Blackbird Officially Comes to Freeland in Black Lightning Season 3 Premiere Synopsis

The CW has released the official synopsis for 'The Book of Occupation: Chapter One: The Birth of [...]

By Russ Burlingame

The CW has released the official synopsis for "The Book of Occupation: Chapter One: The Birth of Blackbird," the season three premiere of Black Lightning, in which Thunder will apparently take on a second secret identity officially, rather than just being a shadowy figure in a "Blackbird suit." Black Lightning returns for its third season this fall on The CW, with Jefferson Pierce and the rest of his crimefighting family working to protect the city of Freeland against the dangerous forces that threaten its citizens. One of those forces was teased in the Season 2 finale with the warning of a coming war with the nation of Markovia. The various conflicts will put strain on the Pierce family, especially as they are being mroe or less blackmailed into working for the government.

Series star Cress Williams explained in a recent interview that the conflict has the family more disjointed than ever. In an extension of something that they toyed with in the second season especially, not everyone -- and not even all of the superheroes in the household -- have exactly the same goals going in.

"The family is probably the most disjointed we've ever had it," Williams said. "It's the whole Markovian conflict. It's pulled everyone in different directions because they've gotten a little bit divided, in the sense there are just different focuses that they have and different motivations that they have."

You can see the official synopsis below.

SEASON PREMIERE – We find Jefferson Pierce (Cress Williams) like never before, in the hands of the ASA with his wife Lynn (Christine Adams) as Agent Odell (guest star Bill Duke) tightens his grip on the Pierce family, leaving Jennifer (China Ann McClain) abandoned and Freeland without Black Lightning and Thunder. But Anissa (Nafessa Williams) secretly defies Odell in her alter ego as Blackbird with the able tactical and technical support of Gambi (James Remar). Marvin Jones III and Damon Gupton also star. Directed and written by Salim Akil.

On Black Lightning, it isn't just Williams' Jefferson who is a superpowered hero. His daughter Anissa (Nafessa Williams) is the hero Thunder and daughter Jennifer (China Anne McClain) is the new hero Lightning. Wife and mother Lynn Pierce (Christine Adams) may not have superpowers herself, but she's also in the thick of it, a doctor who spent most of last season working save the so-called Pod Kids, superpowered youth who the A.S.A. have been keeping in stasis in some cases for decades. It's that involvement that gets the whole family drafted by Agent Odell for the coming fight with the Markovians, but according to Williams, Jefferson is doing all he can to protect his daughters -- including a significant sacrifice he makes for them.

"[Jefferson] makes a really big sacrifice," Williams said. "That sacrifice is what really propels him at the beginning of the season."

Black Lightning will return for its third season on Monday, October 7th on The CW.

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