Highlights
- Peacemaker fans rejoice as the show’s second season has been renewed, with eight episodes, as part of the new DC Universe (DCU) franchise.
- Peacemaker Season 1 ended with a gripping showdown between Peacemaker and the alien Butterflies, leading to Peacemaker making a difficult decision based on his own beliefs.
- The new DC Universe (DCU) will feature a shared continuity across different media platforms and will include more diverse and obscure DC characters, with Peacemaker Season 2 connected to other DCU projects.
Peacemaker, the HBO Max series starring John Cena as the titular antihero, was a hit among fans and critics alike when it premiered in January 2022. The show, a spin-off from James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, followed Peacemaker as he joined a black ops team called Project Butterfly to hunt down alien parasites that could threaten humanity. Along the way, he faced his demons, made some unlikely friends, and discovered shocking secrets about his past and mission. Peacemaker fans can rejoice as the show’s second season has received a renewal, comprising eight episodes. However, there is a surprising twist.
Peacemaker season 2 will be part of the new DC Universe (DCU), a media franchise created by James Gunn and Peter Safran that will feature a shared continuity across film, television, video games, and animation.
RELATED: James Gunn Promises Even More Cameos In Peacemaker Season 2
How Did Peacemaker Season 1 End?
The conclusion of Peacemaker Season 1 features a gripping and emotionally charged showdown between Peacemaker, his team, and the covertly infiltrating alien Butterflies, resulting in a bloody confrontation. Peacemaker and his allies discover that the Butterflies are feeding on a giant alien slug, nicknamed the ‘cow,’ that produces a syrupy substance that sustains them. The Butterflies claim they are not evil invaders but benevolent helpers who want to save humanity from destroying itself, as they witnessed on their planet. They ask Peacemaker to join them and spare the cow, which they plan to teleport to a safer location.
Peacemaker is conflicted by this offer, as he has struggled with his morality and identity throughout the season. He flashes back to his traumatic childhood, where he witnessed his brother’s death and his father’s abuse. Peacemaker also remembers killing Rick Flag in The Suicide Squad, a decision that haunts him. He realizes that throughout his journey, he has been adhering to someone else’s concept of peace, whether it was his father, Amanda Waller, or the Butterflies. Eventually, Peacemaker decides to break free from this cycle and do what he thinks is right.
He shoots the Butterfly leader, Goff, in the chest but does not kill her. He then uses Leota’s human torpedo helmet to deliver a fatal blow to the cow, causing a massive explosion of gore. He emerges from the barn covered in blood and guts and finds his teammates wounded but alive. He carries Harcourt to safety while lambasting the arrival of the Justice League, who are too late to help. He also sees the ghost of his father again, who taunts him for his actions.
The season ends with Peacemaker sitting on his porch drinking a beer, and the ghost of his father once again joins him. Whereas before, Peacemaker was startled by this vision of his abusive dad, now he seems more at peace with himself and tells him to shut up. He has finally accepted who he is and what he stands for, even if it means making enemies along the way.
Peacemaker Season 2 Will Be Part Of The DCU, But How?
The new DCU, created by James Gunn, is an upcoming media franchise and shared universe based on characters from DC Comics publications. The previous DC Extended Universe (DCEU), which had faced criticism for its inconsistent tone and lack of cohesion, undergoes a soft reboot in this iteration. The DCU will feature a united continuity and story across different media platforms, such as film, television, video games, and animation. The new DCU will also include more diverse and obscure DC characters, who will have more prominent roles and representation.
One of the significant changes that the DCU introduces is the concept of multiverse, which allows for different versions of DC characters and stories to coexist. The DCU multiverse draws inspiration from the comic book event Crisis on Infinite Earths, which involved the merging of multiple parallel Earths into a unified entity. The Arrowverse, a television franchise based on DC characters that featured a crossover adaptation of Crisis on Infinite Earths in 2019–2020, also influences the DCU multiverse. DC Elseworlds label includes the Arrowverse as one of its DC adaptations that do not fit within the DCU continuity.
Another change that the DCU brings is the inclusion of more diverse and obscure DC characters, who will have more prominent roles and representation. Gunn and Safran wanted to showcase the richness and variety of the DC comics and to give more opportunities to underrepresented groups and talents. The DCU will showcase an array of characters, including Blue Beetle, Static Shock, Zatanna, Batgirl, Booster Gold, Black Adam, and Shazam.
James Gunn, the co-CEO of DC Studios and the showrunner of Peacemaker, says that the second season will deal with the changes in the DC landscape. He confirmed on Threads that the new DCU continuity will include Peacemaker Season 2, and the show will address this.
Gunn also revealed that Peacemaker Season 2 will be connected to other DCU projects, such as Superman: Legacy, the first DCU film in 2025. He said that he has been working with other DCU creators to ensure a coherent and consistent story across different media platforms. He further hinted that some characters from The Suicide Squad might appear in Peacemaker season 2.
While Peacemaker Season 2 does not currently have a confirmed release date, it is anticipated that filming will commence in the near future. Fans can expect more action, comedy, drama, and surprises from Peacemaker and his friends (and enemies) in the new DCU.
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