Black Lightning Review: The Book of Reunification: Chapter Two (Season 4 Episode 11)

After 10 episodes of almost complete darkness, Black Lightning begins to bring some hope to the horizon. With Tobias Whale’s plans beginning to unravel, the Pierce family proves that it is always darkest before dawn.

Black Lightning Season 4 Episode 11, “The Book of Reunification: Chapter Two,” begins with the normal bleak fair that we have begun to expect thus far this season. Jen’s newly regained powers are acting up, and Lynn is probably going to have to make a plea bargain to minimalize her jail time.

Not much happiness to go around here. Any hope built up at the end of last week’s episode is quickly dashed to smithereens. Add in the fact that Tobias is about to be named mayor of Freeland, and it seems like the series may just go out with a whimper instead of a bang.

Fortunately, a call from Khalil quickly changes the momentum of the episode. His exploration of Tobias’ electronic ledger has given him a codename that rings several bells for Jefferson Pierce.

Looker — a racist metahuman from Jefferson’s past — just so happens to be intertwined with this convoluted scenario. Khalil and Jefferson know right off the bat that this is no coincidence.

A woman with the powers to control people like puppets has a lot to gain in a situation where high-ranking officials are looked at as expert witnesses. Whatever she makes them say is interpreted as gospel — making her the master of manipulation. 

This truly is how life works. Everything seems to be going downhill. One domino after another falls making it look like your entire life is going to collapse, but oftentimes things are happening in the background you aren’t even aware of.

Khalil is that little angel this time around, discovering things Jefferson and his entire family know absolutely nothing about. They have been doing their best to keep their heads above water as the floodwater rises to deadly levels. They have no clue that the unforeseen lifeguard has been fighting off hungry sharks the whole time.

With Khalil’s juiciest tidbit of information, Jefferson and his family can move forward with a makeshift plan based on pieces of their past and logical assumptions. 

The more information we know, the better we can move forward without second-guessing ourselves. If two plus two equals four, then four plus four also equals eight. Knowing the basics leads to bigger and better things.

We need to learn words before we can speak sentences. We need to understand numbers before we can solve math equations. 

Knowing Looker and how she works is the key element in moving forward. They know she more than likely has control over at least one person in the police force, and they deduce it is probably Agent Mason. 

As quickly as things crumble, they can also be rebuilt. Being forged in truth and honesty, they become stronger than ever before.

Jefferson: Without my powers, I feel like I’m missing a limb.

Using Lynn’s serum on Agent Mason frees him from Looker’s control and gains the Pierce family a valuable ally. Their newfound comradery will prove most viable in the fight to come against Tobias and Looker. 

While Jefferson unravels the testimony stacked against Lynn and himself, Khalil takes on Looker in more physical terms. He quickly puts down several of her guards before going toe-to-toe with the evil mastermind herself. 

Several times it appears as though Looker gets the upper hand in these well-choreographed fight scenes. The action seems to have true to life consequences as they lash out at each other in aggression. 

Painkiller puts Looker out of commission with his venom — sending her very close to the grave before Khalil becomes the typical voice of reason. 

Khalil knows how satisfying it will be to have complete victory over the despicable metahuman, but keeping her alive serves the greater good. Oftentimes we want revenge on those who betray us. We want to hurt them worse than they hurt us, showing them they messed with the wrong person.

We feel the end will justify the means, or at least two wrongs will make a right. In these kinds of scenarios, neither are true.

For the truth to prevail, Looker must remain alive. Bringing her out of the shadows and into the light will expose her dishonesty and the underhanded plot she has set in place with Tobias Whale. And as we all know, “The truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Plain and simple, there is always hope in the truth. 

Lies hurt, bury, and persuade. They point the finger in the wrong direction and leave others to blame for situations we caused ourselves. There is nothing ever good in a lie.

But the truth, no matter how painful it is, always brings healing.

As the truth comes to light for the Pierce family, we will most likely see their reputations and relationships be restored. Giving them, and us, the closure needed to make a satisfying conclusion to the season and series. 

I am very pleased with the way the series appears to be ending. Not only are we getting an interesting turn of events in the life of Jefferson Pierce, but we are also being introduced to a somewhat familiar world outside of Freeland. 

It feels as though we are going to get a bittersweet goodbye to old friends, along with a new hope from the younger generation. What better way to celebrate our mentors than by living a life in their honor.

What did you think of this episode of Black Lightning? Will there be more setbacks before Jefferson and his brood reign victorious? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Black Lightning airs Mondays at 9/8c on The CW.

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