Black Lightning season 3, episode 9 review: Earth Crisis

It’s all about Jennifer Pierce in this week’s episode of Black Lightning as a certain Crisis results in her taking multiple trips throughout the multiverse!

Previously, on Black Lightning, Black Lightning and Thunder struck a blow to the A.S.A. The two of them stood up to the organization and took them out. But the big moment came when Thunder was fighting Painkiller.

After he took his mask off, she realized that Khalil was alive and working for the A.S.A. Other than the obvious, there are a few things that make this important. First, Lynn and Gambi knew he was alive. How will Anissa react when she finds this out? Second, will she tell Jennifer before anyone else? Lastly, what will happen now that Painkiller failed his first mission?

Let’s find out what happens in the midseason finale of Black Lightning.

The Black Lighting opening

"“When both sides are right and both sides are wrong, what do I do?” – Jennifer Pierce"

The show opens with Jennifer making a video recording into her the computer. She’s leaving it to end to her sister Anissa. Jennifer’s explaining how she’s been feeling about everything going on in Freeland. She’s confused about a lot of things. She understands what the A.S.A. are doing to an extent. On the flip side, she gets what Black Lighting and Thunder are doing. She’s caught in the middle and doesn’t know what to do. Things didn’t get better when Agent Odell contacted her and told her it’s almost time for her to pick a side.

This is the first time Jennifer’s opened up about the situation. She’s made a few comments here and there, but not to this extent. After realizing everything that been going on, she finally decided to talk things out with her sister. She shuts the computer off and makes her way to Anissa’s house.

Just when it looks like things couldn’t get more complicated, they do. The sky goes red, Jennifer’s body fades in and out, and she faints. The event that’s affecting the Arrowverse – the Crisis On Infinite Earths – has arrived on Black Lighting. Jennifer is then transported to an abyss-like place with multiple versions of herself. Black Lighting has officially become one with the Arrowverse.

A new reality

"“I read somewhere that people weren’t loyal to you. They’re loyal to their need for you.” –  Alternate reality Jennifer Pierce"

We get a chance to see different Jennifers in different realities. In the first of them, an alternate Jennifer puts something in the Freeland water to take the metas’ powers away – this includes her father Black Lighting. She’s later caught by the A.S.A. and brought into the pit. But things get worse as, when Jennifer is home for Christmas and talking to her sister, the A.S.A. shows up and killed her father – in front of both her and the Jennifer we know who’s currently bouncing in and out of realities.

In the next one, a different Jennifer is working with the A.S.A. Her and her father Jefferson aren’t speaking. He calls for her to meet and talk, telling her that Agent Odell is using her. Jennifer responds by essentially saying that he sounds like a broken record. Jefferson says that using her powers is becoming like a drug. Jennifer doesn’t agree – telling Jefferson that he should have ended this a long time ago. She leaves him standing in his classroom.

High Voltage Takes

"“You don’t get it do you? I AM the authority.” – Alternate reality Jennifer Pierce"

This episode revolved around Jennifer. As it’s been said here in multiple articles, Jennifer is the best character on the show. This was just another example of this. China Anne McClain played two different versions of herself and that takes skill. Another example of how vital she is to this show. Hopefully we’ll get more episodes where she has the most screen time.

More from Arrowverse

• The 9 best (and 8 worst) Arrowverse characters
• 27 best fighters in the Arrowverse, ranked
• All 8 Black Canary actresses ranked from worst to best
• 11 things nobody wants to admit about the Arrowverse
• The 7 best (and 6 worst) Arrowverse villains

This episode was really awesome. Jennifer was having issues figuring out what to do. This gave her a view of where each road would take her. She tried two different and extreme alternatives. Both of them lead her down a path she doesn’t want be on. One of them of them leads to her becoming a killer without remorse, doing something she’ll never unsee – especially the one in which she intentionally kills her father.

The show ends with a Crisis cliffhanger, ensuring that you have to tune into the rest of The CW’s DC Comics shows – the Arrowverse shows – to find out what happens next.

Well played, CW. Well played.

Lightning Round

It was cool seeing the alternate versions of these characters. Hopefully there will be more of this in the future.

It was weird seeing Jefferson being submissive in the other world. It’s not like him at all. Even  if it was for a good cause.

Lynn blaming Jefferson was difficult to watch. It’s unclear if it’s the Green Light Drug she’s taking or if she’s genuinely upset.

Black Lightning has destroyed the last A.S.A. base that wasn’t the pit. How long until they hit that base?

How will the thing’s Jennifer’s seen affect her in the future? Seeing her father killed isn’t something she’s going to easily get over.

Will the next Arrowverse crossover connect into

Black Lighting

more in the future? All signs point to yes.

What did you think of this week’s episode of Black Lightning? Will you be watching Crisis On Infinite Earths? Let us know in the comments below.