Black Lightning (2018–…): Season 3, Episode 8 - The Book of Resistance: Chapter Three: The Battle of Franklin Terrace - full transcript

Previously, on
"Black Lightning"...

The Markovians are on the
outskirts of Freeland,

and they're marshalling
their forces.

Speaking Russian...

The Markovians
want to capture or kill

as many metas as possible.

Markovians
breached the compound.

- Put Freeland on lockdown.
- Copy.

I need to know what
happens when our powers merge, okay?

Now, tell me
what you know about Jace.

Just do it one
more time and I'ma tell you.



And I ain't got time
for your games right now.

So here, get out.

Wake up, Freeland.
The insurgents are not your enemy.

They're fighting to protect us

against the tyranny of our
so-called protectors, the ASA.

Khalil. How is that possible?
We buried him.

Look, Lynn. What I see is you
spending more time at the Pit

than with your own family.
Why is that?

- Talk to me.
- Why talk, Jeff?

I talk, you don't listen,
history repeats itself.

I'm done.

Come on. Lynn!

*BLACK LIGHTNING*

*BLACK LIGHTNING*
The Book Of Resistance



Season 03 Episode 08

Episode Title :"Chapter Three:
The Battle of Franklin Terrace"

Name?

Tobias Whale.

Date of birth?

April 20th, 1946.

Confirmed.

You're doing this
with the others.

You are, aren't you?

Have they figured it out yet?

What you're doing to them?

What you're making them?

Truth in silence, my dear.

I know all about
your plan for Freeland.

But you aren't going to

turn me into one of
Odell's slaves. No.

I'm not a meta.

I'm something different.

I ride the pale horse...

and hell follows with me.

I don't need your
permission to talk to anyone.

No,
you don't talk about me.

Why talk, Jeff?

I talk, you don't listen,
history repeats itself.

You think everything about me,
including my powers, is strange.

This is not
about Freeland.

It's not about Tavon,
it's about you.

It's always
about you.

Tell them exactly
how my powers work.

I would never give you up.

Hi, you've
reached Dr. Lynn Stewart.

I'm unavailable at the moment,

so please leave your name
and phone number, and I'll...

Okay. Now,

take a deep breath in
and hold it.

Let me know if you feel
anything other than pressure.

Ready? Anything?

Well, it looks like your powers
are back to normal.

Thank God.

Are you feeling any residual
effects from the poison at all?

No, just this.

Oh,
it looks much better.

Just keep using the antivenom
until it clears up.

And in the meantime,
you should continue to rest.

You need to give yourself
time to heal.

Please. We both know
that's not gonna happen.

Look, I gotta get
back to work, Uncle Gambi.

Freeland needs me.

I figured you might say that.

Well, in that case,
there's something I want to show you.

I found this when I was going
through the system

that I mirrored in the Pit.

This aired in Jacksonville
a few days ago.

Freeland continues
to be on lockdown.

Officials say they're still
no closer to eradicating

the SARS epidemic
which forced the government

to quarantine the city

more than a month ago.

What the hell?

SARS?

What about the metas?
Markovia?

No mention of any of that.

Apparently, the ASA
doesn't want

the world to know
what's really going on here.

So, that's why no one's
come near us,

because they think
it's an outbreak?

Uncle Gambi, look. We got to
get the message out there.

We have to tell the people
the truth.

I tried uploading the video

of your father
getting beaten by the ASA.

I figured that
a community/Olympic hero

being assaulted would get
the world's attention,

but my equipment
is too limited.

I can get a signal out,
but only as far as South Freeland.

Okay, so what else can we use?

I'm looking.

But I need more evidence.

Photos, videos,
something that will prove

what happened to your dad wasn't just
another black man getting beaten down.

Something that will show the
world what's really going on here.

I think I know somebody
who can help us.

Where did you go, Khalil?

Excuse me, Dr. Stewart.

Patient 49 is here
for his blood test.

Thank you, Nurse Allen.
Put him over there.

Okay. Right over here, guys.

Ah, Dr. Stewart.

How is that
super family of yours?

I need to test your blood

to see if your antibodies are
regenerating for the stabilization cure.

You know, Dr. Stewart,
I'm jealous of you.

Yes. Jealous because
you're going to be famous.

Come, come now.
Don't be modest.

I can see you on the cover of
now.

"Dr. Lynn Stewart,

the strong, sexy,
intelligent black woman

who saved Freeland
and the world

by enslaving black youth."

Hmm.

What're you rambling about?

Fame, my dear.

Fame for the cure.

I asked you a question.

Don't be naive, Dr. Stewart.

You know exactly what the ASA
is gonna do with those metas

once you stabilize them.

Just look at the roster
you gave me.

Super strength,
accelerated healing,

and my favorite... camouflage.

Seem like weapons to me.

I've heard it all before.

Oh, really? From who?

Wait. You don't mean
Black Lightning?

How interesting.

I guess he's smarter
than I thought.

Then again, that suit.

Tell me. I've always
been curious.

Is he a big fan
of Earth, Wind & Fire?

Or is it Parliament?

Perhaps Bootsy Collins.

I'm not being naive.

I know the ASA wants to use
the metas as weapons

and once they're stabilized,

they might decide
they want that too,

but at least this way
I'm giving them a choice.

Hmm, is that
what they're calling slavery

these politically correct days?

I've worked with
the ASA for decades,

with you about a month
and some change.

Does it look like
these kids have a "choice"

to make of their own?

No, Dr. Stewart,

the choice has already
been made for them.

Those kids will be weapons
whether they like it or not.

And not just them.

But everyone in Freeland
with the meta-gene.

Now that the ASA knows
what Green Light can do,

they'll flood the city until they
get as many metas as they can.

- It's not possible.
- Hmm.

How would they even get
that much Green Light?

I don't know.

But what I do know is,

it'll be all because of you.

The great, smart, talented,
and beautiful

Dr. Lynn Stewart.

♪ Last night, I saw a superhero
He was black ♪

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

Okay.

All right, all right.
Okay, I'm coming.

Sheesh.

What the hell was that for?

Oh, that was for kicking me out
the last time.

Whoa, whoa, whoa,
wait, wait, wait, wait.

Look, I invited you over
to apologize.

All right? I was wrong.

You were right.
I'm sorry.

You should be.

If you try something
like that again,

I'm gonna barbeque your
Pantene-commercial-looking ass.

All right, all right.
It won't happen again.

- I promise.
- Good.

Okay, I'm sorry, too.

I wasn't trying to stress you.

It's just, I really wanna know what's
happening when our powers merge.

Me, I've felt like a freak
for a long time,

but this just takes things
to a whole new level, you know.

Maybe.

Maybe it has something to do

with your powers
being electrical

and mine being earth-based.

You lost me.

All right, look, um...

you know when there's
a lightning strike,

the earth grounds the energy?

Yeah. So?

Okay, well, maybe that's
what's happening here.

You know, you being able to
control lightning,

and I can control the earth.

Maybe I, uh,
maybe I ground you.

So, if you ground me,
that means I can use

my powers on you
and not hurt you?

Like I don't have to hold back?

Ah, well,

theoretically, I mean, yeah.

Whoa! Okay, chill out!
It's just a theory.

It's just a theory.

Damn.

That's the truth, people.

And we won't stop telling it

until Freeland is free.

That was a nice speech.

I wish I had known
you were here,

I would have had you
say a few words.

Mmm-mmm.
Actually,

I came to talk
about a different audience.

Jamillah, what if I told you
I can get a message

outside the perimeter?

Really?

We just figured out how to
broadcast to the rest of Freeland.

Now you're saying that you can get
a transmission out beyond that?

- Mmm-hmm.
- What about the firewall?

- The media blackout?
- Leave that to me.

What we need now
is footage.

What tapes do you have
on the ASA?

Um, beatings, riots...

- camps.
- Good.

- I've got it all.
- Good, good.

Round up your best material.

I'll notify you
when the plan's in place. Okay?

What should I do
in the meantime?

Keep the cameras rolling.

Yeah, yeah.

Okay, what did I do now?

Diffuse another one
of your bombs?

Hey, look, Jeff.

I'm sorry for barging in on
you like that the other day.

But you were right.
We do need to get on the same page.

Whoa, whoa, what happened to,

"You handle the ASA your way,
I'll handle 'em my way"?

Well, I assumed
all that had changed

when Black Lightning helped
those meta refugees escape.

Face it, man,
you're on our side now,

whether you like it or not.

No. No. Not if you're putting
innocent people in danger.

Look, I already told you, man,
I don't get down with your methods.

Whatever, bruh.

That's not why I'm here.

This is about Mrs. Shepard.

She needs our help.

Wait, Mrs. Shepard?

- Our third-grade teacher?
- Mmm-hmm.

What's going on?

Well, apparently,
when you were getting those metas out,

you injured the acting
ASA Director, Major Grey.

And now that bastard,
Williams, is taking over

and stepping up the occupation.

Now, he's taken over
your old apartment building

and using it as a barracks
for new troops.

Franklin Terrace?

Man, they don't know
what they're messing with.

No, they don't know
and they don't care.

They've evicted
all the tenants,

and Mrs. Shepard is
refusing to leave.

Now, I sent some officers over
there to lock the place down

until we could talk to her.
But we don't have a lot of time.

Williams has given us
until nightfall to get her out.

Otherwise, they're gonna
throw her out on the street.

Let's go.

Agua.

- Thank you. Here.
- Mmm-hmm.

Oof, some good stuff.

Yeah, it's really what helps
keep my powers in check.

Medicinal, as the old folks
like to say.

Okay. So, how did you
get your powers?

Um, I went to a party,

and some guy slipped
Green Light in my drink.

Damn. That's messed up.

It is what it is.

How about you?

You remember when I told
you Dr. Jace killed my mom?

Well, what I didn't
tell you was

that Dr. Jace was
experimenting on her

while she was pregnant with me.

One of Jace's assistants
felt bad and helped her escape,

but... the damage
had already been done.

I watched my mother
slowly break down and die.

She passed two days
before my tenth birthday.

I'm really sorry, Brandon.

Ah, it's cool. You didn't know.

After that, they threw me
in foster care.

But it was something Jace did
in those experiments

that, like, helped me
with my powers.

So, as soon as I found out
that I could make diamonds,

I ran away.

I've been looking
for Dr. Jace ever since.

And now you've come
to Freeland to kill her?

Probably sound like
a terrible person, huh?

No. No, actually I get it.

You do?

Yeah.

Look, when Khalil was murdered,

all I could think about
was revenge.

I wanted to kill the person
who did that to him.

Make them suffer
the way he suffered,

and to be honest,

I still do.

Wow.

You know, I haven't forgotten
about helping you find Jace.

Don't worry about it.

I don't think there is
anything you can do, anyway.

Yeah,
you're probably right.

I guess I shouldn't tell you
her last known whereabouts then.

- Nothing's changed.
- Unlock the door.

- Let's go.
- I can't let you do that, sir.

Fine. You don't want to unlock the
door, we'll break it down.

- Wait, wait, wait.
- Battering ram.

- Stat.
- Wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait.

Wait, wait, wait.

Stop!

Why is this building locked?

I told you to have that woman
out of there by sundown.

Just give us ten minutes to talk to her.
That's all, ten minutes.

- You have five.
- You can't do this.

You can't just evict people
out of their houses.

Sacrifices must be made
during war.

These people are serving their
country, and it is about time.

This isn't a war!

It's an occupation.

And the people are getting
sick and tired,

and they're gonna rise up.

I'd like to see them try...

meta.

Open the door.

You have five minutes.

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

Mrs. Shepard,
it's Jefferson Pierce.

Jefferson Pierce.

Give me some sugar, baby.

Oh!

- Come on in.
- Okay.

It's good to see you,
Mrs. Shepard.

- Wow, this place hasn't changed a bit.
- Mmm.

Okay, I see you're still
selling this here.

What? On a teacher's salary?

Gotta earn a living somehow.

Right.

Hey, you remember when I hit
my ball through your window

and broke one of your plants?

Hmm, lucky. I should've
kicked your little ass.

Yeah, okay.

- Look, Mrs. Shepard...
- Ah-ah-ah.

I've lived here for 45 years.

This is my home.

I'm not going anywhere.

I understand that,
but it's just an apartment.

It's not worth it.

You disappoint me, Jefferson.

You know better than anyone
what this means,

what this place means.

Look. Come.

You see that street down there?

That's where we had
the sit-in to get the right

for colored folks to live here.

You see that old hickory tree,

the one you used to love
to play under?

That's where I met Obama
when he came to Freeland.

He was so tall.

This is more than
just an apartment.

This is... part of me.

Part of our people.

Have you forgotten that?

No... no.

They're gonna throw you out.

They'll hurt you.

Mrs. Shepard, please.
This is not a wise decision.

I know that they hurt you.

I saw the video.

You chose not to fight back.

This is my decision.

- I'm staying.
- I hear you, I do.

But I just... - Things don't always
happen the way you want them to.

Sometimes, you just have to do
what you know is right.

And trust that you're
in God's hands.

Good-bye, Mrs. Shepard.

Yeah. Any luck?
No.

You need to rally your troops.

We're making our stand.

What do you mean, making our stand?
What're you talking about?

What... Hello? Hello?

Time's up. We're going in.

Hey, wait. Hold on.

Get that damn battering ram
up there now.

Get back!

What's going on?

There's somebody else in there.

On the count of three!

One... two... thr...

Good news.

I may have footage.

Any luck with the signal?

Maybe, but it's gonna be
a long shot.

You see, the only thing capable
of generating a signal that strong

is a radio tower.

The ASA controls all the towers
currently in operation.

But I found an old
abandoned facility

in Baker Hills.

All right, cool.
I'll go with you.

All units, be advised...

10-33 in progress
at the corner of 8th and Lewis,

Franklin Terrace Apartments.

The fugitive known as
Black Lightning

is preventing ASA forces
from entering the building.

Subject is considered
armed and dangerous...

You go.
I'll handle the tower.

Wait, Anissa.

Aren't you
forgetting something?

I think Thunder would go
better with Black Lightning.

Don't you?

Alpha Four. Do you copy?

Copy.

Got the flank?

Affirmative.
Alpha Four in position.

On my signal...

Sir, we really doing this?

I mean, the old lady just
wants to stay in her apartment.

Orders are orders.

Engage target!

- Get back!
Fall back! Fall back!

Fall back!

Took you long enough.

Sorry for the delay.

I had to pick up some friends.

You out of your mind?

Stand down! That's an order.

I'm done
taking orders from you.

All right. Let's secure the
building, no one goes in or out.

Henderson, check
on Mrs. Shepard,

make sure she's all right.

This meta...

just kicked your ass... bruh.

Hello?

Anyone there?

Hello?

Show yourself!

Baron?

How do you know my name?

I used to work with
Dr. Lynn Stewart.

You're one of the pod kids.

Oh, so you're ASA.

Then get comfortable.

You're gonna rot in there.

Wait!

Hold on.

Baron, I'm not ASA.

In fact, I'm trying to
get a message out,

so people will know what the
ASA is doing here and send help.

Hey, here. Look, look.

I'm trying to connect
to the old antennae.

If I was ASA, I'd just use
their system, right?

Baron, please.

We're on the same side.

I promise.

You really think
people will help?

I don't know.

But if we don't do something,

there's no telling how many more
kids the ASA will stick into pods.

Dr. Stewart...

thought you'd be back.

Finally come to your senses
about the ASA?

Yes, and you're gonna help me

find a workaround,
so they can't force

the metas to be weapons.

- Am I?
- Yes!

You said so yourself.

You've been working
with the ASA for decades,

no one knows them
better than you.

There must be a way
to stop them.

There is one way,
but you're not gonna like it.

What is it?

You can break me out.

Why in the world
would I do that?

You need my antibodies to
stabilize the metas, don't you?

If the metas aren't stabilized,

then the ASA can't
weaponize them.

So, you see, Dr. Stewart,

I'm your golden goose.

- I don't have access.
- You don't need access.

The security, you wouldn't be
able to get through.

Everything you need is
on that roster you gave me.

I can't get out of here
with just my strength,

but with camouflage,
now that's a different story.

You're talking about Maryam.

Mmm.

She can only
camouflage herself.

Exactly.

That's why you're gonna
give me her powers.

I know you've been
doing gene editing.

There has to be a way
to isolate her genes

and splice them into my DNA.

Jace isn't in Freeland?

She got snatched
by the Markovians.

I came all this way,

and she's not even here.

Brandon.

I'm stuck inside
the perimeter with no way out.

Brandon. Calm down.

Brandon.

Brandon.

Brandon! Brandon! Oh, my God!

Brandon, stop!

Brandon!

- No way out!
- Oh, God.

Brandon. You're scaring me.
Stop.

Brandon, calm down.

Brandon!

Brandon! Brandon!

Brandon. Brandon, get up.

What happened?

Oh, God.

You had a power flare.

A power what?

A power flare, Brandon.

It's... our powers are
connected to our emotions.

So, when you get upset,

it gets really hard
to control them.

Oh, my God.

You okay?

I'm fine. I'm just happy
you are all right.

Honestly, this kind of thing
happens to me all the time.

So...

to watch it happen to you
makes me feel like...

a little less of a freak.

Oh, you're still a freak.

Now we're just
two freaks together.

So, Baron, tell me...

what's a young man like you
doing up here all by himself?

It's my powers.

I don't know how
to describe them. I can...

I can talk to computers,

machines.

I can feel them...

..hear their voices.

So, you're a technopath.

It started after
I took that vaccine.

That was 30 years ago.

But when I came out of the pod,

things had changed.

All of these smart devices,

they never, ever,
ever stop talking.

The noise was deafening.

So, I came up here
away from it all.

So much had happened.

I couldn't relate to anyone,
so I stayed in this tower

with my machines.

They're the only ones
that understand me.

ASA called me a technocrat.

Only thing
I don't mind about them.

I go by TC.

Okay, TC it is then.

What're you doing?

They don't like it
when you do that.

You're hurting it.

Here.

All right.
Now, you take this floor.

Remember, watch the windows.

Come on, come on.

Go, go.

Hmm. You remember me?

You killed my friend,
you son of a bitch.

You again.

Cute suit.

Come on.

Khalil?

Sir, the asset is down.

What? How?

Not sure.
We're scanning his vitals.

It will take some time...

To hell with this.

Sir...

This ends now.

Okay, we're almost ready.

Hey, I'm here.

It's okay, she's a friend.

Did you get it?

Everything is on here.

Great. Thunder,

this is TC. He's been helping me
get the signal up and running.

I'll fill you in later.

Right now, we have to
get this message out.

All right, we're all set.

Okay. Now, as soon as
we start broadcasting,

the ASA is going to be able to
lock on to our signal.

So, even though I'm bouncing it
off of the other towers,

we don't have much time.

- Ready?
- Ready.

All right.

This is Jamillah Olsen.

Here's what you need to know.

There's no SARS outbreak
in Freeland.

Government experiments

have turned residents
into meta-humans.

And the ASA has rounded up
any suspected metas

and put them
in a detainment facility.

Please share these images,

call your representatives.

What?

Wait, no, no, no. No, no, no What happened?
Why'd it stop?

The signal's jammed,
there's a second firewall.

Move, move, move, move.

You better hurry.
They're about to get a lock on us.

Almost there.

There's no time,
We're gonna have to abort.

Wait, got it.

- This is Jamillah...
- Oh, my God.

Sorry. We were so close.

Wait, wait, wait. Look.
Wait, look.

Look, look, look.
Look, Look.

- It went through.
- Look, it went through.

It went through.
It went through.

Yes, it went through.

All right.

All right. It went through.

Good job.

Good job, Thunder.

- Oh, my God.
- Wow.

- Gambi.
- Lynn.

They're trying to lock you in.

You have to
get out of there, now.

The Pit! Step on it!

Wait, I'll just talk
to Commander Williams.

You can't.

Black Lightning just
joined the Resistance.

The deal with the Pierce
family is officially off.

If they can't throw
Jefferson in the Pit,

the ASA will just
keep you there.

Use you as a bargaining chip.

Damn it, Jeff!

You have to go.
I'll guide you.

Okay, wait, wait.
I need to get the cure.

Ready.

All right, there's a room
across the hall. Go!

Good. Now, go down the hallway
and stay low.

Someone's coming.
Quick, take cover.

All right, it's all clear.
Keep going.

Almost there.
Take the next hallway,

and then there's
an elevator on your right.

Wait! Go left, into the office.

Hold your position,

and get ready to make a run
for the elevator.

Wait, Lynn, I said
hold your position.

Wait! Stop her!

She has access.

It was rescinded. Go!

Hey, stop that elevator
immediately.

Come on, quickly.
Get in.

- No! My bag!
- Leave it, leave it.

- Gambi, I need my bag! To get my bag!
- There's no time. No!

- My bag!
- Drive!

Oh, damn it.

I need my bag.

You'll be all right.

This is nice.

This is your final warning.

Step down, meta-freak.

This building belongs
to the people of Freeland.

We ain't leaving.

Fine.

Then just die.

You don't wanna
dance with me.

I have your powers

and the finest
tactical training on Earth.

Yeah, right.

The thing is,

you've got a lot of electricity coursing
through your nervous system right now.

I've got this suit to protect me.
You don't, meta.

I see your point.

Thank you, Black Lightning,

for saving our home.

My pleasure, ma'am.

Now, if you'd excuse me,

I think I'm gonna go check
on my plants.

There's been so much
going on that, um...

I hope they're okay.

Thank you.

Same old Mrs. Shepard.

Hey, thanks for your help
back there.

Now, those are methods
I can get behind.

Welcome to the Resistance,
Black Lightning.

We took back the building.

Now, let's take back our city.

Synchronized by srjanapala