Like all of DC ’s metahuman superheroes who economise the world on the CW every week , Black Lightning has an array of abilities allowing him to defend crime in ways others ca n’t . While all of Black Lightning ’s powers are coolheaded , they also beg the question : “ How are you not killing people with them ? ” We ask Cress Williams , star of the CW ’s Black Lightning , for an solution .
DuringBlack Lightning ’s first episode , Jefferson Pierce demonstrates that his universal electrokinesis — the power to create and manipulate electrical energy with his body — manifests in a multifariousness of unlike ways . In plus to directly up zap and deactivate the great unwashed , Black Lightning is able to short - circuit electrical devices within a limited compass , withstand being electrocute by outside sources , and generate localize force fields . All of this makes sense when you go into Black Lightning with a chip of knowledge about how superpowers ( especially theelectrical one black heroes incline to have ) work .
But something about the way we ’ve go steady Black Lightning employ his tycoon so far has been bothering me , because it does n’t fall out any type of real creation or comic book logic . During a fight with a fellow member of the 100 gang , Black Lightning flash him with electricity and then use the energy to pick the man up and dangle him in the air . Visually , the force is telling and you immediately understand why something like this would make a fantastic determent proficiency . At the same fourth dimension , though , it ’s impossible not to remember to yourself : “ Oh , well this soul ’s decidedly not going to live having all that electrical energy pumped into their body . ”
And yet , it does n’t seem like Black Lightning ever really kill anyone . He may bodge up a police force patrol car or burn a hole through someone ’s shirt , but execution by burning does n’t seem like Jefferson Pierce ’s old bag . The dubiousness is , though , how ?
I recently mouth with actor Cress Williams about the nature of his graphic symbol ’s power . He explained that as visually intimidating as Black Lightning ’s electricity may be , it ’s authoritative to remember that he ’s able to manage it with very hunky-dory control :
He has the power to use electrical energy a lot like the way someone picks up a pencil . If you have a pencil , you’re able to really shadow in really , really gruelling and coloured or you’re able to expend it with the lightest touch . When he ’s using his electricity , just because it touches someone does n’t mean it ’s necessarily traumatise them . He actively have that choice whether the electrical energy ’s go to be substantial or soft .
It ’s interesting when you considering that in the real world , researchers are developing improved versions of subsist engineering able of run object like boxes , apples , and iPads using static electricity . The startup Grabit , for illustration , has a line of mechanically skillful “ hands ” mean to be attached to automaton that are able tocreate stiff attractive forcesbetween two objects , allowing the automaton to keep contact with an target while moving it .
That tech is n’t anywhere near as fantastical as what Black Lightning is capable to do , but for the rice beer of comic book science , let ’s just assume that he ’s basically doing the same affair but with a lot more diplomacy and flair .
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