Jefferson Pierce’s battle to protect the city of Freeland is only just beginning, and it appears he might already be set to face a new villain in Black Lightning‘s Season 2. It has just been revealed that a character from the Batman and the Outsiders comics is set to debut on the CW series’ upcoming season.
When answering reader questions, TVLine revealed that Season 2 of Black Lightning would add three new characters. “A flurry of fresh faces are being cast for Season 2,” the website confirmed, “including a potentially sociopathic scientist named Dr. Jace, a new love interest for Anissa, and… a new principal for Garfield High?!”
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The “sociopathic scientist named Dr. Jace” appears to be Doctor Helga Jace, who made her first appearance in 1983’s Batman and the Outsiders #1 by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo. Although she first appeared as an ally to the Outsiders, it would later be revealed that she was actually a villain working for the Manhunters. Considering TVLine puts an emphasis on the fact that Dr. Jace will have sociopathic tendencise in the television series, it’s possible to surmise that she will first appear as an ally to Black Lightning. Just like in the comics, it might take some time before her true colors are revealed.
However, we don’t expect the Green Lantern mythology’s Manhunters to make an appearance in the gritty drama. Either another villainous group will be behind Dr. Jace, or she will be the one pulling the strings in this new season.
Whatever the case may be, the character was closely associated to Black Lightning’s fellow Outsider Metamorpho, which begs the question, could the Elemental Man be coming to the CW? After all, the character was previously teased once in an early episode of Arrow. What’s stopping him from making a full-fledged debut on Black Lightning, where he could become Jefferson’s ally? With an Outsiders villain in their midst, how long before the actual Outsiders show up in the Arrowverse?
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Returning to The CW in October, Black Lightning was developed by Salim Akil and stars Cress Williams as Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning, China Anne McClain as Jennifer Pierce, Nafessa Williams as Anissa Pierce/Thunder, Christine Adams as Lynn Stewart, Marvin “Krondon” Jones III as Tobias Whale, Damon Gupton as Billy Henderson and James Remar as Peter Gambi.