A surgical end effector, comprising: a first jaw; a second jaw, wherein said second jaw is configured to move relative to said first jaw between an open position and a closed position, wherein said second jaw is supported for pivotal travel between said open position and said closed position relative to said first jaw about a jaw pivot axis; and a firing member supported for axial travel within said surgical end effector between a home position corresponding to said open position of said second jaw and an ending position, wherein said firing member is configured to apply a first closure motion to said second jaw to move said second jaw from said open position to said closed position as said firing member is moved in a distal direction from said home position to said ending position, and wherein said firing member comprises: a vertically-extending firing member body comprising: a top firing member feature configured to apply said first closure motion to said second jaw; and a bottom firing member feature configured to slidably engage said first jaw as said firing member is moved between said home position and said ending position; wherein said firing member is further configured to apply a second closure motion to said second jaw to move said second jaw towards said first jaw when said firing member is moved in a proximal direction from said home position, wherein said vertically-extending firing member body further comprises: at least one pre-compression feature configured to contact a portion of said second jaw when said firing member is moved in the proximal direction from said home position; and wherein said at least one pre-compression feature is configured to contact said portion of said second jaw at a pre-compression location that is distal to said jaw pivot axis. a first jaw; a second jaw, wherein said second jaw is configured to move relative to said first jaw between an open position and a closed position, wherein said second jaw is supported for pivotal travel between said open position and said closed position relative to said first jaw about a jaw pivot axis; and a firing member supported for axial travel within said surgical end effector between a home position corresponding to said open position of said second jaw and an ending position, wherein said firing member is configured to apply a first closure motion to said second jaw to move said second jaw from said open position to said closed position as said firing member is moved in a distal direction from said home position to said ending position, and wherein said firing member comprises: a vertically-extending firing member body comprising: a top firing member feature configured to apply said first closure motion to said second jaw; and a bottom firing member feature configured to slidably engage said first jaw as said firing member is moved between said home position and said ending position; wherein a top firing member feature configured to apply said first closure motion to said second jaw; and a bottom firing member feature configured to slidably engage said first jaw as said firing member is moved between said home position and said ending position; wherein said firing member is further configured to apply a second closure motion to said second jaw to move said second jaw towards said first jaw when said firing member is moved in a proximal direction from said home position, wherein said vertically-extending firing member body further comprises: at least one pre-compression feature configured to contact a portion of said second jaw when said firing member is moved in the proximal direction from said home position; and wherein said at least one pre-compression feature is configured to contact said portion of said second jaw at a pre-compression location that is distal to said jaw pivot axis.