and done?

I wouldn't concern
yourself with that.

He knows my family's secrets.

Jefferson's, Anissa's,
even Jennifer's
were vulnerable.

Highly improbable.

He threatened
to murder Jefferson

and leave our girls alone,

his twisted idea of a favor

in exchange for giving him
the MB4 serum.

What exactly are you
asking me to do, Dr. Stewart?

What is the point
of all this cloak and dagger

if you cannot
protect my family?

When I am done with Tobias,
you make him disappear,
permanently.

Keep me... apprised.

-[school bell ringing]
-[students chattering]

Tavon's dead. How?

The ASA shot him trying
to escape the perimeter.

-Are you serious?
-Yeah.

There they are. The ASA.

Hey, why you punks
murder Tavon?

Stand down. Return to class.

There won't be
another warning.

Oh, yeah?
Like you warned Tavon?

Before you ASA asshats
killed him?

[all murmur in assent]

You know what?
We are not afraid of you.

-[students] No.
-This is Freeland.

You know, it's time the ASA
got the hell out anyway.

-[students] Yes.
-For Tavon!

Tavon! Tavon! Tavon! Tavon!

[chanting] Tavon! Tavon!

Remember his face!

[chanting continues]

Murderers!

[groans]

Everybody disperse at once!

Demonstration over!

What the hell is going on?

These are kids.
They're on school property.

Hey, Jen.

Chill out, Brandon.
You'll get your jacket back
soon enough.

It's not that.

I wanted to ask...

[indistinct arguing
in distance]

-What's going on down there?
-I don't know.

Stand down!
I will have you arrested.

Tavon is dead.

Now I will not have
another kid die on my watch.

[soul music playing]

[grunts]

[ASA soldiers grunt]

[students screaming]

[Jefferson groans]

Dad!

-[ASA soldier]
Everybody, stay back!
-[Jefferson grunting]

I told you, stay... down!

[groans]

[yelps]

Brandon, get off of me.
I have to help him.

No, stop.
It will be a massacre.

How did you do that?

-[grunting]
-[Jefferson groaning]

[students sobbing
and whimpering]

[continues groaning]

So beating my dad down
like a dog

is a part of saving Freeland
from Markovia, huh?

I marched alongside
Martin Luther King, Jr.,

in the civil rights movement.

I never enjoy watching
a black man being
beaten on the street.

Your men, your responsibility.

Those men responsible
did so of their own accord.

I am going to reprimand them.

Perhaps you'd care
to take a ride with me?

[engine starting]

[ASA soldier] All right,
I'll raise you ten.

Let's see your hand.

[groans]

Who the hell
are you supposed to be?

[upbeat R&B music playing]

[upbeat R&B music playing]

Did you have to leave us here
the whole night? Damn!

I demand to know the meaning
behind this, Chief Henderson.

I want to know!

Careful, Reverend.

[handcuffs clicking open]

-[ASA soldiers
grunting on video]
-Get on the ground!

Tavon Singley
and Jefferson Pierce

are the spark we needed.

"We"?

What exactly are you saying?

The people of Freeland
are ready to fight now.

We've all been working
independently,

nickel-and-diming
these bastards,

but it's time to join forces,

run the ASA out of here,

take our freedom back.

So, you've been leading
the insurgents this whole time?

I'm just a man
trying to do what's right.

Join us.

We'll be crucified
if we try to take the ASA
on by ourselves.

But who said
we by ourselves?

And the scales
fell from his eyes,

turning Saul to Paul.

My man.

[closing theme music playing]