'Black Lightning' Season 3 may see Jennifer Pierce truly come into her own as a hero even as she faces more heartbreak than ever before
Jennifer Pierce/Lightning (China Anne McClain) has had a hard time on The CW's 'Black Lightning' since the very first season and it looks like Season 3 is going to give the young hero a lot more heartbreak to deal with. Not only are her parents Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning (Cress Williams) and Dr. Lynn Stewart (Christine Adams) being held in A.S.A custody, but she is also going to have to deal with the resurrection of her boyfriend Khalil Payne/Painkiller (Jordan Calloway), who seemingly died in the last season after sharing a tearful goodbye with Jennifer.
With her hometown of Freeland going through a very dark time and Black Lightning being kept off the board, Jennifer's older sister Anissa Pierce/Blackbird (Nafessa Williams) will be taking on a larger role as the city's defender. It looks like Anissa may be moving away from the family business and into a more solo role, which is bound to leave Jennifer feeling more than a little abandoned.
Season 2 saw Jennifer learning to control her abilities and her emotions, culminating in her and Jefferson giving Tobias Whale (Marvin Jones III) a beatdown he won't ever forget. Seeing as how the last season built her up as a hero who may be more powerful than both her father and her sister, it would be very disappointing if she were to step out of the spotlight now.
While this season is bound to be an emotional rollercoaster for Jennifer, it could also be a chance for her to really find her own feet as a hero. Anissa has grown as a hero over the first two seasons but Jennifer is still finding her path and learning about the responsibilities that come with her great powers. As distressing as it might be to be left to her own devices, being more or less on her own could give Jennifer the space she needs to really figure out what sort of a hero she wants to become.
'Black Lightning' Season 3 will begin airing on the CW on October 7.