7. Black Lightning
Jefferson Pierce didn’t start out as a hero in the hopes of joining the Arrowverse’s long line of costumed crime-fighters. While that’s just not his style, it’s also down to the fact that Black Lightning originally wasn’t an Arrowverse show, and has only been retroactively included in the shared universe of superheroes via Crisis On Infinite Earths.
A retired superhero who decided to put back on his suit to protect Freeland from the 100 gang, he did epic battles with archenemy Tobias Whale, fought against racism and oppression and played a major part in saving the multiverse from the Anti-Monitor’s Crisis.
There is a reverence you can’t help but feel whenever Jefferson is on-screen. That might be down to the fact that he’s a respected veteran hero, or it could be due to Cress Williams’ incredible performance. He embodies the character in a way that few others could and will, rightfully so, remain the definitive version of the beloved DC character.
Black Lightning may have concluded earlier than expected, but Jefferson has recently popped up once more on The Flash. As a part of the Arrowverse’s answer to the Justice League, let’s hope that is not the last we’ve seen of him, because The CW’s shared universe of superheroes is all the better for having Black Lightning on-screens.