After just one episode, the big bad of new series Black Lightning is already being praised by fans as a great new villain in The CW‘s catalogue of superhero shoes.
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The mob boss of Freeland known as Tobias Whale rules the streets by proxy, allowing smaller criminals to spread his influence. Series actor Marvin Jones III, also known under his performing name of Krondon, recently spoke about his role in a new featurette. Check it out in the video player above!
“What we know about Tobias Whale so far is that he is a politician who’s turned underworld boss, leader of The 100, and ruler of the underworld of Freeland,” said Jones.
The video is also laced with video clips of Whale on the series, in which he states his mission of spreading fear among the citizens of Freeland in order to make them more docile to control. Black Lightning’s reappearance will throw a wrench in those plans, but Whale is confident considering he’s already “killed” the hero once before.
“Black Lightning’s need to get Tobias is something that he’ll ever, ever get over,” Jones said.
Cress Williams, who plays Jefferson Pierce AKA Black Lightning on the series, previously spoke about his character’s relationship with Whale, teasing that the series will explore their history.
“We will eventually get to [the why of] that, but yes, Tobias does legitimately think that Black Lightning is dead,” said Williams.
Williams clarified that his character doesn’t necessarily believe that Whale is dead, either.
“[Black Lightning] doesn’t think that Tobias is dead,” Williams said. “He thinks he’s just ‘gone,’ and it’s not until really farther down the line that [he learns differently].”
For Jones, the show does a good job of balancing the sensibilities of the bombastic comic book stories while staying making a statement on modern society.
“I love comics and I love the comic book universes,” said Jones. “But what I do know is that what we have here at Black Lightning is something that every student, every teacher, every parent, single parent, every thug, villain, of all walks of life, can relate to this show and has a place in it. Like, a real place.”
Fans can catch Jones’ portrayal of Tobias Whale on Black Lightning’s next episode, “Lawanda: The Book of Hope,” which airs Tuesday, January 23 on The CW.
