Christine Adams Says 'Black Lightning' Makes Thunder a Reluctant Superhero

While audiences will know going into tomorrow's series premiere of Black Lightning that the title character will eventually get some backup in the form of his daughter, co-star Christine Adams -- who plays Lynn Pierce, Black Lightning's ex-wife on the series -- told ComicBook.com during an interview at the show's world premiere this weekend that Anissa Pierce will not embrace her destiny as enthusiastically as her father did.

Thunder, she says, won't be keen to jump into the tights at the first sign she has powers -- and she will likely take some time to really understand what is even happening, since her on-screen sister China Anne McClain told ComicBook.com that Jefferson and Lynn never told the girls about their father's past as Black Lightning.

"It's going to be an ongoing struggle," Adams said. "I think what's interesting about Thunder is that she's reluctant. It's not something that she necessarily wants to do. She wants to be like a normal teen, like we all did when we were teenagers. You don't want to stand out. So I think it's great that we're coming at it from that angle. I think the assumption is that if you have super-powers, it's so great and you want that — but what if its not?"

The series centers on Jefferson Pierce, who has been in retirement from his superhero life for nearly a decade when he is drawn back into fighting crime on the streets of Freeland. He has to balance the needs of his family, the school at which he serves as principal, and the larger community where he is seen as a savior to the kids and so has the responsibilities that come with such a title.

Adams's character is no big fan of Black Lightning, having seen the dark, violent side of superheroics and seen her husband come home shot and stabbed from doing battle against the forces of Tobias Whale. At the start of the series, Black Lightning believes that Whale has left town, while the crime lord thinks that he and his men killed the superhero years ago...

Black Lightning premieres tomorrow and airs Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.