'Black Lightning' Makes An Electrifying Debut: Here’s ‘The Resurrection’ Recap

The CW's Black Lightning made a remarkable debut, which suggests it could be one of the most thrilling superhero shows to hit the network. While all of Executive Producer Greg Belanti's superheroes have the same splashy and glowing quality, Black Lightning takes it another level.

Jefferson Pierce played by Cress Williams is the principal of Garfield High School and will stop at nothing to keep his two daughters safe, even it means reviving Black Lightning. Pierce's oldest daughter, Anissa, played by Nafessa Williams, is a teacher at the school, who protests against the failure of police to prevent the local gang known as the One Hundred from murdering and terrorizing Freeland's community.

Pierce's youngest daughter, Jennifer, played by China Anne McClain, attends the school, but tries to shy away from her dad due to his role as the school's principal. From her father's demanding expectations, stressful school relations, and the day-to-day racism she encounters, all she wants is a night off and to be a "normal" teenager.

As her father goes to a school fundraiser that is being held in his honor, Jennifer decides to head out to a club, but she soon learns her night out isn't what she expected it to be when she meets Will, a member of the One Hundred Gang.

The two get pulled off into a room and are threatened by gangsters. Luckily, her father uses his lightning powers to take out the lights and fry some of the gangsters. Pierce manages to handle that one threat but is later greeted by two racist cops, which causes him to blast them after one cop pulls out his taser.

Is Black Lightning Back?

After the incident at the club, everyone is asking if Black Lightning is back. Pierce isn't interested, because his mission as Black Lightning was to kill someone named Tobias, which eventually led to him having to deal with all kinds of criminals. Pierce also chooses to avoid bringing Black Lightning back because the media always refers to him as a vigilante rather than a superhero.

Pierce refuses to revive Black Lightning because he finally feels like he's on the right track. He's in the middle of reconciling with his wife, Lynn, who is played Christine Adams, and enjoying being a celebrated principal.

Unfortunately, Pierce's smooth lifestyle changes because Will has kidnapped both of his daughters from school.  As Pierce tries to secure his daughters safety, he meets with one of the leaders of the One Hundred Gang, Lala, to remind him that the gangs are to stay away from Garfield. Lala threatens Pierce, but that doesn't mean he's going to back down. The kidnapping of his daughters causes for the return of Black Lightning, which features a new tricked-out suit.

The show ends in the most suspenseful way as Black Lightning proves that he's definitely not going to play nice. He immediately goes after the gang members that are holding his daughters hostage and uses them as shields for bullets. He also suspends Will in the air with a lightning bolt before sending him straight into the windshield of his car.

While his daughters are safe and sound, it appears that Black Lightning might not be putting away his suit just yet, as his archenemy Tobias is still alive. However, Pierce isn't the only one with superpowers. It seems as though his oldest daughter, Anissa, manifests her own in the form of red-hot strength.

Black Lightning airs Tuesdays on the CW at 9 p.m.