After many of the series ended their seasons abruptly, The CW's Arrowverse is finally on its way to returning to the air. Though their new seasons won't begin until next year, definitive dates have been set for each of the DC Comics adaptations to begin anew. One such show is Black Lightning, returning for its fourth season on the network.
After becoming an official part of the Arrowverse, the show's scope became bigger and better than ever. So, with fans itching to see Freeland's electrifying defender return to the small screen, here's the official date Black Lightning returns to the air.
When Does Black Lightning Return?
Unlike the other shows in the Arrowverse, the product of the third season of Black Lightning was not impact by the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of this, the season wasn't brought to a sharp halt and forced to have its storyline accommodate the changes in length. Its fourth season, unlike some of the other shows, will likely have some issues, though. While filming was given the all clear in Vancouver, Black Lightning has instead filmed in Atlanta.
Despite this potential complication, the show is now officially scheduled to begin airing Season 4 before the start of Spring. Starting on February 8, 2021, Mondays will power up with Black Lightning at 9:00 pm EST. Though no official episode count has been given yet, the new season will likely follow the precedent of its predecessors by having only 13 episodes. In addition, this season will also contain a backdoor pilot for a Painkiller-centric spin-off.
Where Black Lightning Season 3 Left Off
Black Lightning Season 3 dealt with the tyrannical A.S.A. occupying Freeland, with the titular hero initially captured and separated from his family. Further complicating matters is the presence of the Markovians, who have their own goals in terms of controlling Freeland's growing metahuman population. The mid-season finale then officially brought Black Lightning into the Arrowverse proper via the crossover event "Crisis on Infinite Earths" Now taking place on the same Earth as all of the other Arrowverse shows, the reality warping effects of the event brought back Season 1 villainess Lady Eve.
The season would go on to introduce the metahuman Gravedigger, who has both a familial relation to Jefferson's family, as well as a vendetta against the A.S.A. and the Markovians. The season ended with Black Lightning and the Pierces finally defeating Gravedigger and presenting information about the A.S.A.'s corrupt activities to Congress. No official synopsis for the new season has been released, and the finality of the previous season's finale gave little indication of where the show will go from here. One plot element that could be used is the boarding school established for the Freeland metahumans, but fans will have to wait until closer to the show's February return to find out more.
Black Lightning 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 and James Remar as Peter Gambi. Season 4 premieres Feb. 8, 2021 on The CW.