Jefferson Pierce quotes from Black Lightning

Jefferson Pierce

Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars.

Anissa Pierce

Dr. King. And I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Jefferson

Fannie Lou Hamer.

Jefferson

Where's the future?

Right here.

Jefferson

And whose life is this?

Mine.

Jefferson

And what are you gonna do with it?

Live it by any means necessary.

Lynn Stewart

Heard your daughter got arrested tonight. It's not a good look, Jeff.

Jefferson

My daughter? Oh, you're funny. We have joint custody, which means half of her attitude is your responsibility.

Lynn

Jeff, Anissa has not been in our custody for quite some time now. Now, I know it's hard for you to swallow, but she's not a child anymore. She's a grown woman.

Jefferson

Yeah, legally true. But, emotionally and financially, she is still in my care, and always in my wallet.

Peter Gambi

Do you remember why you became Black Lightning? You wanted to give the people hope. You wanted the evil that's out there to have something to fear. Right now, there's nothing to fear, and evil's running rampant like a plague through this city! Hell, through this world!

Jefferson

Okay, you know what? Let's cut through the poetry, and just talk real. Now, the purpose of Black Lightning was to kill Tobias, for literally shoving my father's articles down his throat until he died. Then it was because of crime bosses, crooked politicians, every small-time street thug that had snatched a purse or robbed a store! You see, there's no end, Gambi. There's no bottom for Black Lightning. And the only loser in all of it is... me. I feel like Lynn and I are making room for a possibility of a reconciliation. Do you hear me? I have a shot at putting my family back together. Black Lightning is not going to jeopardize that.

Gambi

I love Lynn and those girls, but we knew this day would come. Jefferson, I've known you since you were 12-years-old, you're like my son. So I have to tell you the truth. The promise you made Lynn was well intentioned, but it always had an expiration date.

Jefferson, it's not about the metal detectors. It's about the safety of the students.

Jefferson

The safety of the students?

Yes!

Jefferson

Is that what they told you? Look, I will not treat my students like criminals. Do you realize almost all of these kids know someone in prison? Yeah, their mothers or fathers, or aunties, uncles. Now, I will not turn my school into another jail, Kara.

Jefferson

You know, I heard someone say that "if there's a war for the streets of Freeland, The 100 are winning." But here at Garfield, we are not fighting for the streets. No, we are fighting for the minds, the hopes, and the dreams of our children.

Them some really pretty words, Mr. Pierce, but pretty words ain't gonna stop The 100.

Jefferson

Dr. King said "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice," and I believe–

And they shot Dr. King in the head, Mr. Pierce!

Jefferson

[watching the news about LaWanda's death] What good did it do, Lynn? She was my student. Now, I had a fantasy, that when they leave me, their lives are better. That they could transcend this neighborhood, this city, world. Yeah, I save more lives as the principal of Garfield High than I ever did as Black Lightning.

Lynn

It's true.

Jefferson

It's a lie! LaWanda is dead!

Lynn

She is, I know. I know, and it hurts, and I understand. I feel it too!

Jefferson

But I could've saved her. I could save so many. I've been living a lie, living in the hopes that you and me and the girls could somehow live behind a white picket fence. A normal life. I'm not normal. Never have been! Never will be!

Lynn

Jeff, listen to! This is the addiction talking.

Jefferson

THERE IS NO DAMN ADDICTION! Do you remember what you said? When we discovered my powers? You said "it was a gift, a blessing from God." It's still a gift, it's still a blessing from God. And I intend to use it. Not just for the girls, but for all the other people out there, who need me.

Lynn

Jefferson, please, we are so close to putting the pieces of our lives back together.

Jefferson

Yeah, we are. Maybe. No more maybes for me, Lynn. It is time that people know that Black Lightning is back.

Henderson

Only one squad car can work the march.

Jefferson

What? But that's almost guaranteed that someone's gonna get killed. Where did these orders come from?

Henderson

No one will say. I asked my commander, and then the chief, and eventually I tapped out at the deputy mayor's office when she wouldn't return my phone call.

Jefferson

Somebody's setting him up.

Henderson

Jeff, you gotta talk to him, try and convince him to cancel, reschedule, take a vacation.

Jefferson

No, I tried, after you walked out. He won't do it. He's... he's been inspired.

Henderson

By what?

Jefferson

Black Lightning.

Henderson

Black Lightning. Like I don't have enough damn problems. He's gonna get us all killed.

Gambi

Now, if they just want to kill Holt, it'll likely be a single gunman, waiting to taking him out at his most public moment. But that's not what I'd do.

Jefferson

I hate it when you play the "most not likely scenario game".

Gambi

The 100 doesn't want to be in the martyr-making business. They want to be in the fear business.

Jefferson

So kill marchers.

Gambi

Exactly. If you put poison in aspirin, people stop buying aspirin. If you make it deadly to protest...

Jefferson

People live with their misery rather than dying trying to change it.

The Board will never let Bernard stay at Garfield.

Jefferson

The by-laws clearly state that it's my decision. You know, you seem a bit more concerned about what the Board wants than what's good for these kids. Tell the Board that it's my decision and my decision alone.

I care about Garfield as much as you. And I'm the vice-principal, not your secretary. So if you want the Board to know something, you should tell them yourself.

Gambi

This stuff is like crack and PCP got together and had a baby. You should keep an eye on that student of yours. The way this stuff attaches to your neural receptors, you take it once and you're hooked.

Jefferson

That's why the first taste is free.

Gambi

Since Green Light hit, there've been 36 overdoses, 6 of them fatal. You'd think it'd be on the news.

Jefferson

Yeah, black kids ODing has never been newsworthy.

Jefferson

Jennifer, how do you expect us to feel when someone shows up to tell us you were involved in a fight, that we didn't know about?

Jennifer

There were two girls. They both wanted to book my teeth.

Jefferson

Two girls? Lana didn't tell us that part. You... and you weren't hurt at all?

Jennifer

No, you taught us how to defend ourselves.

Lynn

Jeff! This is not a good thing!

Jefferson

Right, right. Yeah, that's no excuse for hurting someone.

Jennifer

I barely touched them.

Lynn

Jennifer, her wrist is broken! And since grounding seems to have no effect on you...

Jennifer

Wait, so I'm not being grounded?

Lynn

Oh, you are.

Jennifer

Why am I getting in trouble for defending myself?

Lynn

You're grounded for lying!

Jennifer

I didn't lie. I just didn't tell you guys about it.

Lynn

Do you really want to play with me right now, little girl?

Jefferson

Mm mm, you don't.

Lynn

Exactly! And you need to figure out how to resolve conflict without fighting or losing your temper. And as your father taught you how to fight, he can be a big help, because, believe it or not, not everyone solves their problems with their fists! [storms off]

Jefferson

Two girls?

Jennifer

Two.

Jefferson

Look, I know I should've waited, but Joey Toledo tried to kill me over and over again and he was Tobias' right-hand man. I couldn't miss the chance to go after him. I didn't get him, though. [Lynn examines an MRI of Jefferson's brain] What's that?

Lynn

Brought a portable. Took a brain scan while you were out.

Jefferson

And?

Lynn

Anomalous but normal for you. If you did have a brain bleed, it's gone by now. Your powers turbocharged your recovery system. May not heal as fast as you used to, but it's still twice as fast as normal. [checks his heartbeat]

Jefferson

Well, it doesn't feel twice as fast. [gently touches her hands] It's good to be in your hands.

Lynn

[pulls away] Stop it, Jefferson! You're pulling me back into this mess and I don't like it! I hate this! I hate having to stitch you back together! Living in fear of turning on the news and somebody finding your body dead in the gutter!

Jefferson

I watched Tobias murder my father. He's here in Freeland, so what do you expect me to do?

Lynn

I don't give a damn, Jefferson! Your father is dead and nothing you can do is gonna bring him back!

Jefferson

Wow.

Lynn

You have no idea what this does to me every time I see you like this. It's too much. It's just too much. [walks out]

Jefferson

Let me ask you a question. Should I have you committed? 'Cause you've obviously lost your damn mind!

Anissa

That statue, dad, is an insult to black people, glorifying an actual traitor.

Jefferson

You broke the law, Anissa. That gives the police an excuse to hurt you. And on top of that, you used guns! Guns!

Anissa

They were water guns.

Jefferson

They looked enough like real guns to be the end of you. [pauses as two officers walk by] All it takes is for one cop, one cop, to see your color instead of your humanity and decide better dead than sorry. Look, you're a black woman. You don't have the luxury of being naive.

Gambi

Jefferson, I'm putting you through to Lynn.

Lynn

June 28th, 1994 and October 7th, 2001. Your daughters came into this world on those days. You're an amazing dad, their anchor in this world, but you can't be if you let the air out of your soul. And that's exactly what will happen if you commit murder, Jeff, shred your soul.

Jefferson

It's already shredded. Goodbye, Lynn.

Lynn

No, you think I don't understand. But I had some real talk with Anissa, and I've been thinking. I realize I was mad about not always being first in your life. But Black Lightning is part of you, and I can't deny that just because I want Jefferson Pierce all to myself. This isn't me fighting with you anymore, I accept who and what you are. This is about me reminding you that you're a hero, not a murderer.