In Review: Black Lightning – The Book of Markovia: Chapter One: Blessings and Curses Reborn

Synopsis: After returning from Crisis, Jeff discovers that Lynn is using. However, he is too busy dealing with the ASA’s escalation against the Resistance to deal with his wife’ s issues. Meanwhile, Baron’s terrakinetic powers go out of control, and Blackbird goes to help the Resistance.

Review: This show pretty much picks things up from where it left off and also cleverly incorporates the Crisis stuff.

The Story

Jeff and his daughter Jeniffer return from the parallel dimensions to find things pretty much as they were left, but stuff is starting to escalate with the ASA and the Resistance. Jennifer having seen alternate versions of her life is dead set on killing Odell, but she first needs to help Baron out because his terrakinetic powers are getting out of hand. Elsewhere Jeff finds out that his wife is using Greenlight, but has very little time to talk her down due to a rescue operation that he must help lead in order to rescue some meta-kids from the ASA.

Meanwhile back at Gambi’s store. TC the Meta that helped hack the old computer system a few episodes back has found Gambi’s den and has agreed to help out with another hack.

The Acting

Katy M. O’Brian puts in a wickedly evil performance as Major Sara Grey who has been running ASA operations while Odell recovers. She is particularly short with the scientist that has taken over from Lynn and threatens rather menacingly to knock his teeth out if he doesn’t contain his need to grin until he has completed his task. China Anne McClain also puts in a solid performance as Jenniffer who is keen to not become the evil version of herself that we saw in the Black Lightning crisis episode.

Overall

This episode struck a nice balance between the action and drama. I loved the scene where Gambi is trying to connect with TC and help him embrace his humanity by telling him that he needs human connections to be a more balanced and sane person.

I also loved the fight choreography during the first big fight scene of the episode where Black Bird dispatches some whoop-ass on five ASA guards that have been sent to kill her. Also really cool was the jazz music that played in the background during the final big action scenes where Black Lightning and Black Bird rescue the meta-kids from the ASA.

Overall. A really strong episode to return on which balances out the action with narrative discussions on mental health and drug addiction.