Gravedigger has a grudge against the United States, but instead of taking it to their military directly, he’s coming for other victims of their experiments in a comply or die situation. In his mind, he is liberating Freeland’s metas. Where Colonel Mosin wanted to build an army, Gravedigger just wants to… save them? By forcibly removing them from their homes under threat of death, so that they can be “free.” He is, if course, also a victim. And he is a product of his trauma. So while his logic isn’t objectively logical, it is easy enough to follow his internal reasoning.
Black Lightning is entrenched in moral ambiguity, and this episode is shades of grey epitomized.
The A.S.A. has always been a threat to Freeland, and the audience isn’t expected to see Jefferson’s decision to work with them now as inherently right or correct, not in the way that this same choice is framed at the beginning of the season. It was much easier to contextualize Jefferson or Lynn working with them when their operation seemed to have a smaller reach. One could be convinced it was the best choice, or the lesser of two evils. But that distinction is a lot less clear since the occupation, and the show does not make it black and white for the characters or the audience.
The US created the meta program in Markovia, and it created the A.S.A., it is thus singularly responsible for everything that is happening. But instead of taking any kind of responsibility, the US military is prepared to nuke Freeland (and the invading Markovians) which just further justifies Gravedigger’s hatred and antagonism. He is the clearly established villain but he also makes several valid points which makes him compelling. It’s easy to root against someone who is objectively wrong, but it’s much harder when their perspective has validity. The writers have done a great job of giving different sides equal weight without pushing a strict good guy/bad guy narrative.
The Pierces are “good” but they are fallible. They operate from a place of wanting to protect their family and their city, and that makes them heroes, but it doesn’t always make them right.
