The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator looks at your preferences and things you enjoy, and then assigns you a personality type based on that information. Lots of people take the test for themselves, but it’s also fun to apply the different categories to fictional characters. In this list, we’ll be taking a closer look at ten characters from Black Lightning and deciding which Myers-Briggs type applies to each of them.
Black Lightning debuted on The CW in 2018. The title character, with help from his family and friends, fights to get his ironically named hometown, Freeland, out from under the thumb of notorious crime lord Tobias Whale. Which Black Lightning character are you most like? Let us know in the comments!
JEFFERSON PIERCE - ESFJ
Jefferson Pierce is an extrovert almost by necessity. He is cautious about his secret identity, of course, but he understands what a symbol he has become to the oppressed people of Freeland. He also loves nothing more than connecting with the kids at the school where he works, Garfield High.
Being a superhero requires a certain amount of forward-thinking, but it also means you must be extra aware of the rights and wrongs that need fixing right now. He always tries to follow his conscience, and he likes knowing that he’s in charge of a situation. Too bad his daughters are determined to push his limits…
TOBIAS WHALE - INTJ
While not introverted in the usual sense of the word, Whale has few close relationships and delegates his evil deeds to others as often as not. He seems to use both sensing and intuition but leans more towards the latter, encouraging his underlings to see the big picture and getting annoyed when they fail.
Whale is logical to a fault. He doesn’t flinch at removing anyone who could compromise him, even when that someone is a longtime friend. He is also more judging than perceiving; while his business often requires him to make last-minute changes, he is the consummate planner.
LYNN STEWART - ISFJ
Lynn is the only member of the family with no superpowers. She performs her heroic activities as most introverts prefer to: from behind the scenes. As a doctor, she holds facts as sacred, meticulously running experiments and examining all options before moving ahead.
In addition, Lynn has a very strong sense of responsibility towards her patients. Even as her employer insists she stop caring so much about the children she treats, Lynn fearlessly pushes back, insisting that those kids deserve respect. And finally, she is judging, preferring order and stability over spontaneity. That’s unfortunate for her, given her chaotic family life.
HELGA JACE - ENTP
An unscrupulous scientist jailed for her unauthorized experiments on children, Dr. Jace is in every way Lynn Stewart’s opposite. She loves showing off her scientific knowhow, even when she’s just used it to kill a bunch of people. If she has to break a few eggs — or people — to achieve her desired future, who cares?
As you may imagine, Jace is logical to the point of heartlessness. And yet, in spite of her clear scientific leanings, she is flexible and happy to go with the flow if she thinks it’ll net her something in the end. She remains cheerful and manipulative, even around a dangerous man like Tobias Whale.
ANISSA PIERCE - ESTP
Anissa Pierce, also called Thunder, was the first to follow in her father’s superheroic footsteps. She doesn’t necessarily seek the limelight, but she was quite pleased to discover that someone had published a comic book about Thunder. Anissa is deeply sensitive to the injustices plaguing her community and does all she can to fix them.
Anissa is reasonably logical, taking time to hone her skills and assess every situation before going into a fight. However, her willingness to break convention has caused some friction in her love life. Her girlfriend, Grace Choi, prefers more stability than Anissa seems able to offer.
GRACE CHOI - ISFP
In a show full of superheroes, Grace Choi somehow manages to be the one with the most secrets. She is anxious and shy, always afraid that her girlfriend Anissa will discover who she really is. Grace is all too aware of the precariousness of her situation and doesn’t kid herself into thinking her relationship with Anissa can last.
That’s not to say Grace doesn’t love Anissa. She very much does, but she is too afraid to reach out for the potential support Anissa offers. Instead she runs away, believing that’s best for the woman she loves. Grace’s many secrets make it necessary for her to be ready to react at a moment’s notice.
JENNIFER PIERCE - ENFP
Jeff and Lynn’s younger daughter is easily the family’s biggest extrovert. She loves goofing around, and she’s not afraid to cause a scene in the name of doing the right thing. Jennifer tends to follow her gut, even when it tells her to do something dangerous like run away with her boyfriend or go on a vengeful rampage against Tobias Whale’s men. This makes her very intuitive.
Unsurprisingly, Jen lets her feelings lead her, not her head. She can be reckless and impulsive, though her heart is generally in the right place. And she is extremely unappreciative of the boundaries set by her concerned parents.
KHALIL PAYNE - ENTJ
Once a promising athletic star, Khalil was shot and paralyzed in an attack orchestrated by Tobias Whale. Unlike a sensing type, who may have dealt better with the reality of his injuries, Khalil was easily lured in by Whale’s promises of a miraculous cure for his paralysis.
To Khalil, accepting this offer was the only way out of a terrible situation. However, as a thinker, committing crimes in Whale’s name never sat well with him. He ran away to try to escape Whale’s wrath, only to realize that his sole chance at redemption, and at keeping Jennifer Pierce safe, was by turning himself in.
PETER GAMBI - ISTP
Peter Gambi works behind the scenes, providing the Pierces with life-saving tech, support and advice. He is very technologically savvy and detail-oriented. This is both out of the need to keep his family safe and out of determination to make up for past crimes through good deeds and actions.
Gambi often serves as the voice of reason when the others get too worked up to see a situation clearly. However, he has been known to bend the rules here and there. For example, he has kept Anissa’s extracurricular crime-fighting activities from her father, because he knows she’s an adult who deserves to make her own decisions.
BILL HENDERSON - ISTJ
A longtime member of the Freeland police force, Henderson almost always exudes calm and competence. While he is constantly working toward a better future, he keeps his eye firmly on the present, acknowledging unpleasant realities and doing what he can to correct them.
Henderson was very upset to learn that his old friend Jefferson is a vigilante, but he still goes to Black Lightning for help. For him, justice is more important than personal feuds. He values procedure and order, and is often uncomfortable moving outside the bounds of the law — though again, he will step out of his comfort zone when necessary.
