In Review: Black Lightning (S4 -Ep12) The Book of Resurrection: Chapter One: Crossroads

Synopsis: In ‘Crossroads’ Jefferson realizes that sometimes, an admission of weakness can be a show of strength. Meanwhile, Tobias is focusing on an end game.

The Story

Picking up from last week. JJ is grief stricken over the murder of Uriah and plans to get justice. Meanwhile, Jefferson has come up with a plan that may help put a stop to Tobias Whale. The plan is to somehow wipe his long-term memory. Gambi comes up with a device to allow Jefferson the opportunity to do so. But it relies on him being able to get quite close to Tobias.

Elsewhere, Painkiller is driving Looker to a meeting with the Police so she will testify. While Anissa and Grace break into the servers of Monovista International for a spot of sabotage.

Acting

Cress Williams knocks it out the park for a grand slam this week. The scene he has at the beginning with JJ (Laura Kariuki) where he tells her about what happened to his father is brilliant. It works as a nice bit of foreshadowing for what is to come in next week’s finale. We also have a nice scene at the start of the episode where Jefferson has a somewhat melodramatic chat with his wife Lynn (Christine Adams).

Jordan Calloway also gets a nice little chunk of the episode. The sequence where Khalil and Painkiller are driving Looker to the border of Freeland is quite funny. I’m loving Calloway’s ability to shift between these two personas so effortlessly.

Finally, Marvin ‘Krondon’ Jones III really gets to spread his wings this week as Tobias Whale becomes the ultimate villain. I loved his scene at the start where he takes control of the syndicate that he has been working for.

Overall

‘Crossroads’ is a fantastic setup for what is to come in next week’s finale. As we find pretty much all the main cast at a crossroads of some kind of other. JJ begins the episode at a crossroads where she is contemplating hanging up her metaphorical cape. It is Jefferson’s talk with her that gets her to reconsider.

Khalil and Painkiller reach a crossroads when they pass on the chance to return to Freeland when temptation is facing them.

Overall. A solid penultimate episode that sets things up brilliantly for next week.