Black Lightning season 4, episode 12 review: Crossroads

Tobias Whale shows the Shadow Board who’s boss and kills a member of the Pierce family at the end of the penultimate episode of Black Lightning season 4. 

Previously, on Black Lightning season 4, Tobias Whale won the Freeland mayoral race. While he was conducting his speech alone in his home, Chief Ana Lopez entered the room and asked for more firepower for the police department. Instead of upgrading their weapons, Tobias gave her vials that contained metahuman genes, revealing that if anyone took them they would gain powers. She reluctantly agreed with him.

Elsewhere, Gambi and Lauren Caruso discovered that the radiation used to track Tobias’ power stealing machine was all over Freeland, making it impossible for them to get an accurate location. As a result, they left the area before they could be further exposed.

As we close in on the series finale, let’s see how things go down in the penultimate episode of Black Lightning season 4, “The Book of Resurrection: Chapter One: Crossroads”.

Being a superhero sucks

The latest episode of Black Lightning opens with Jennifer listening to music as she blamed herself for her friend’s death. When Jefferson enters the room, she reveals that Tobias threatened to kill someone she loves every time she goes out as Lightning – giving her father the watch that controls her superhero suit and telling him that she’s done.

Jefferson understands what his daughter’s going through. He tells her the story about how his father died – something he hadn’t told her or her sister Anissa before – and recalls how he watched in terror as Tobias beat his dad to death. He then tells her that they can’t save everyone, but that Freeland needs Lightning now more than ever. It’s only then that Jennifer takes the watch back, commenting how “Being a superhero sucks”. Jefferson smiles and agrees.

Jennifer and Jefferson haven’t had a lot of loving interactions since the former’s evolution. This was the first and definitely the most important. With one episode left, Freeland is going to need everyone ready for action but this was about more than preparation for battle; they shared a real moment as Jennifer needed her father to be as honest as possible. His story helped her and the whole scene is just another example of how great of a dad Jefferson is.

Bow down and pledge your loyalty

Tobias Whale made good on his promise: He secured his seat as Mayor of Freeland. However, one of the members of the Shadow Board rescinded his application because the fact that Lightning was still running around negated the deal. Tobias simply smiled and snapped his fingers. Moments later, that board member was killed by one of Tobias’ assassins.

Tobias informs them of two things. First, that Freeland is just the beginning because, soon he’ll control metas in Star City, Metropolis, and anywhere that they are. After that, he tells them it’s time to bow down or be killed. Every member of the Shadow Board bends the knee.

This writer thought this would be the moment where Tobias started to slip and lose control of his empire and his temper but he should have known better. Tobias had command of the situation the entire time. The long-standing Black Lightning villain showed everyone that he won’t be defeated by people who aren’t on his level.

The Shadow Board’s arrogance was their downfall. Tobias is sure of himself, but not so much that he is unaware that he can be beaten. He planned for everything including their inevitable betrayal.

Tobias then says it’s time to get rid of Jefferson.

Looker, Khalil, and Painkiller

Looker continues to be racist while talking to Khalil. Considering she doesn’t have a leg to stand on, you’d assume she’d humble herself. Khalil tried to be nice about things. Painkiller didn’t. He wanted to kill her. After Khalil reminds her that she didn’t need her limbs or eyes to testify, Looker immediately stops talking.

This scene was incredibly satisfying – especially when Painkiller tells Khalil to turn his music back on. Jordan Calloway is still putting on the best performance of his career and we can only hope that this will go a long way to him landing that Arrowverse spin-off that is currently in development. If not Painkiller, then let’s hope he pops up in another superhero project in the future.

Painkiller versus Ishmael

This was a fight we have all been waiting to see and it lived up to expectations for a couple of reasons. First, the action was really well-executed. Even though the fight was in the dark, everything was clear. After all, bad lighting can leave a good fight scene difficult to see. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case here.

Second of all, both characters made it out looking good. Ishmael was the better fighter and it showed, but Painkiller outsmarting him – by using his poison on Ishmael’s hilt – was a real nice touch. It emphasized that Painkiller isn’t just about fighting prowess; he’s incredibly smart as well.

Black Lightning season 4, episode 12 review

If you want to learn how to build anticipation for a series finale, watch this episode. A lot of the overarching problems were solved: The Pierce family’s name will be cleared, Khalil is going back from where he came, and Police Chief Lopez can’t legally continue her vendetta against metahumans. But with those answers came more questions.

What is Chief Lopez going to do with her superpowers? The obvious idea is that she’ll look for revenge. However, that’s too obvious. She’ll definitely go after Lightning. She may even win the fight, but she isn’t going to win the battle if she senselessly attacks the hero while people watch.

Lastly, and the most important, of all: Jefferson’s “death” was an appropriately shocking moment.  Tobias beat him like he did Jefferson’s father. Calling Jennifer and showing her the “dead” body was cold-blooded – something that only a true villain would think of.

If you’re wondering why there are quotations regarding the last scene, it’s because this writer doesn’t believe Jefferson is dead.

Black Lightning Round

• Hearing Chief Ana Lopez talk about being the first and last woman police chief in Freeland helped viewers understand the pressure she’s under. As did finding out about her husband.
• As deplorable as Looker is, she should have been featured in the show more throughout its run. She would have added a little more to Black Lightning throughout its four seasons.
• Mobb Deep’s “Drop a Gem on ‘Em” was a perfect song choice for the fight between Painkiller and Ishmael.
• Grace made great points about not telling the mothers what happened to them. She personally knows what it’s like to be where they are.
• Jefferson handing Lynn his updated will was dark, but necessary. No one knows how things will play out. Just because he’s the star of the show doesn’t mean he can’t be killed off – just as the ending of the episode would have us believe.
• It was pleasantly surprising that Anissa and Grace made it out of that building without anything happening to them. This writer was certain something bad was going to happen to them.
• Jennifer recording Chief Lopez was smart. There’s no way she doesn’t regret calling metahumans scum while the world watched.

What do you think? Are you looking forward to the series finale of Black Lightning? Do you have thoughts on what will and should happen in the Black Lightning season 4 finale? Let us know in the comments below.