Black Lightning is an American superhero television series developed by Salim Akil, airing on The CW. It is based on the DC Comics character of the same name, created by Tony Isabella. It stars Cress Williams as the titular character alongside China Anne McClain, Nafessa Williams, Christine Adams, Marvin Jones III, Damon Gupton, James Remar, Chantal Thuy, and Jordan Calloway. Initially set on an unnamed alternative Earth separate from the other Arrowverse media, the show was later merged with Earth-1 (the setting of Arrow, The Flash, Legends of Tomorrow, and Batwoman) and Earth-38 (the setting of Supergirl) into Earth-Prime during Crisis on Infinite Earths.
The series sees the retired Black Lightning (Cress Williams), who as Jefferson Pierce is a high school principal and loving father, return to the hero life after his daughters are kidnapped by the 100 Gang, which is later revealed to be led by Tobias Whale (Marvin Jones III), who apparently killed Jefferson's father years before the onset.
Jefferson's elder daughter Anissa (who is an avid social activist for African-American human rights) later discovers she has inherited her father's metahuman genes, although she is initially unaware that he is Black Lightning and begins investigating her grandfather's articles concerning a group of young metahumans who disappeared years ago. She later discovers her father is Black Lightning and joins him using her powers as a vigilante. Jefferson's ex-wife Lynn Stewart (Christine Adams), is the main inspiration of Jefferson's initial retirement as she feared him dying on the streets, but she begrudgingly realizes she cannot stop him after discovering Anissa's abilities even when Jennifer develops abilities of her own.
Overview Legend = Main cast (credited) = Recurring cast (3+ episodes) = Guest cast (1–2 episodes) +Black Lightning cast and characters Actor Character Seasons 1 2 3 4 Main characters Cress Williams Jefferson Pierce / Black Lightning colspan="4" China Anne McClain Jennifer Pierce / Lightning colspan="4" Laura Kariuki colspan="3" Nafessa Williams Anissa Pierce / Thunder / Blackbird colspan="4" Christine Adams Lynn Stewart colspan="4" Marvin "Krondon" Jones III Tobias Whale colspan="4" Damon Gupton Bill Henderson colspan="3" James Remar Peter Gambi colspan="4" Jordan Calloway Khalil Payne / Painkiller colspan="3" Chantal Thuy Grace Choi / Wylde colspan="2"
Main characters Jefferson Pierce / Black Lightning
Jefferson "Jeff" Pierce (portrayed by Cress Williams as an adult; seasons 1–4; Kaden Washington Smith as a child) is the main protagonist of the series.
At the beginning of season one, Jefferson has retired crime-fighting as Black Lightning due to the urges of his ex-wife Lynn and the safety of his two daughters and is the benevolent school principal of Garfield High who is loved by his students and his daughters. His foster father, Peter Gambi, urges him to return to the streets and use his metahuman abilities to give hope to the inhabitants of Freeland, their city, which is under duress by the 100 Street Gang. Jefferson adamantly refuses to return and resists using his powers even against a group of racists police officers who pull him and his daughters over unjustified suspicions, but after his daughter Jennifer is captured by the 100 (and later his other daughter Anissa), he uses his metahuman abilities (which allow him to generate and control electricity offensively) to fight off the gangsters holding them captive as Black Lightning, adorning a new suit built for him by Gambi (although, he initially only does this as a once-off for his daughters).
Initially, Jefferson only returns to being Black Lightning to save his daughters and promises his ex-wife Lynn that it was a never to be repeated occasion and Black Lightning is gone and the two begin to explore reuniting, with Jefferson believing he can do more as Jefferson than Black Lightning could ever do as the community believes in his ability to get things done as a school principal and elder. As the series progresses, it revealed that Jefferson's ability to stand up for the community is so effective that he has come to be affectionately known as "Black Jesus" as revealed by his former student LaWanda White.Black Lightning Episode 2 Members of Freeland's community complain to Jefferson about the looming threat of the 100 taking young girls, including LaWanda's own daughter and having them forcibly work for them, but Jefferson continues to resist Black Lightning and promises to help find another way. He speaks to Latavius (who insists to be called "Lala"), one of Jeff's former students and a high-ranking member of the 100 gang, and asks him to back off to no avail, forcing LaWanda to confront Lala only for him to shoot and instantly kill her. Unbeknown to Latavius, she has recorded the event and it is found by the police, who use this as evidence to imprison Latavius. LaWanda's death forms the catalyst to convince Jeff that he is not doing better as Jefferson Pierce but must fully return and act as Black Lightning, much to Lynn's chagrin. As Black Lightning once more, Jeff attacks and hands Lala over to the police, who apprehend him, although is soon murdered by Tobias Whale, the secret true leader of the 100 gang.
Jeff continues to act as Black Lightning during the night and principal and parent during the day, dealing with the stress of Jennifer's adolescence and Anissa's incessant cry for action against the 100. Gambi helps him by watching through a camera in his glasses and a com and has surveillance watching most parts of the city. It is later revealed that Jefferson's father was a journalist who was killed by Tobias after he wrote an article about him. Jefferson retired shortly after a confrontation with Tobias that left the gangster believing he'd killed Black Lightning, making a name for himself on the streets for the past decade. Upon discovering he is alive, Tobias attempts to have Black Lightning killed while citizens of Freeland pay tribute to his return, but the bullet instead hits Jennifer's boyfriend Khalil, severing his spinal cord and crippling the track star. After discovering Tobias's resurgence, Jefferson attempts to kill him to avenge his father, but is convinced he's better by Lynn, who reminds him he is a hero and not a murderer shortly before she is attacked by some 100 gangsters for biological research into the drug Greenlight (a high addictive drug which the 100 had begun selling to the youth that seems to temporarily give them enhanced strength while under its frenzy). The gangsters are chased off by Anissa, who is revealed to have inherited her father's metahuman genes, has powers and has started to act as a vigilante as well. Upon arrival, Black Lightning fights a masked Anissa, believing her to be the one attacking a gagged and tied-up Lynn. After a heated confrontation, Jefferson knocks Anissa out only to realize who she is. Lynn laments that she is also a metahuman and that she has followed in Jeff's footsteps but the two are forced to accept her need to fight for good just like Black Lightning and Lynn has Gambi make her suit. Jefferson though is displeased with Lynn's apparent hypocrisy and briefly voices his outrage on the matter.Black Lightning Episode 7
In season three, Agent Odell gives Jefferson a special watch. When this watch is charged to a specific point, Jefferson gains a new costume through nano-technology. This enabled Odell to win Black Lightning into assisting against the Markovian invaders. After returning to Garfield High, he learns from Principal Mike Lowry that the A.S.A. had him reassign Jefferson to the occupation of guidance counselor. Due to the A.S.A.'s oppression, Black Lightning starts to work alongside the rebels.
In part three of Crisis on Infinite Earths, he is recruited by the Flash and his team in an effort to stop an anti-matter wave from annihilating the entire multiverse after he was teleported away while his world was erased. In the final part, Jefferson is restored when his Earth is merged with Earth-1 and Earth-38 to form Earth-Prime. He later become the founding members of a "league of heroes" alongside Barry and several other heroes. Black Lightning returns to Freeland and continues assisting the resistance. When Lynn is taken to Markovia, Jefferson has a parley with Major Sara Grey when it comes to a plan for a rescue mission. Jefferson agrees to help the A.S.A. rescue Lynn under the condition that the metahumans that assist them are off limits afterwards. When it came to the raid on a Markovian facility, Jefferson came up with an idea to have Thunder strike Erica Moran until she has absorbed enough kinetic energy to break down the strong door. Despite being hit by a laser gun wielded by Gravedigger, Black Lightning catches up to the group and shocks Gravedigger into submission. Then he and Lynn retreat to Freeland. When the Markovians attack Freeland, Black Lightning assists in defeating the ones that were attacking the Perdi. Lynn later informs Jefferson that his DNA and Gravedigger's DNA are a match meaning that they are both related. When Gravedigger defeats Lightning, Black Lightning begins to fight him. After Black Lightning tries to reason with him while mentioning that they are related, Gravedigger uses a microwave move to cause some burns to Black Lightning. When some Markovian soldiers make off with Lightning, Black Lightning makes a tactical retreat. He receives help from Brandon to rescue Lightning. After Henderson dies in his arms after shooting the soldiers that were planning to attack him, Black Lightning fights Gravedigger in the Pit. With help from Lynn using an anti-boost serum on Gravedigger, Black Lightning defeats him and gets everybody out of the Pit before it self-destructs. Following Odell being wounded by Khalil, Black Lightning is accompanied by Lynn, Thunder, and Lightning where they present the briefcase to a congressional committee that exposes the A.S.A.'s experiments as well as Markovia's own experiments.
Williams also portrays Jefferson of Earth-1, who became the Secretary of Education. He secretly helped Reverend Holt with the metahuman underground railroad before he was killed by the A.S.A. This version ceased to exist when Earth-Prime was formed. Williams also portrays Jefferson of Earth-2, who was killed by Jinn alongside the rest of his family when they tried to intervene after she ended the Markovian threat. This version ceased to exist when a new Earth-2 was formed.
Jennifer Pierce / Lightning
Jennifer "Jen" Pierce (portrayed by China Anne McClain as a teenager in season 1 to the first four episodes of season 4 and the series finale, Laura Kariuki for the remainder of season 4, Fallyn Brown as a child) is Jefferson Pierce's younger daughter and a metahuman, like her father and sister. She is based on the DC Comics character of the same name.
Jennifer is portrayed as a carefree, rebellious teenager who is prone to challenging the "good girl" appearance imposed on her by her respected father, who is the principal of her high school Garfield High, as well her sister Anissa, who is a teacher at the same school. Initially, Jennifer is very careless and even at times reckless with her own life such in the series premiere when getting drunk in a well-known 100 club and almost being forced to work for them. Jennifer is subsequently rescued by her father, who unbeknownst to her is the crime-fighting vigilante known as Black Lightning. After being kidnapped by the 100 with her sister Anissa, she is rescued by Black Lightning and begins drinking and smoking to mask her fear.