The second season of DC’s “The Peacemaker” wrapped up on Oct. 10, leaving fans fulfilled and excited for the overall future of the DC universe. After season one was given a Rotten Tomato score of 93%, and the last DC project, “Superman,” was given a score of 83%, fans were excited when new CEO James Gunn announced a season two for “The Peacemaker.”
After DC Studios dismissed their old CEO in 2022, they’ve undergone a complete revamping in film, advertisement and brand as a whole. A major bright spot of this change has been the emergence of “The Peacemaker,” which turns a once-heavily underutilized character into a massive success.
Despite the character itself never having a solo comic and featuring primarily as a side-character on Suicide Squad adaptations, Gunn was able to turn Peacemaker into a household name among DC fans and show watchers alike. Peacemaker made his first on-screen appearance in 2021’s “The Suicide Squad,” where he died, but the character was brought back to life both physically and figuratively through “The Peacemaker.”
In case you haven’t watched the first season, the focus on Peacemaker’s story provides a comical, yet dramatic tone that captivates the audience immediately. “The Peacemaker” takes place directly after the events of “The Suicide Squad,” where Peacemaker, also known as Chris, is given a second chance to fight for justice on behalf of the government organization A.R.G.U.S.. Peacemaker teams up and forms close relationships with his four acquaintances Adebayo, Vigilante, Economos and Harcourt, as they tackle an alien invasion from mind controlling butterflies. They take care of the threat while also cutting ties with A.R.G.U.S. due to corruption by director Amanda Waller, who serves as one of the season’s main antagonists.
The second season takes a shift in tone as it focuses more on the romantic and serious aspects of the show, rather than the goofy, comedic aspects that made the show such a success in the first season. The season follows Peacemaker’s personal journey as he tries to deal with the loss of his father and the on and off romantic entanglement with Harcourt. Peacemaker uncovers an interdimensional portal that leads to a universe where both his brother and father are still alive and he takes out the current version of himself so that he can start fresh in a universe that seems to be perfect. This universe ends up being rooted in deep discrimination and hate so all of his friends come after him and save him.
One of the main strengths of the show is the acting performance by former WWE superstar John Cena. Cena does a great job of portraying Peacemaker as this complex character goes from a violent mercenary to a caring and emotional friend. His on-screen chemistry with Danielle Brooks (Adebayo) and Freddie Stroma (Vigilante) is a highlight of the show as the comedic relief provided by these three is a breath of fresh air from all the gore and violence that this show contains.
Another strength of the show is the soundtrack used by director and DC CEO James Gunn. Gunn has been known to provide great soundtracks as he built his reputation in movies like “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” The soundtrack for “The Peacemaker” includes bands such as Wig Wam and Foxy Shazam, who play at the beginning of each episode to get fans ready for another great experience.
One of the only negatives of the show is the finale of the second season. As the show concludes, there are a lot of unanswered questions and it feels like Gunn was just trying to set up the future of the DCU rather than giving a satisfying conclusion to an otherwise great season.
Overall, “The Peacemaker” is another great entry to the new DCU and I highly recommend that you go on HBO Max and prepare for memorable and funny moments that willleave you captivated and entertained.
