Black Lightning: Where We Are and Lingering Questions

We’re halfway through Season 1 of Black Lightning and the bodies are piling up. It’s not quite a crisis for our hero, but he seems to be headed there quickly.

Where We Are Now

Jefferson is making poor choices now that he knows Tobias is back. He won’t hold back when it comes to taking down the man who killed his father, and that’s getting him in trouble. Lynn and Gambi are trying to keep him from doing something he’ll regret, but Jefferson doesn’t want to wait. His recent rash actions make it all too easy for Tobias to pin Lady Eve’s death on Black Lightning. Not to mention the actual damage that he did when he tried to get Tobias at the Jazz Club. Not only did Black Lightning miss his mark and fail to get Tobias, he unintentionally killed the person Tobias seems to care for the most. Tori’s death is not going to sit well with Jefferson, and it’s definitely going to enrage Tobias. Now Jefferson’s got to find a way to redeem himself, both in the community and in his own mind.

Speaking of Lady Eve, I’ll miss her wicked ways. That woman was evil, and it was delightful. The thing with the albino ashes. Dang. That’s cold. Oh, Lady Eve, we’ll miss your terrifying presence. Letting Gambi take out Joey Toledo cast a shadow over Gambi and backfired on Lady Eve. She pushed Tobias too far, and he wasn’t gonna let her push him any further. Toledo’s death forced his hand, and Tobias had her taken out. He’s smart though. Making it look like Black Lightning did the deed keeps him safe from the wrath of the Shadow Board.

Lynn is on edge after being attacked at her lab, and I don’t think Gambi’s reassurances are doing much to calm her. She’s got two, and maybe three, superheroes in the family now, and she didn’t even want one.

Jennifer is still getting over Khalil and what a jerk he’s become. I’m curious what Tobias has in store for Khalil now that he seems to have won him over. Someone better tell her what’s going on in her family soon too because she is not going to be happy when she finds out everyone knows but her.

It seems like Anissa will be the big story in the second half of the season. She’ll be training with Jefferson, but with him in trouble over Lady Eve and Tori, Anissa may have to jump into action more quickly than she and her father would like. She’s starting to learn the risk of her power. Each of the early attempts at using her powers has come with unexpected results, and now that she’s learned David Poe is dead, she can’t help but be concerned about that too. Anissa’s got a mystery to solve, and it looks like somebody doesn’t want it to see the light of day.

Lingering Questions

When do I get to start calling Anissa Thunder? And, will that name ever stop causing an ACDC earworm?

When will Jennifer get to do something more than brood and get in fights? The girls got brains and backbone. Let’s hope she finds a way to use them for something other than getting in trouble.

What is the Shadow Board? We know Gambi and Lady Eve are connected, and that the board oversees crime in Freeland, but who is this mysterious menace? Gambi seems shadier by the moments, and you know anything that’s got Tobias watching his step has got to be seriously terrifying. I mean, he wasn’t even afraid of Lady Eve, but the Shadow Board keeps him minding his manners.

Why hasn’t Tobias aged? Is it related to the experiments on young people with powers in the past? It seems like Gambi knows what’s going on. Does Tobias have powers?

What’s Gambi’s story? He’s living a double life. I’m still inclined to believe he’s one of the good guys, but it’s hard to justify after watching him murder someone in cold blood this week.

Lala and Lawanda? What? He’ll be back in the second half of season 1, but how? and why?

Black Lightning airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on the CW.