If you haven’t been paying attention to Black Lightning, then you might have missed one important aspect of the recent episode. You see, Khalil Payne (Jordan Galloway) is actually Painkiller from the comics.
The character started things off simple enough as a love interest to Jennifer Pierce (China Anne McClain), but after getting shot and rendered a cripple, unable to take part in his track and field activities, he was easily manipulated by Tobias Whale (Marvin “Krondon” Jones III) into hating Blacking Lightning.
Tobias got the chance to speak poison into Khalil's ears after he pushed everyone away while trying to accept the reality of never walking again. This is how he got himself deceived by Tobias, and from there, well, he’s no longer a good guy.
Painkiller’s powers and abilities
The character villain in the comics is a huge man with impressive strength and the ability to use anesthetize to disable the senses of his targets. He’s also a good fighter, something we got a slight idea of in the show.
Now, the main difference with the show character to the comic is the metal spine that gives him super strength, and the darts fired from his hands to anesthetize enemies. As it stands, then, he’s not a metahuman, but that could change.
A villain and the person to push Jennifer into the hero business
OK, so Jennifer is not one to relish the fact that she has powers. She wants them gone along with the pressure of having to use her powers to help people. She wants a normal life, and that’s something she cannot have while these powers are hanging over her head.
But that will likely change in the finale episode of season one since Painkiller nearly killed her father with a single punch. Seriously, the punch was so powerful that it stopped Black Lightning’s heart, and if it weren’t for Jennifer, he’d be a dead man.
Expect her to make the decision to fight alongside her father and sister to defeat her ex-boyfriend turned criminal, and his master, Tobias Whale. Once this is done, she'll be given the superhero name, Lightning.