Black Lightning doesn’t fit in the Arrowverse: Three reasons
By Mark Lynch
Despite crossover desire, Black Lightning does not fit in the Arrowverse.
Black Lightning season one has ended and season two is set for October 9th. Jefferson Pierce came in with a handicap; He isn’t as popular as Batman or the Flash, the actor isn’t well known, and to top it off the show was operating outside of the Arrowverse.
The Arrowverse consists of Arrow, The Flash, Constantine, Vixen, Supergirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, and Freedom Fighters: The Ray. These shows are all connected. Black Lightning does operate as a character of DC Comics (they’ve made mention of Vixen), but it’s not connected to the Arrowverse. This was a risky decision that could have doomed the show. In retrospect, this was a great idea.
Making it on your own
Black Lightning has a chance to do something that no other DC Comics show has done on the CW. Make it on their own. The Flash and Vixen both had appearances from Green Arrow to help with show’s popularity. Black Lightning came in and did it on their own. There was no gimmicky episode with Green Arrow or the Flash coming to save the day. The show had to do it on his own merit.
Green Arrow and Flash don’t fit the vibe of the show either. Black Lightning isn’t a character with a ton of money or a state of the art, hi-tech lab. Gambi’s inventions and lab are good, but they aren’t Flash good. Also, The 100 or Tobias being taken out by Arrow or Flash would ruin what Black Lightning does. He is the protector of the city and the hero the community looks up to. Bringing in Arrow or Flash would take away from everything that Black Lightning is. A black hero protecting the people of his community.