system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: If lightning takes the shortest path to the ground, why is it all jagged-like in the sky, and not a straight line?
gpt
It doesn't use the shortest, but the path of least resistance. And that is exactly why its jagged.

Also there are actually two strikes every time. First is going down searching the path and ionizing the air, second one goes up and is the bright one.