In today’s world, one’s ideal life is rarely presented to one on a silver platter. To climb to the top, everyone must start at the bottom and conquer numerous challenges. Tobias Whale is a supervillain who began his career as a small-time crime lord and rose to the top of the criminal underworld in the DC universe.
Tobias Whale, who was created by Tony Isabella and Trevor Von Eaden, originally appears as an antagonist in the Black Lightning Comics, where we saw him ascend to power. Since then, he has been wreaking devastation and is well-known for his personal vengeance against superheroes.
He is virtually unstoppable and one of the most dangerous villains out there, thanks to his superhuman talents and a secret method that prevents him from aging. Let us take a look at his backstory as well as his participation with the Black Lightning!
Black Lightning – The Underrated Superhero is Recently Back in a TV Series
Black Lightning is quite an underrated superhero who finally got the screen time he deserves and a TV series of his own. Going by the name of Jefferson Pierce, this superhero worked as a teacher during the day and simultaneously worked as a vigilante at night. From fighting by himself to being a part of the Justice League, Black Lightning is one of those superheroes who has seen it all!
Pierce suppressed his powers all his childhood and tried to lead a normal life. He came from a poor background and faced hardships as he made his way into the world. As he grew up, Pierce entered the Olympics, where he ended up winning many gold medals. He then decided to get back to academia and studied hard to become a teacher. As a teacher, Pierce looked after his pupils and helped them realize their dreams and work for their betterment.
However, one of his pupils gets in trouble with Tobias Whale after Pierce calls his gang out for drug trafficking. This event leads Pierce to become a superhero, and he finally decides to use his suppressed powers to fight crime. Not only does he fight crime, but Black Lightning also goes out of his way to uplift communities and bring about social reform. In his endeavors to make the world a better place, he often clashes with Tobias Whale, who plays the role of a lead antagonist in the Black Lightning series.
Tobias Whale Making his Way up the Crime Ring
Initially, Tobias Whale meddled in small-scale crimes as he worked his way up to the top. Within no time, Tobias was overlooking a branch of ‘The 100’ in Metropolis, where he ruled with an iron fist and ensured the gang members adequately carried out their tasks.
He overlooked the drug trafficking at The 100 when he came across Jefferson Pierce, a school teacher who actively calls out the gang’s activities and dissents against them. Tobias decides to teach Pierce a lesson and make sure he does not speak out against ‘The 100’ again. Blinded by his agenda to send a message, Tobias kills off one of Pierce’s students. This incident has a massive impact on Pierce, who is determined to get justice for his student’s death. He decides to become a vigilante and creates a new identity for himself, which is known as ‘Black Lightning.’
Tobias Whale’s Impressive Portrayal in the TV Series
Though the Black Lightning series had numerous villains, Tobias Whale stands out as the best of them all. Played by Marvin “Krondon” Jones III, this version of Tobias was tough and possessed extraordinary powers that quickly made him a fan favorite. He has quite a taste for crime and authority, and Tobias’s way of controlling ‘The 100’ from within the shadows is quite impressive. He has an absolute monopoly over the crime scene and even has the police and high-ranking officials in the palm of his hand.
Tobias Whale’s way of dealing with anybody who speaks out against his operations was quite impressive. He always ensured the smooth operation of drug trafficking or any other crimes that he overlooked. He could also be pretty intimidating when he wanted to, especially when dealing with journalists and authorities who sought to cross him or expose his misdeeds to the public.
Tobias Whale was also an ideal match for the protagonist ‘Black Lightning,’ as he represented everything the superhero resented. He even came up with new ways of moving discreetly under his radar, by using children to deliver the drugs or even taking aid from other supernatural entities.
Compared to other TV villains, Tobias also stands out because of his intimidating persona and domineering presence as he looms over his opponents. Tobias also used race as a factor to talk Black people into committing crimes for him and exploiting their poverty rather than uplifting his own people. This is quite contrasting to ‘Black Lightning,’ who does all in his capacity to empower the civilians. The two often came across each other in Freeland- Pierce’s hometown, which served as Tobias’s playground.
Tobias’s portrayal in the TV series was that of an unforgiving, heartless villain who does not hesitate to turn to violence. In one instance, Tobias killed his old father with his bare hands with no remorse.
Though he operates in the shadows, Tobias’s leadership abilities are not to be underestimated since he keeps an eye on everyone. He retains control over every criminal activity carried out, and he is well aware of his surroundings. He also uses people as he pleases and views his gang members as pawns he can use to his benefit.
Most importantly, this role is well-liked by fans because Tobias is an almost-immortal being who is invincible. He cannot be easily defeated, nor can he die of natural causes. By getting his hands on an anti-aging serum, Tobias has ensured that he is in this crime scene for the long haul and cannot be easily killed off.
Why is Tobias Whale a Threat?
After running the crime scene for years, Tobias Whale has acquired many powers and abilities that threaten society. Though Tobias has different versions across various media, let us explore his powers in the Black Lightning series.
As the leader of the 100, Tobias has unparalleled leadership skills, as he keeps his men in control with his intimidating persona. He has also trained in martial arts and is a highly skilled shooter.
In the Black Lightning series, Tobias manages to get his hands on a highly concentrated anti-aging serum that benefits him in numerous ways. Besides stopping Tobias from aging, the serum ensured that his physical health and stamina stayed the same. He regularly uses the serum to ensure that he stays in the prime of his health for decades and has a much longer lifespan than an average human.
The serum increased his strength, giving Tobias a boost of energy that helped him defeat his opponents with very little trouble. His bodily strength eventually increased with every new dose, and after a while, he possessed the combined power of approximately three men. At this point, Tobias could hurt people even with very little pressure applied and even hurl his opponents into the air with just one hand. His strength enabled him to withstand any attack with ease, and continued use of the serum eventually helped him develop superhuman durability.
Additionally, it also gave him the ability to be invisible, though only for an hour after injecting a new dose of the serum.
Although Tobias possesses many powers, he relies on the serum to continue to wield these powers, and any withdrawal from the serum causes Tobias to fall sick. He cannot function without the serum, and his body will begin to age and deteriorate without it.
Tobias also suffers from a condition called ‘albinism’ caused by a melanin deficiency that causes him to burn up in case of exposure to sunlight.
Though Tobias has certain weaknesses that can be easily weaponized to defeat him, his powers definitely outweigh his weakness, and he cannot be underestimated as a villain.
Conclusion
To wrap it up, Tobias Whale is a compelling villain with decades worth of experience with crimes. As the years pass by, this supervillain continues to get stronger with aid from the serum, and it gets more and more difficult to defeat him. He never lets anyone get away with crossing him or endangering his business, and it is best to stay out of his radar!