Black Lightning (2018–…): Season 4, Episode 9 - The Book of Ruin: Chapter Four: Lyding - full transcript

Previously on
Black Lightning...

I still have
a demon in my head,

and he almost killed
Jennifer's sister.

You'll always be
a part of me.

Then, trust me.

We're just gonna have to accept
the fact that this is the new Jen.

Let's go over
your backstory one more time.

Name is JJ Stewart.

- You're new here, right?
- That obvious?

Uriah.

There's a video going viral of Lightning
opening a can on Freeland PD.



The people love when I do my thing.

We now consider Lightning to be
Freeland's public enemy number one.

Who is this maniac?

He's known as Ishmael.

Trying to get
into the League of Assassins?

You can start with these.

Mr. Bates asked me
to work on it himself.

It's called
an energy field emitter.

Tobias will understand.

You have 48 hours
to deliver the emitter.

Mr. Pierce, we have
a warrant to search this house.

How could they think
I embezzled money from Garfield?

It has to be Tobias, Jeff.

He won't stop
until Mr. Pierce is in prison.



And I haven't found
anything that will clear his name.

I used to collect for Tobias.
I can help.

Wow. She really did it, huh?

She figured out a way to kill
the meta-gene and increase power.

She's finally going to get that
Nobel Peace Prize and become rich-rich.

Girl, everything is not
always about money.

Oh, try telling that to Blackbird.

How about we just go in
and celebrate your mom?

Lynn, we're here.

Mom, hey.

What's going on?

I'm not sure.

Lynn, the door's locked.
We can't get out.

I know.

It's the only way.

For what?

We can be a normal family.

Your powers aren't who you are.

They're making us
people we don't want to be.

Okay, so you're just
going to do this against our will?

Trust me. I know
this doesn't turn out well.

My mind's made up.

Lynn, don't do this.

Dad.

Mom!

Mom, please!

Mom...

Mom.

Mom!

No. Oh, my God. Oh, God. Oh, no.

And then I fell down,
overwhelmed with guilt.

And that was it.

In your dream,
you try to fix your family.

Maybe your dream
is the subconscious telling you

your family doesn't need fixing.

And if I try anyway, I...

will hurt them.

Badly.

Last night I saw a superhero
He was black

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

Whoo

Hope I'm what
You're looking for

Pray you need
To look no more

Yo.

The real Lightning?

Yo, my mama
ain't going to believe this!

I can't even believe this.

This is crazy.

In the flesh.

Well, technically, the suit,
'cause that would be inappropriate.

Hold on, wait.

If somebody told you I'm selling drugs,
it's some bull crap.

What? No, I saw a repost
from some girl named JJ

about your Garfield Music
GoFundMe campaign.

Noticed it needed some help
getting attention,

so here I am.

Damn. It's crazy.

- You really wanna help?
- Yeah.

Just give me your phone
and I'll log into my IG.

Then we can go live.

You bet.

Hi, everybody. This is Uriah.

And he and I could really
use the community's help.

I received your alert.
What's going on?

It's Lightning, sir.

She just went live on her IG.

She looks different,
but it's definitely her.

Garfield, the pride of Freeland

has lost its music program funding.

Yeah. What's up, y'all?

Uh, I'm just asking
for donations in cash,

music supplies, instrumental form,

really anything to keep
the music program afloat.

Great work.

- Go alert the chief.
- I'm on it.

And if you want to find more ways
to help, make sure to follow Uriah,

at All-Eyes-On underscore Uriah
and click the link in his bio.

Thank you, and please support.

Yo, I... I don't know
how to thank you enough.

It's no problem.

We need more people like you.

It takes a special person
to do something

when everyone else
is just standing by.

Look, I... I better get back
to, uh, delivering the food.

Nobody likes cold fries.

Hmm.

Ah, it's too much.
It hurts.

Will I see you around?

Guess not.

You won't.

But I will.

You met a human, Lightning.

Whoo!

Save recorded speed,
acceleration and energy levels to Cloud.

Anissa.

Anissa.

Your new suit.

- What, I got an upgrade?
- Mmm-hmm.

Your father's and sister's suits
work with an electrical charge.

Yours works with a sonic trigger

if you... snap your fingers
while you're in high density.

All right, I'm gonna try it.

You have really
outdone yourself this time.

I don't know if I'm ever
going to be Blackbird again.

What the hell?

Have you lost your damn mind?

You're fine.

Your suit now has a memory function
to maintain your density for a while.

Now you won't be vulnerable
the moment you stop holding your breath.

That is really cool and all,

but I would've liked
to have known that before.

Maybe. Sure,
but where's the fun in that? Come on.

- Huh?
- Oh! Whoa-oh!

I'll see you in a bit.

You look amazing.

Thank you, Uncle Gambi.

Grounded? For what?

Lightning is grounded, period.

What were you thinking?
Someone could've gotten seriously hurt.

All I was trying to do was help Uriah.

Wait, Uriah? Come on, Jen,
that's not a reason to be Lightning.

All I was doing
was bringing attention

to a campaign to save
the Garfield music program.

That's no reason
to go out as Lightning.

Well, you try helping the school

when you are the daughter...
the niece

of the person accused of stealing
the program's funds in the first place.

Whoa, Jen, chill out.

No,
you're just being reckless.

Not thinking about the consequences
of your actions, as usual.

I think what your father means

is that now is the time that we all
have to be extremely careful.

You're still public enemy number one.

And with the looming threats
of new, deadlier DEGs...

you need to stay out of sight, period.

What did you wanna show us?

His name is Ishmael.

Advanced training
in hand-to-hand combat,

especially swordsmanship.

Adept with technology,
a master tactician.

And he's a meta hunter.

A meta hunter?

With a digital footprint
as small as a fly's.

Wait, is this the guy
who ambushed you and Grace?

- Mmm-hmm, that's him.
- Well, be glad you're still with us.

There's chatter
on the dark web about him

being up for the League of Assassins.

What's that?

The League of Assassins
have been around for centuries

and have made
more people dead than World War Il.

They're the most notorious
assassins in the world.

And here's the worst of it.

One way to get into the League
is by making high-profile kills,

like killing metahumans.

- Wait, so they're after us?
- They better not be.

I say we don't wait.

He can have his swords,
I'll light him up.

No one is doing anything
until we collect more intel.

We don't even know
if he's here alone.

- I'll see what else I can find.
- Good idea.

Got it.

Ishmael was brought here
by Destiny in the Kobra Cartel.

He's on their payroll.

With this guy out there,

it is extremely important
you don't go out in your suits

without overwatch from me or TC.

Check your corners
and double-check them.

And if you do run into Ishmael,

best to keep him
and his blades at a distance.

Do not engage.

Look, we already know these

second-generation DEGs
can go through our shields

I'm getting close
to an upgrade that'll protect you.

- But until then...
- I know.

- Be careful.
- Right.

Or light them up
before they can blast me.

Jennifer.

I'm just playing.

Seriously, did you
not just hear what he said?

- It's not a joke...
- Thanks for the briefing.

I know. I know.

Keep us posted.

- Of course.
- Of course.

Blue cheese

Goat cheese

Mo, please

I've been spending
American Cheddar

Ain't nobody finna...
with my feta

If you do
you 'bout to have a vendetta

When we do
you better have that Beretta

Blue cheese

Goat cheese

Mo, please
Mo, please

Good morning.

What is going on?

I know the embezzlement
was Tobias' fault, but I was mad at you,

so I made you breakfast
to say sorry.

Wait, is that even a real apology?

I don't know, Dad, I'm trying.

Okay. Well, thank you for trying,

and, uh... thank you
for all this breakfast.

You're welcome.

Now, you know, just because
you said you're sorry

doesn't mean
I'm going to forget

that we need to discuss
Lightning's IG page.

There's no such thing
as grounding a social media page.

No, but you can delete it.

Delete it?

Come on, Dad. Really?

- Yes, really.
- Ugh.

Look, we don't do what we do
for attention or applause.

And as Lightning,
you need to remain focused and vigilant

if you want to remain alive.

So delete it.

Okay, I lied.

How about I just...

deactivate it for a while?

That's like grounding it.

How about... you delete it?

Okay. Before you put
a period on it...

My mistake. I won't go live ever again.

But Lightning is a role model.

The kids that look up to me
need my voice.

I get to inspire them without contact.

Sounds pretty safe to me.

Okay, deactivate it
for now until further notice.

Did I tell you how sorry I am?

Young lady, don't press your luck.

Just because you said sorry,
you can be as sorry as you want to,

doesn't mean
you get to go out as Lightning.

I know. Bye, Dad.

Mmm. Bye.

Ooh, ooh

Ooh, ooh

Ooh, ooh

There's more to be said
In the silence

Fill in the blanks
you left...

I'm sorry, but Dr. Stewart,
you can't be on the premises.

- Excuse me?
- Your privileges have been rescinded.

- Rescinded by whom?
- I'm not at liberty to reveal.

- Please, leave peacefully.
- Are you serious?

- This is my work. My... my lab.
- Negative.

Your files have already
been transferred offsite.

What? Where? No... That's mine.

I'm just doing my job, Doctor.

And I'm trying to do mine, Michael.

Do you know why I fought so hard

for you to keep your job here last year

even though they had
every right to fire you?

Look at me!

It was the right thing to do.

Are you doing the right thing now?

I'm sorry, Dr. Stewart.

It's my ass if I don't.

- It's time to...
- Hey! Ow!

You didn't hear this from me,

but does a Special Agent Mason
ring any bells?

Yeah, he's the agent
on Jefferson's embezzlement case.

Well, he's the one that came in
and took everything as evidence.

That's all I know.

They're probably making sure

your husband isn't hiding
anything at your office.

You'll get it back.

Dr. Stewart. Doctor!

Avoiding all the street signs

That lead me back to your name

We've been coming undone

We broke the last thread...

I thought you went to work.

Work?

There's no point going to work

with no lab
and no research, Jefferson.

Wait, what do you mean,
"no research, no lab"?

Did you know they took my research?

- Who? Tobias?
- No! Special Agent Mason.

What? What for?
Wait, can he even do that legally?

I called Gambi and he checked,

and your embezzlement money
funded my research, so, yes, they can.

No, no.
The embezzlement isn't real.

This is all Tobias' doing.

Yeah, but until
you can prove that, Jefferson,

it's 26 years of my... my life,
of my work, of my research,

that means nothing!

Lynn, I'm sorry.
We'll get you back...

Don't... don't do this right now!

Ooh, ooh

Get the boss a drink!

I got you, boss.

Salud.

Huh?

She's nice.

Jesse Gentilucci.

We need to talk.

- Get me out of here.
- Boss, come with me.

Get up.

Sweetheart, you never saw me.

Fire! Shoot!

Jesse, I just wanted to talk.

Get him!

Khalil! What do you want?

Khalil, look,
I got nothing against you.

Okay? That was all Tobias.

You can have whatever you want.
Money, whatever.

But I'm Painkiller.

Oh, my God!
What did you... It burns!

- PK.
- It burns!

I can't get information
out of a dead man.

Huh.

You okay?

What? Hell, no!

That was a natural venom
my body produces,

after what Tobias
and the ASA did to me.

You're lucky. Now I can change
my poison glands with the antidote one.

I'm sorry for what Tobias did to you,
but that was not my fault.

The hell, it's not.

Look, money is power,
and this guy writes checks for Tobias.

He was in bed with the ASA.
He a son of a bitch.

Listen, will you shut up
and let me do the talking?

Who are you talking to?

Look, you only need to focus

on providing me
the answers I need.

Now, what do you know

about the embezzlement frame
on Jefferson Pierce?

How did Tobias do it?

Look, I don't know
what you're talking about.

I just cut checks
for the folks I'm supposed to.

- That's it, I promise.
- Let me in.

No, don't...

Don't fight me.

Now listen.

This can all change and stop
if you just tell me about Tobias' books.

I can't. He'll kill me.

What, in five, four seconds?

That's how long my poison takes.

Okay! Okay! There's a hidden ledger.

This is where you can find it.

Hmm...

Thank you for your cooperation.

Now why would you do that?

What?

Look, you were wrong,
I was right. See?

You can get information
out of a dead man.

Let's go.

Heard there were a lot of donations
coming in earlier today.

Came by to help,
but it looks like you're finished.

Yo. You sent my message
to Lightning's IG account?

Thank you.

You're welcome.

- I figured it'd be worth the shot.
- Yeah.

She showed up and she killed it.

- Guess what the best part is?
- What?

Now we got the funding
for the rest of the year.

- We good!
- Shut up. Seriously?

- Yeah.
- That's amazing.

- I'm so happy.
- Hey, you made it possible.

Not me.

I'm not a hero like Lightning.

It takes a special person
to do something

when everybody else is just standing by.

Uh... what's wrong?

Nothing.

This is amazing. That's all.

Uh...

Black Lightning.

I tried calling.

Been busy.

Keeping kids off the street,
coaching them to a championship.

Step on out onto the court.

I wanted to thank you for the heads-up
about the chief and Lightning.

No problem.

What do you need now?

There's a new bad guy
in Freeland.

Goes by the name Ishmael.
You heard of him?

Yeah.

The streets say he's running with
Destiny and the Kobra Cartel.

The streets say
he's looking to take out some metas?

Word. If you're looking for protection,

be a cold day in hell
before Lopez allows that.

All I need is a cleared-out area.

No cops, no Meta Task Force, nothing.

I'll handle the rest.

Twenty minutes. That's it.

Fair enough.

Let's see what you got.

Nah, man.

One shot.

Thanks.

Why does everything
negative that happens to me

have to be blamed on my age?

It's like they want you
to feel stupid for being young.

You're straight?

Yes, I'm straight. I like girls.

Especially Lisa.

Nah, bruh. Do you wanna smoke?

Oh. Uh...

I just say no.

Did you quote Nancy Reagan?

Of course. I grew up with her.

How about you "just say no"
to mass incarcerations?

Isn't the '80s anymore.

A little weed is good for stress.

Aren't you stressed,
like, 99% of the time?

Yes, because my family
rides me, like, 99% of the time.

It's Uriah.

Are you monitoring my DMs,
like, all the time?

Of course. That's my job, remember?

Well, take a day off.

Didn't you say that your dad said
to deactivate that account?

He doesn't know how to use
or check social media.

Besides, I promised to
never go live again, not deactivate it.

Why do you need to be Lightning
to be with a boy who already likes you?

You ask a lot of questions.

Because it's fun. Ever heard of that?

He wants to thank Lightning in person

for helping him
save Garfield's music program.

Isn't Lightning grounded?

Does that mean
Lightning can't go out at all,

or just stopping crime?

Definitely stopping crime.

Lightning shouldn't
be friends with a boy that JJ likes.

So I won't post it on IG.

Why can't you just be JJ?

You're a genius.

I will go as JJ...

and then change
into the suit right before I see Uriah.

If anybody asks you
where I am, just say no.

That is not what that meant.

You were right.

She took the bait.

Knew it as soon as I saw
her body language with him.

I'll alert Detective Hassan.

No, stay here.

I'll alert Hassan myself if I need him.

Keep Uriah locked out of his page
until we have her in custody.

Saddle up.

Babe, I don't know about that.

Thank you.

Well, babe, I just never
shared my location with anybody before.

I actually think it's weird.

Dr. Johnson to Cardiology, please.

Dr. Johnson to Cardiology.

Okay, fine.

There. You happy?

Whoa.

Excuse you.

Babe, hold on for a second.

I said excuse you.

Darius, what the hell?

I did what you
asked me to do.

And I found out
some serious dirt

on this fake
cystic fibrosis treatment.

- Okay, that's great, right?
- No, it's not great.

The system locked me out,
so now they know it was me.

Look, we can't talk here.
Meet me at my place later tonight.

I'm already uploading
everything I got onto a thumb drive.

And as soon as I get it to you,
my ass is leaving town.

All right. I'll meet you there.

Yeah. You just heard?

No, listen,
don't meet me there, babe.

I'll be in and out
and I'll be home straight after, okay?

Gambi, we set?

I can't track him, but I've got a lock
on the satellite he last pinged

and a mirror of his signal.

We are a go right...

now.

Get up.

Ishmael,
this your boy, right?

Kobra Cartel?

Freeland's my city.

Come get a ass-whoopin'.
I'm waiting for you.

Mr. Bates.

My philosophy has always been,
"Do what you love,

and the money will follow."

Run your mouth
and death will follow quicker.

I prove my worth with my action,
not my mouth, Mr. Whale.

Excellent.

Red, see our guest out.

Dr. Stewart successfully
harvested my powers into the vials.

The nullifier boosters are authentic.

Nice.

Let's make our move on Dr. Stewart.

It's already done.

Good.

I want that neon,
candy-coated Captain Save-a-Hoe

to feel exactly what I felt
when he took my sister.

The love of my life...

gone because of Black Lightning.

Well, now he'll feel loss.

Finally, I shall
accelerate to my throne.

Knock Black Lightning off of his.

So you're looking
for me, huh?

Well, here I am.

I'm surprised
you didn't think it was a trap.

Wouldn't matter if it was.

Enough talk.

Jefferson's not here right now.

I'm here for you. You're under arrest.

- What... what... what for?
- Violation of civil rights.

Turn around, miss.

You have the right
to an attorney.

If you cannot afford an attorney,

one will be appointed for you.

Oh, my God. She got taller.

Watch your spacing.
Be careful of her power.

You're surrounded.

Surrender, Lightning.

Leave me alone, bitch!

Take her!

Find her! Come on! Go!

Go! Go, go, go! Find her!

Yo, check your eleven! Move!

There's no one here. She's gone.

Move out!

Right.

Right.

Right.

Right.

Hands up, fingers spread, please.

Turn 'em around.

Hands down.

With a nappy head Christ by they side

Yeah

May your streets
Be paved with gold

Yeah

Hope my whole hood
Make it home...

You don't have to manhandle me.

I don't have time
to play patty-cake with you.

The federal building was
destroyed in the war at Markovia.

I have too many criminals
to process. So stop resisting.

- I'm not.
- Mmm-hmm.

Yeah.

This way.

We need to do a pat-down.

Turn.

At one point
They sold us for profit

But we made it
Out of the gauntlet We chosen...

What could you
possibly be looking for?

Tongue up.

Tongue down. Head back.

Head down.

You're going into lockup.

It's time for your cavity search.

Clothes off.

What?

Clothes off.

I pray you catch a wave

That doesn't subside

This for the nappy heads
In heaven

With a nappy head Christ
By they side

Yeah

May your streets
Be paved with gold

- Paved with gold
- Yeah

Hope my whole hood
Make it home

Make it home

Yeah

May your streets
Be paved with gold

- Paved with gold
- Yeah

Hope my whole hood
Make it home...

Sit down.

Sit down!

Open your legs.

Drop your arms.

Drop 'em.

Black people are golden

That's why
I pray you catch a wave

That doesn't subside

This for the nappy heads
In heaven

With a nappy head Christ
By they side

I pray you catch a wave

That doesn't subside

This for the nappy heads
In heaven

With a nappy head Christ
By they side

Oh, Tori.

My beautiful sister.

I miss you.

You believed in my dreams
before I knew how to dream them.

Look who's almost
the king of Freeland now.

It's time to show the Pierce family,
when you go against God's plan,

a great whale
swallows away your powers.

The last shall be first...

and the first shall be last.

Yeah.

Darius?

Darius, are you here?

Oh, no. No, no, no.
No, no, no. Darius.

God damn it!

Come on. Come on, buddy. Come on.

We'll see how you fight in the dark.

What's wrong?
Afraid of the dark?

I guess you can't keep it charged.

Gambi, something's wrong.

I don't feel my powers.

Jeff, I don't know
what's happening.

TC, over here!

He's gonna find you an escape route.

Get out of there right now.

I... I... I...

I... I... I can't feel my powers either.

My... my powers aren't working.