‘Black Lightning’ Season 1 Adds Rapper Krondon as a Major Villain

The CW’s season one of Black Lightning has tapped Marvin “Krondon” Jones III to play Tobias Whale. The character was introduced in the original Black Lightning comic book and has, per DC Comics, been one of the Black Lightning comics’ most persistent villains. Tobias Whale will be a big part of the show’s first season.

“I was excited about Krondon when I saw his audition,” said Black Lightning Executive Producer Salim Akil. “He’s going to make a great Tobias! His authentic street sensibility, along with an insightful intelligence is perfect for the Tobias character arc. Not to mention his regal physical bearing will be additive to making our show exciting and different.”

Rapper Marvin Jones III joins a cast that is led by Cress Williams as Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning. The first season also features Nafessa Williams as Anissa, China Anne McClain as Jennifer, and Christine Adams as Lynn. The series is executive produced by Greg Berlanti (Arrow, The Flash), Salim Akil, Mara Brock Akil, and Sarah Schechter.

DC released the following description of Tobias Whale:

“Described as an African-American man with albinism, Tobias Whale is the leader of Freeland’s most feared gang – The 100. But in the days before Black Lightning, Tobias was a politician, rising up the ranks of local government through corrupt and illegal means. That was until he was brought down by Alvin Pierce, Jefferson’s father. Enraged, Tobias murdered Alvin and was driven underground into exile. It’s here he found a place to rebuild, growing into the violent and methodical leader of The 100 as we find him today. But Black Lightning’s recent return has ignited Tobias’ desire to emerge from the shadows and face his biggest adversary, Jefferson Pierce AKA Black Lightning.”

The Season One Plot: Jefferson Pierce (Williams) is a man wrestling with a secret. As the father of two daughters and principal of a charter high school that also serves as a safe haven for young people in a New Orleans neighborhood overrun by gang violence, he is a hero to his community. Nine years ago, Pierce was a hero of a different sort. Gifted with the superhuman power to harness and control electricity, he used those powers to keep his hometown streets safe as the masked vigilante Black Lightning. However, after too many nights with his life on the line, and seeing the effects of the damage and loss that his alter ego was inflicting on his family, he left his Super Hero days behind and settled into being a principal and a dad.

Choosing to help his city without using his superpowers, he watched his daughters Anissa (Williams) and Jennifer (McClain) grow into strong young women, even though his marriage to their mother, Lynn (Adams), suffered. Almost a decade later, Pierce’s crime-fighting days are long behind him…or so he thought. But with crime and corruption spreading like wildfire, and those he cares about in the crosshairs of the menacing local gang The One Hundred, Black Lightning returns — to save not only his family, but also the soul of his community.