History YMMV / BlackLightning2018

** Tobias certainly crosses into this territory when [[spoiler:he rips out Khalil's implant with his barehands, and leaves him on the street bleeding out and dying, smiling as he did it.]]

* CounterpartComparison: Gambi quickly drew comparisons to ComicBook/{{Batman}} because of all the wonderful gadgets he builds for Jefferson and all the computer gear he has in the shop's secret basement, but it's never specified on how he affords it all on a tailor's salary. [[spoiler: At least, not until Episode 1x08, where we learn he's actually a spy who's bamboozling his corrupt employers so he can keep helping Jefferson.]]

** Then Jennifer’s dissaperance comes along and it but breaks Lynn emotionally not being able to find her daughter.

** The death of over half the containment pod children. Lynn deals with it as good as one would expect as along with feeling responsible for their deaths many of the families take their anger out on her when she can’t tell them who are amongst the loving and dead. It all ends with her getting drunk to the point she throws up.

* TearJerker: [=LaWanda's=] death in 1x02 is heartwrenching. After establishing herself as a DistaffCounterpart to Jefferson with a missing daughter in her hotel, she promises to stay out of sight while staking out the Seahorse. But when she sees Lala, her love for her daughter overrides her common sense, she confronts him, and Lala shoots her dead. While her actions helped put her killer behind bars, that fact remains that she and her daughter will never reunite. She was even warned by Jefferson: “What if she comes home safe and her mother is dead?” In the end, that’s exactly how it goes.

* The death of over half the containment pod children. Lynn deals with it as good as one would expect as along with feeling responsible for their deaths many of the families take their anger out on her when she can’t tell them who are amongst the loving and dead. It all ends with her getting drunk to the point she throws up.

** Granted the fact that it seems that they intentionally chose a white man as a replacement for Jefferson for know other reason than that they knew it would frustrate Jefferson still has them in the JerkAss territory.

* WTHCostumingDepartment: Black Lightning's [[MovieSuperheroesWearBlack modern suit]] has been derided by many, in large part because of the overly-armored and busy appearance. Ironically, the show ''does'' include a [[TruerToTheText comics-accurate suit]] as what Jefferson wore during his original tenure as Black Lightning, but it's passed over when he returns to action, with Gambi claiming the new suit is better[[note]]Somewhat addressed during the show, with the flashbacks showing how Jefferson was heavily injured in the past due to his activities, whereas the new suit offers greater protection, including handling bullets[[/note]].
** Interestingly, the ''brightly glowing'' lightning designs make it one of the brightest superhero costumes on TV (Flash, Supergirl, etc. keep their reds and blues but they’re ''very'' muted.)

** Arguably Tobias Whale. He may have a FreudianExcuse, but his actions in the present are completely despicable, being a (very) murderous gang leader that [[TheCorrupter brings out the worst in everyone around him]] as well as a BoomerangBigot that's more than willing to ally himself with the ASA when it's covenient.

* SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments: In another of his attempts to get Jefferson back into action, Gambi sends over a video of a news interview. The person being interviewed is a store owner who was saved from a robbery by Black Lightning, and he states he watches the video of that fateful night every year on his birthday.
** When Anissa came out to her parents, they were silent for a minute before they hugged her.
** In episode 8, after their first mission together when Anissa saved Jefferson from the explosion, Jefferson is so proud and still so high on adrenaline that he spends several minutes giddily telling Lynn about how amazing Anissa was.
--->'''Jefferson:''' I spent all this time telling her she had to anticipate danger or she'd die, and then I failed to anticipate danger and almost get myself killed. She has to understand her powers, and I can help her with that. But I was trying to change her. Her understanding of people, her desire to protect. No, no, no. I have to be very careful not to screw that. Not just because she saved my life. (almost awed) ''...She saved my life.''
** In "The Book of Crucifixation", the entirety of Jefferson's community believes in his innocence and doesn't buy the FrameUp.
** In "Black Jesus Blues", after making a short speech [[spoiler:explaining he will be stepping down as principal, but remaining as a teacher, and why,]] Jefferson steps away from the microphone...and Tayvon stands up and calls out, "Where's the future?", the first part of the call-and-response Jefferson gave to students, to remind them to keep going in the face of adversity. Smiling, Jefferson returns to the microphone and replies, "Right here." The entire student body then takes on his normal role, asking him the questions, while he gives the answers. Finally, his students give him a standing ovation, and he grins.

* MostWonderfulSound: Anissa's sharp, echoing inhale to activate her powers.

* NarmCharm: Fowdy's [[CombatStilettos stiletto heels have actual stiletto knives]] in them.

* NarmCharm: Fowdy's stiletto heels have actual stiletto knives in them.

** Prior to this show, one of Cress Williams' best known roles was in ''Series/FridayNightLights'', where he played the father of Creator/MichaelBJordan's character. The same year that ''Black Lightning'' started airing also saw Jordan play Erik Killmonger in the ''FFilm/{{Black Panther|2018}}'' movie, meaning the father went on to be a superhero while the son became a supervillain. Williams even joked about the coincidence during an interview with Steve Harvey.

** Prior to this show, one of Cress Williams' best known roles was in ''Series/FridayNightLights'', where he played the father of Creator/MichaelBJordan's character. The same year that ''Black Lightning'' started airing also saw Jordan play Erik Killmonger in the ''Film/BlackPanther'' movie, meaning the father went on to be a superhero while the son became a supervillain. Williams even joked about the coincidence during an interview with Steve Harvey.

* DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything: The entire show is one multilayered metaphor for the black American experience, from the Green Light plot sharing a lot in common with actual activities of the US government towards black Americans (both in terms of medical research and illicit drugs) to the religious references highlighting the importance of the church to black American culture. When combined with the less allegorical commentary on race, it can almost come off {{Anvilicious}} (but see SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped).

* TearJerker:
** [=LaWanda's=] death in 1x02 is heartwrenching. After establishing herself as a DistaffCounterpart to Jefferson with a missing daughter in her hotel, her love for her daughter overrides her common sense as Lala shoots her dead. While her actions helped put her killer behind bars, that fact remains that she and her daughter will never reunite.
** She’s even warned by Jefferson: “What if she comes home safe and her mother is dead?” In the end, that’s exactly how it goes.