Injustice:Gods Among Us Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Ready to get schooled?

Black Lightning appears in the Injustice: Gods Among Us Comic as a member of Batman's Insurgency. He is also Raiden's premier skin for Injustice 2, available for free to those who purchased the Ultimate Edition of the game.

About Black Lightning[]

Jefferson Pierce was born in a disadvantaged locale in Metropolis, aptly named “Suicide Slum”, after the sporadic suicides that occurred there. His father, Alvin, was accidentally shot during a mob hit. Everything had taken a rough turn for Jefferson and his widowed mother, Leona. Approximately one month later, an Italian tailor named Peter Gambi opened a shop beneath their apartment to support them financially. Peter cared for Jefferson when Leona was busy working long hours for her demanding job. Over time, Jefferson came to see Peter as a father figure. Growing up, Jefferson pushed himself in athletics and his studies, with an adeptness in English and poetry, and even penned a few lines in honor of Peter. At the age of 18, Jefferson qualified for the Olympic Games, gaining media fame which highlighted his rise from Suicide Slum. Jefferson wanted to send a message to everyone at home that through hard work, they could leave the neighborhood. Having won medals and attention, Jefferson received scholarships and endorsement offers which allowed him to attend college, leading to him to receive both an English major and teaching degree. Four years later, he competed in the olympics again and this time won the decathalon. Shortly after this, he began a teaching career upstate in New Carthage, but returned to Metropolis to attend his mother’s funeral when the latter died. In his time away, he had married Lynne Stewart, a lawyer and educator. A short time later, Lynne bore Jefferson a daughter, Anissa. Shortly after, he discovered that nothing had changed in Suicide Slum. At this, he made an impression at his old alma mater, Garfield High School, by kicking a local drug dealer off the premises, and also humiliated three members of the criminal organization known as the 100. In retaliation, the organization murdered Earl Clifford, one of Jefferson’s students, and left his corpse in the school gymnasium. Jefferson related this tragedy to Peter, who encouraged him to fight back using a persona that does not provoke counterattacks on his students, and presented him with a costume which had a force field belt affixed to it that would allow the wearer to generate lightning bolts. While in costume, Black lightning would speak using the common “jive talk” stereotype, and also wear a mask over his eyes that would conceal his true identity, thus allaying suspicion from a well-educated teacher. Jefferson made a name for himself as Black Lightning, and amassed a web of allies, such as Superman, Jimmy Olsen, and police inspector Bill Henderson.

Biography[]

Black Lightning is a super-hero with the ability to generate and control lightning. Originally he was a high school principal and Olympic-level athlete who became a vigilante to take down organized crime in Metropolis' Suicide Slum (also known as the Southside). Eventually, he would become a member of Batman's team of Outsiders for many years, and he has also been a member of the Justice League.

Injustice Comic[]

Year One[]

Black Lightning is first seen in the garage of his home in Washington, going over plans for housing the survivors of the Metropolis disaster when Batman announces his presence, surprising Jefferson and making his eyes crackle with electricity. Jefferson is annoyed by Batman's sudden appearance, asking, "The world's greatest detective can't find my doorbell?"

When Batman asks him what he is working on, Jefferson explains he's working with the Department of Housing to find homes for the 100,000 survivors from Metropolis, explaining that there were more survivors outside of the city at the time. Batman compliments his work and promises to help him find homes for the survivors but then tells him he needs his help, or rather, "I need Black Lightning."

Black Lightning is last seen in full costume along with the other heroes Batman and Catwoman recruited, including Aquaman, Batwoman, Black Canary, Captain Atom, Huntress, and Green Arrow, the gathered heroes meet in the Batcave to discuss a possible plan of attack against Superman.

Black Lightning strikes Hawkgirl with a bolt of electricity after she is distracted by Captain Atom's interference preventing her kidnapping a political leader, allowing Huntress to knock her out and for Batman's Insurgency to capture her. His presence is later noted by the Justice League, with the team realizing he has joined Batman against them.

Black Lightning is among the gathered Insurgents when Batman reveals his identity as Bruce Wayne to them and later helps battle against the Superman cultists before Superman, Wonder Woman, and Green Lantern arrive.

Black Lightning argues with Batman after learning of Hawkgirl's imprisonment and replacement with Martian Manhunter. Jefferson makes it clear if he had known Batman's plans, he would never have agreed to be a part of them. Many of the gathered Insurgents share his view, though they are all silenced when they learn of Martian Manhunter's death. After Batman explains his plan to infiltrate Superman's Fortress of Solitude to steal one of the completed nanotech pills, Batman receives a text message and informs them, "This is it." When Black Lightning questions what it is, Batman explains his 'distraction' (U.S. Warships invading Korean waters) before departing with his strike team for the Fortress.

Black Lightning works the teleporter as Batman, Black Canary, and Catwoman return, though he quickly realizes something is wrong with Green Arrow and Captain Atom's absence. After Batman announces his plan to analyze the recovered nanotech pill, he orders his teammates to hide and wait for him to contact them.

Year Two[]

Jefferson is among the gathered heroes at Green Arrow's funeral, silently paying his respects before leaving.

Year Five[]

By year five, Jefferson has become disillusioned with the Insurgency, reasoning that the methods Batman use make him little better, so he joins the Regime in the effort to rebuild Metropolis. As gratitude for his help, Superman pardons Black Lightning. Batman later visits him again, but Black Lightning is adamant in not rejoining the Insurgency, at least while Superman is still in charge, and is informed that the Insurgency's plans aren't finished.

Injustice 2[]

After Superman's defeat, Black Lightning rejoins Batman, having become a senator between the time of the comic and after the events of Gods Among Us. Due to the chaos and gaps of power in the various governments in the world with the Regime's dissolution, Black Lightning, along with other heroes and billionaires, attempt to help repair the damages done by the Regime.

The gathering's discussion is delayed due to Ted Kord's late arrival, but it is soon revealed that he had been kidnapped by Ra's al Ghul. At the end of the broadcast, Ted and many other billionaires are killed by Killer Croc and Orca; Black Lightning later attends the late Kord's funeral service. During Green Arrow and Black Canary's wedding, the reception is attacked by the Suicide Squad, and Jefferson attempts to escort his daughters and Connor, Dinah's son, away to safety, but is knocked out by Captain Boomerang.

Joining the other heroes in South America, Black Lightning rescues his children, but a miscommunication with Blue Beetle leads to him inadvertently destroying a sanctuary for endangered animals. What's more, Aqualad betrays Batman and proceeds to kill all the other senators, living former presidents and the president-elect, leaving only Jefferson as the sole remaining U.S. senator. Because of this, Jefferson is then forced to take the seat of President of the United States.

While President, Jefferson is invited by Batman with other world leaders to visit Atlantis for peace talks with Solovar and Ra's al Ghul. Upon arriving, Jefferson immediately questions Aquaman regarding Aqualad's punishment. Though Arthur promises to punish Aqualad, he still refuses to hand the youth over to the American government. Meanwhile, both Batman and Solovar provoke each other, nearly resulting in another fight until Harley and Poison Ivy, who are inexplicably present, force both parties to sign a month's worth of ceasefire.

After the ceasefire, Jefferson is called into the White House's situation room, where many generals and officials speculate that a coup is currently occurring in Gorilla City. Lightning initially wishes to warn Solovar but is talked out of it by the generals, reminding him of how Solovar and al Ghul were responsible for kidnapping his children and murdering most of the U.S. government. Jefferson ultimately chooses not to warn Solovar and briefly speaks with Black Canary and Green Arrow. Jefferson hopes that the world will never come to a point where their children must become heroes themselves, wishing to leave most of the work to the adults.

Powers and Abilities[]

Black Lightning's primary power is electricity generation, allowing him to fire streams of lightning and generate personal force fields of electrical energy. Jefferson also has some martial arts training, making him proficient in hand-to-hand combat.

Appearance[]

Black Lightning wears a more armored version of his standard costume to keep in the design of other characters in Injustice, including a blue armored top with large yellow shoulder pads, his lightning insignia on his chest along with two yellow lines on the side, yellow gloves, a yellow zig-zagging belt reminiscent of a lightning bolt, black pants, and yellow boots. He wears a simple blue domino mask to hide his identity.

Quotes[]

Black Lightning/Quotes

Gallery[]

Black Lightning/Gallery

Navigation[]

Premier Skins
Injustice 2 BizarroBlack LightningGridJay GarrickJohn StewartMr. FreezePower GirlReverse FlashVixen
Advertisement