New Black Lightning Poster Gives Hints of a Grittier Seasons
We dig it.
Black Lightning exceeded its network’s expectations in both critical and audience acclaim, all without the assistance of being an official part of the Arrowverse. That lack of in-universe connection has allowed the show to really do its own thing without needing to connect with The Flash or Arrow or Supergirl, although it would be cool to see Anissa and Sarah flirt with each other a little.
The ending of the first season, while cheesy in some ways, saw the Pierce family reconnected in a new way. But this is a superhero show so that’s gonna last.
The first cool thing to share from BL is this really retro poster released today which shows Black Lighting/Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) with a more rugged look, longer hair, and fuller beard. Not only giving off quality daddy vibes, but also show the change from the traditional clean-cut Principal Pierce we’ve gotten used to with season one. We also see Anissa (Nafessa Williams), Jennifer (China Anne McClain), Lynn (Christine Adams), and villain Tobias Whale (Marvin Jones III) with some ominous mystical glow about him.
There have been a few interviews with the cast about what is going on with season two. Williams has hinted that a major theme of the next season will be consequences for Jefferson trying to divide his time into three full-time jobs: father, hero, principle/town moral center.
“We don’t have to explain anymore,” Williams said. “I feel like [showrunner] Salim [Akil} said, ‘let’s drop a bomb and see what happens!’ So, it’s not accidental that our first episodes are called ‘The Book of Consequences.'”
According to Comicbook, the first four episode will be part of a series with “The Book of Consequences: The Rise of The Green Light Babies” with subtitles indicating them to be chapters one through four, “the episodes will likely deal with the lingering impact of the drug Green Light which gave users super powers last season.”
China Anne McClain has said that Jennifer will be seeing a therapist in season two and there will be more conflict between her an Anissa as the elder Pierce daughter is Team Superhero Squad and Jennifer is just trying to finish high school and have a normal life.
“I love that they’re tackling it from that perspective of getting her a therapist because as you can see in Season One, Jennifer had so many psychological issues with getting these powers,” McClain said during San Diego Comic-Con. “She did not want them. She already felt like an outsider being a part of this amazing family, and living on the house on top of the hill, and so adding super powers on top of it just made things worse for her. So bringing the therapist in really is gonna help her control her powers. Because she’s so powerful — her cells create pure energy — so if she gets really pissed off, that’s not gonna be a good situation.”
Chantal Thuy, who played Grace will be coming back for season two, which means we will be getting more Grace/Anissa couple moments in this next season. It’ll be interesting to see the “do I tell my partner about my powers” storyline done with queer women.
“Yeah, I think her love life is something that I would like to see a bit more of and to see her explore that. It’s not easy dating people when you’re a superhero. You can’t tell everybody you’re a superhero. You’ve got trust them and trust the process. That can get weird” said Nafessa Williams
A casting breakdown for some of the new characters set to appear on the show implied that Garfield High School is going to be getting a new principal in some way and if that’s the case Jefferson’s new look makes perfect sense.
As someone who loved the first season, I’m looking forward to seeing what season two brings, especially for my fav, Jennifer, who spent the season delivering sick burns even before she had powers.
(via E!, image: The CW)
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