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Recap / Black Lightning 2018 S 3 E 15 Freedom Aint Free

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After learning that Gravedigger and the Markovians are coming to attack Freeland, the Pierce family prepares for war.


  • Altar the Speed: When Lynn asks if Anissa and Grace would be getting married if there weren't a huge battle coming, Anissa cops to this trope, denying that the battle is the sole reason for the Wartime Wedding.
  • Appropriated Appellation: Gravedigger took up his name because he was responsible for digging the graves of unidentified soldiers and because he literally buried every one of his enemies.
  • Artistic License – Biology: You can't inherit traits from your great-uncle.
    • But it's possible that more than one member of Gravedigger's family had the meta-gene. Gravedigger's was activated due to experiments. Jefferson's was because of the "vaccine".
  • Bad Guys Do the Dirty Work: Painkiller takes over Khalil and saves him from being brutalized by a bunch of Markovian thugs.
  • Battle in the Center of the Mind: Khalil and Painkiller have a rematch, and Painkiller comes out on top.
  • Breather Episode: There's much less action in this episode compared to what has come before and what would be expected of a season finale.
  • Curb Stomp Cushion: Poor Khalil tries his best, but ultimately Painkiller beats him down without much problems.
  • Distressed Dude: Lala has Devonte rough up Dr. Blair for the location of Tobias Whale, which the poor guy obviously doesn't know.
  • Due to the Dead: Gravedigger buries everyone he kills.
  • Exact Words: In universe. Jefferson remembers hearing about a great-uncle who "never came back" from World War II.
  • Godzilla Threshold: Lala notes that Black Lightning must be desperate to be asking for his help.
  • Internal Reveal: Odell learns that Lady Eve is alive and strikes a deal with her, promising her to give her back her seat at the Shadow Board in exchange for Proctor's briefcase.
  • It's All About Me: Brandon makes it clear that he doesn't care about Markovia's war on Freeland or how the government might nuke the city to stop them, he just wants his revenge on Dr. Jace.
  • Knight Templar: Gravedigger will "liberate" all metas, whether they want it or not.
  • Leeroy Jenkins: Jennifer once again doesn't listen to her dad and tries to fight Gravedigger on her own, which almost ends in her death.
  • Long-Lost Relative: Lynn discovers that Gravedigger is Jefferson's great-uncle. Leads to some Artistic License.
  • Magical Defibrillator: Jefferson uses his powers that way to revive Jennifer.
  • A Mother to Her Men: Lady Eve is very concerned over the wellbeing of her associate that Lala holds captive, enough to come meet him and tell him about Dr. Blair being the last one to have seen Tobias Whale.
  • Motive Rant: Gravedigger has several throughout the episode.
  • Navel-Deep Neckline: Anissa's wedding attire has a neckline that reaches her navel.
  • New Powers as the Plot Demands: In universe and literally: Gravedigger's unique biology allows him to use Lynn's serum to add any powers he wants, as many as he wants, indefinitely.
  • No-Sell: Gravedigger seems unaffected by Jennifer's blasts.
  • Nuclear Option: Gambi reveals that the government is willing to nuke Freeland to stop the Markovians from gaining control of their metas.
  • Not in This for Your Revolution: Both Lala and Brandon are more concerned with their own desires than with fighting Markovia.
  • Oh, Crap!: Jennifer when Gravedigger proves more than up to the task of taking whatever she can dish out.
  • Pay Evil unto Evil: Brandon has Jace tied to a chair and threatens her family.
  • Psychic-Assisted Suicide: Gravedigger does this to a soldier in a flashback.
  • The Reveal: Gravedigger is Jefferson's great-uncle.
  • Running Gag: Third episode in a row that begins with someone talking into a camera.
  • Ship Tease: Erica gives TC a kiss, since he fears he will die without ever kissing a girl. She claims that she was only taking pity on him, but he thinks otherwise.
  • Shut Up, Hannibal!: Jennifer tries this on Gravedigger during one of his Motive Rant's, but he blocks her attack.
  • Slasher Smile: Painkiller has one when he takes over Khalil's body.
  • Superman Stays Out of Gotham: Apparently, it doesn't occur to Jefferson to call on his new super friends for help. It's a shame, because it seems like Barry or Kara or J'Onn or Clark would really come in handy here. Of course, maybe they'd come in too handy.
    • In addition, for all of Gravedigger's talk about freeing metas, he seems to be laser-focused on Freeland, utterly ignoring Central City, which has plenty of metas as well.
  • Super Powerful Genetics: Discussed. Brandon mentions that Jennifer's powers may be partly inherited from Jefferson, since apparently Brandon's missing father's powers were also earth-based. Also with the notion that Jefferson inherited his stable meta-gene from his great-uncle Gravedigger.
  • Super-Strength: Grace's powers have evolved to the point where she now has this.
  • Vagueness Is Coming: It's briefly discussed that Grace may be "evolving," but then the wedding plotline kicks in, and it's not brought up again.
  • Villain Has a Point: Gambi points out that Gravedigger isn't wrong in what he says about the government and especially the ASA.
  • Wedding Episode: Anissa and Grace decide to tie the knot. Alas, see directly below.
  • Wedding Smashers: Gravedigger's arrival breaks up Anissa and Grace's wedding.
  • What the Hell, Hero?: Jefferson is shocked when Lynn asks him to kill Gravedigger.
  • The Worf Effect: Gravedigger handles Jennifer pretty easily, despite her being acknowledged on screen as being the most powerful of the group.

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