Jefferson Killings

**Jefferson "Jeff" Killings** (born September 12, 1974) is the principal of Garfield High School and a very well-respected and influential figure in the community of Freeland, thus leading to him being nicknamed "**Black Jesus**". In his youth, he was given a vaccine which granted him electricity-based powers, which he used in secret as the vigilante **Lightning Black.** It was later revealed that Jefferson, along with Jennifer and Layla were the only stable meta-humans in Freeland because of their relation to the original meta-human Gravedigger. He is also the best friend of the Billy Henderson, a close friend of John Martin, and a good friend of Grant Watson, and a member of the Crisis team.

After defeating Richard Dragon, Jefferson confirms his retirement, leaving the duty of protecting of Freeland to his team.

In 2021, Jefferson was called in by Barry to help prevent the Armageddon that Despero foretold.

## Biography

Jefferson was born on September 12, 1974, to Alvin Pierce. At one point Jefferson was given a vaccine by his father, which Alvin later found out was tainted, this would eventually be how Jefferson would get his powers. One day, a young Jefferson was walking home with Alvin from work who told Jefferson "The future belongs to those who prepare for it today”, to which Jefferson then jokingly told him that the quote was by Malcolm X. Alvin then noticed Billy Henderson waiting on the side of the street. Alvin then told Jefferson to go wait in the car and while Alvin talked to Gambi, Jefferson watched in the car from afar. A few days later, Jefferson got into a fight at school, which ended with Jefferson breaking someone's nose. Afterwards, Jeff was suspended from school and picked up by Alvin, who lectured Jefferson on what he did. Alvin then went back to work and told Jefferson to read the entire constitution, in order to make sure that Jeff didn't spend all day watching TV and that he would quiz Jefferson at dinner. One night, Jefferson watched as Richard Dragon murdered his father. Later, a heartbroken Jefferson attended his father's funeral to mourn him, all while Henderson watched from afar. One night, when Jefferson was twelve, he took part in a riot, which he was chased down an alley by two SWAT officers and accidentally set off his powers for the first time, knocking out both of the officers. Jefferson than ran down another alley and was knocked unconscious after absorbing electricity from an electric fence. He was then found in the alley by General John Martin, who discovered Jefferson's powers and then began raising Jefferson, while keeping Jefferson's powers a secret from him. After this, it would be 15 years before Jefferson's powers fully manifested. In order to deal with the recent loss of his father, Martin helped Jeff distract himself from it by learning about history.

At some point, Jefferson was trained in fighting and tactics by Martin. Eventually, he discovered that he had powers, after this he "did a few things here and there", before he became Lightning Black, it "took him a while before he committed and got the suit". In his youth, Jefferson earned a gold medal at the Olympics.

#### Crisis

Jeff was taken by a mysterious light, just as the antimatter wave destroyed Freeland. He was later revealed to have been taken by Pariah and brought to Central City, where he encountered Earth-1 Blur, Breacher, and Earth-90 Blur. Pariah told Jeff that they needed his powers to help contain the antimatter cannon. Jeff used his powers to contain it for a little while, and ultimately Earth-90 Blur sacrificed himself to destroy the cannon after thanking Jeff.

Later, Jeff is brought to the *Chrysallis*, where he and Earth-1 Blur talk about their lost families. He witnesses Harbinger (under the Anti-Inquisitor's control) restart the anti-matter wave and destroy Earth-1. He stands with the other heroes as the anti-matter consumes him, the ship and everyone else on it.

### New universe

One of the major changes caused by the Crisis is that Jefferson Killings was one of the first super heroes, establishing his secret identity as Lightning Black in 1998.