S04.E09: The Book of Ruin: Chapter Four: Lyding

[Trini]

Gambi warns the Pierce family of a possible crisis looming.

The episode was written by J. Allen Brown and directed by Keesha Sharp.

Airdate: 4/26/2021

[Lantern7]

How many more episodes are left? Four? Eight? I just want Black Lightning to be over. It's not bad, but it's too close to being classified as "misery porn."

How dire were things at episode's end? Jefferson, Jen and Anissa are seen with their lives at risk, ,but that's nothing compared to Lynn getting arrested, thrown in a cell, and getting cavity searched by some bitch who's way too into her job. And this comes after Lynn's research is taken due to Jefferson's embezzlement case. You know, he's being accused of taking money from Garfield High, and -- once again -- how would that work? What, would he be stealing from the metal detector fund? It's not a thing where we know Jeff is a good guy through-and-through, but it just feels like gratuitous flexing from Tobias.

In other news, Tobias has apparently neutralized metahuman powers in Freeland. Hey, why not? He does it in the name of his sister, but he takes even more glee than when he usually does sinister shit. I bet he collects butterflies. Just pins 'em down, clips the wings, muttering, "Yeah, you thought you were all pretty fluttering around. Well, this is your place in my world . . .  pinned down, under glass, ignored by the guy who did this to ya."

At least Khalil's back in town . . . though I'm thinking his two touches might be negated.

"Hey, Jen! You just survived an ambush by the overzealous police lady! What are you gonna do now?" "I'm gonna fly high enough so that I can plummet to my doom when my powers cut out!" I get her dad being overprotective, but I think this is a situation where bending the rules should be out of the question .

Edited April 27, 2021 by Lantern7

[Primal Slayer]

It's a shame that this is the last season because...this is one of the rare DC CW shows where I genuinely love the entire cast. I wish we could just get a new show runner who is able to be good with a mixture of mainstream stories and tackling the issues the show has taken since day one. This has been such a dark and miserable season and I dont want it to go out like this.

With that said...it was an ok episode. Thunder finally gets a new suit, love when that happens but I miss her old one already lol. Hate the straps on her mask, hate the boots, and wish there was some more yellow in there. 

Nice to see Jen back at it as Lightning. Nice to see Jefferson suited up again as well, it seems like its been forever.

[thuganomics85]

Should have known that Tobias frame job on Jefferson was only just the beginning and he found a way to make it look like Jefferson was using his ill gotten funds to fund her projects, which has now led to her being arrested.  Tobias isn't pulling any punches, I'll give him that, I guess.  Christine Adams did a great with the arrest and cavity search scene.  Pretty disturbing: even with them not making it too graphic since this is still The CW.

I'm glad you're confident about your skills, Gambi, but I'm kind of with Anissa that maybe kicking off the demonstration by just suddenly unloading a clip into her wasn't exactly the best way to do that.  I just have to believe he was very thorough with his tests!  Do like the new suit though!

The actor playing Ishmael is definitely having fun camping it up here, and I approve of that very much.

Still not sure if I'm going to like this Jekyll/Hyde aspect about Khalil/Painkiller, but I am kind of digging the almost Western-like whistle that has been incorporated into what I'm guessing his theme song is.

 Ah, of course JJ's new crush would almost get her arrested!

Anissa's phone call and reason for Grace not to back her up at the end really screamed "Chantal Thuy isn't going to be on the call sheet for this episode!"

Judging from that shot, maybe Jefferson could solve everything if he just challenges Tobias to a one-on-one basketball game!

Edited April 28, 2021 by thuganomics85

[Lantern7]

37 minutes ago, thuganomics85 said:

Should have known that Tobias frame job on Jefferson was only just the beginning and he found a way to make it look like Jefferson was using his ill gotten funds to fund her projects, which has now led to her being arrested.

Cut to Jefferson: "Once again, how does that work?!? If anything, she should be embezzling to fund MY shit!"

1 hour ago, Primal Slayer said:

It's a shame that this is the last season because...this is one of the rare DC CW shows where I genuinely love the entire cast. I wish we could just get a new show runner who is able to be good with a mixture of mainstream stories and tackling the issues the show has taken since day one. This has been such a dark and miserable season and I dont want it to go out like this.

Yeah, there's a lot of thought put into the production, but it feels like Freeland could be nuked from orbit in the series finale, everyone would get killed. and I'd go, "Yeah, that fits for this show."

Edited April 27, 2021 by Lantern7

[Diapason Untuned]

Tobias getting way too big for his britches now. I'm eagerly awaiting his comeuppance. That scene where Lynn was cavitysearched was way too raw for the usual CW fare, even for this show. Almost had to wonder if I was on the same channel.

"JJ" might be even more reckless than Jen was, weirdly enough. That argument with Jeff about her IG page was an amusing superhero spin on the normal social media talks parents have with their tech savvy kids.

I love how public the League is in this timeline. They're even doing online recruiting now. 🤣

[paulvdb]

No wonder people complain about superheroes causing property damage. Anissa's first thought is to use her powers against that car when she could have easily gotten off the road long before it would hit her. Which is of course not unique for this show. Characters on tv and movies never seem to realize that they can just step onto the sidewalk when they see a car driving towards them. They just stand still on the road waiting for the car to hit them.

[AnimeMania]

7 hours ago, paulvdb said:

No wonder people complain about superheroes causing property damage. Anissa's first thought is to use her powers against that car when she could have easily gotten off the road long before it would hit her. Which is of course not unique for this show. Characters on tv and movies never seem to realize that they can just step onto the sidewalk when they see a car driving towards them. They just stand still on the road waiting for the car to hit them.

That is why villains can not have nice things,

[tennisgurl]

This is just getting relentlessly depressing, I am really hoping that we end on a big victorious note for the Pierces and Tobias is going to get a BIG comeuppance. Lynn getting cavity searched was brutal, especially as as sort of call back to when Jefferson was framed and sent to lock up way back in season one. How does shit like this always happen to them? Tobias is really on it, I'll give him that, and now he has destroyed all meta powers, and all at really inconvenient times for the Pierces. But Tobias has always has delusions of grandeur, he isn't the big player he wants to be, and I can see him getting taken down real hard soon. Hopefully its very hard, and very soon, because I cant wait to see that smug smirk wiped off his face.  

Anissa, you don't need powers to move slightly to the left, stop being so extra. You don't have to blow up everything. 

I am liking seeing more connections with the rest of the Arrowverse, like Ishmael putting together his League of Assassins audition tape. Post Crisis LoA has certainly stepped up their tech game from when they were all living in caves and standing around on mountains! 

Jefferson, my dude, your sounding a little like an old man lecturing Jen on her Instagram. Yeah Jen tends to showboat a bit, and her first priority as a hero shouldn't be getting Likes, but considering the cops have made her out to be public enemy number one, Jen working to give herself better press isn't a bad idea. They want people to see metas as cool heroes, not scary killers, and social media could help with that. 

[Perfect Xero]

Gambi telling Anissa how great she looks in a suit Gambi made had some real Obama awards Obama energy.

[Trini]

Haven't watched this episode yet, but I heard about what happened to Lynn, so I've been dreading catching up since I know they specifically hate Lynn. ugh- At least I know what to skip, if I watch this one at all.

[immortalfrieza]

Let's see...

Lynn yelling at Jefferson for really stupid reasons and getting into a big fight. In this case for Tobias screwing her over and especially when she knows it's Tobias that is responsible and Jefferson has nothing to do with it. Which in all likelihood will result in Jefferson going and apologizing for it like he was in the wrong somehow.

Jennifer showing herself on social media when she knows that she's public enemy numero uno.

Jefferson getting on Jen's case for doing something so incredibly stupid.

Jen paying no attention to any of Jefferson's lecturing and refusing to do what he tells her to do.

Jen getting bitten in the ass precisely because she doesn't do what Jefferson keeps telling her to do.

Tobias being a cocky arrogant dickwad the Pierces should've killed years ago like Jen keeps suggesting but never doing.

Must be Monday.

Edited May 2, 2021 by immortalfrieza

[Trini]

Okay, so I watched.

Really hope they're not waiting until the very end of the season to give the Pierces a win.

I get that Jen doing dumb teen stuff is in character, but... I think it's about time she grows out of that. It's been four seasons.

Thunder's new suit is good, but I wish the color scheme still matched BL and Lightning's, though. And I think the heels are too much.

Painkiller is still killing people, so Khalil does NOT have him under control. (I can't remember if PK killed anyone in the backdoor pilot.) I get why they're doing the different voice for PK, but it's too drastic a difference - it's distracting.

[BookThief]

On 4/27/2021 at 6:31 AM, paulvdb said:

No wonder people complain about superheroes causing property damage. Anissa's first thought is to use her powers against that car when she could have easily gotten off the road long before it would hit her. Which is of course not unique for this show. Characters on tv and movies never seem to realize that they can just step onto the sidewalk when they see a car driving towards them. They just stand still on the road waiting for the car to hit them.

Your first sentence reminds me of a book I'm reading, Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots. This is actually a major premise of the book! The main character works in the office of a supervillain because she needs a job. She ends up getting harmed by a superhero and starts noting all the damage they leave in their wake and she starts to become an asset for "the bad guys". I haven't finished it yet, but it's pretty enjoyable and this crowd seems like the kind that might like a book like this!

At this point I admit I won't be too sad when this show ends. As has already been said by others, it's just so bleak. I need a bigger win than the ones we've been getting. I'm sure it will end that way, but a few more until we get there would be nice.