‘Black Lightning’ to Come to an End With Season 4 on the CW

Cress Williams Black Lightning Jefferson Pierce
Steve Dietl/The CW

The Arrowverse loses two veteran shows in 2021.

Season 4 of Black Lightning — which just officially joined the Arrowverse in the last crossover, “Crisis on Infinite Earths” — will be its last, Variety reports.

Black Lightning stars Cress Williams, Nafessa Williams, China Ann McClain, James RemarChristine Adams, Marvin Jones III, Jordan Calloway, and Chantal Thuy.

“When we first started the Black Lightning journey, I knew that Jefferson Pierce and his family of powerful Black Women would be a unique addition to the super hero genre,” executive producer Salim Akil said in a statement. “The love that Blerds and all comic book fans around the globe have shown this series over the past three seasons proved what we imagined, Black People Want To See Themselves in all their complexities.”

Akil then noted that this may not be the end of the Black Lightning world. As was announced on November 12, the upcoming seventh episode of Season 4 will serve as a backdoor pilot for the potential spinoff, Painkiller, based on the characters created for DC by Tony Isabella with Eddie Newell.

With Akil serving as executive producer, writer, and director, Calloway’s Khalil Payne heads to a new city, Akashic Valley, to distance himself from his past as the super-enhanced killing machine, Painkiller, in Freeland City.

“As his violent, destructive history crashes his idyllic new beginning, Khalil is thrusted back into action with a new mission — bring justice where he once gave out punishment,” the logline teases.

Jordan Calloway Black Lightning Painkiller Poster

(The CW)

The news of Black Lightning‘s final season comes after the CW announced Supergirl is also ending in 2021 (with its sixth season). Arrow, the show that started it all for the Arrowverse, ended after eight seasons in January 2020. That leaves The FlashDC’s Legends of TomorrowBatwoman, and the upcoming Superman & Lois to carry on its legacy. (There’s still no word on the potential Arrow spinoff, Green Arrow and the Canaries.)

Black Lightning, Season 4 Premiere, Monday, February 8, 9/8c, The CW