‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 Episodes 1-5 Review
We are on the verge of Peacemaker season 2 hitting our screens via HBO Max on August 21st, and I was given a preview of what’s to come in the form of the first five episodes, which I will talk about in my review below. When Peacemaker first hit our screens back in early 2022, nobody quite expected it to become another one of James Gunn’s standout successes. It was a direct spinoff of The Suicide Squad (2021), and it delivered an iconic James Gunn trademark mix of absurd humor, brutal violence, and heart. The first season of Peacemaker carefully balanced dark humor comedy with moments of visible vulnerability of the characters by digging into Chris’s (John Cena) toxic relationship with his father (Robert Patrick) and his awkward attempts at forming human connections. By the finale, it had become clear that Peacemaker wasn’t just a gag series about a morally confused superhero. How does the second season stack up to the first? Let’s dive into the first five episodes of season 2 below!
Peacemaker season 2: the story
The second season comes at a very different time for DC than the first. This DC universe has changed. The old DCEU was set aside, and the new DCU replaced it. So, this season serves both as a reboot and as a retcon to previous projects, including The Suicide Squad, Peacemaker season 1, and some others. That means Peacemaker season 2 isn’t just a direct continuation of what came before, but it carefully adjusts previous events to have them make sense in the DCU. It’s a soft reboot, one that keeps the continuity of Chris’s emotional and hurtful journey, yet places him in a fresh timeline/Earth that’s very similar to the one from season 1.
It’s still the same guy we know, but the world around him has changed. The connections to other heroes and villains are different. There are some characters that weren’t in season 1 but are here, and the other way around. But the stakes are similar. It’s still messy, pompous, and funny, way beyond typical James Gunn humor.
Season 2 wastes no time throwing us into a darker, more broken, introspective tone. It begins a few weeks after the events of the Superman (2025) movie. Chris is in a bad place when we first see him. He still struggles with depression and trauma, is haunted by the mistakes he’s made. He believes that it doesn’t matter what he did. Everything he’s sacrificed, he believes, hasn’t made the world better. The events of the first season, while still largely intact in this new Earth timeline, have left him deeply scarred and traumatized. Then something extraordinary happens.
While exploring through his father’s pocket universe, he finds doors similar to his, with weirdly looking Peacemaker helmets and suits. He enters through the door, and everything looks different. Suddenly, he gets a panic attack when he notices someone who shouldn’t be there.
On one hand, when you think about it, finding out about an entirely new universe, similar to Chris’, is a scientific marvel and a massive threat if it falls into the wrong hands. On the other hand, it’s a deeply personal temptation because it shows him a version of the world where he is not a loser, is beloved by many, and has a life he has always wanted. But while he’s trying to process this situation, the reality is slowly causing him problems again.
Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) is no longer the head of A.R.G.U.S. and Task Force X. She has been stripped of her power after the events from the final episode last season. Now A.R.G.U.S. is under new leadership. That leadership happens to be Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), a man with a very personal grudge against Peacemaker for killing his son, Rick Flag Jr. (Joel Kinnaman). Rick Sr. isn’t just some desk-bound bureaucrat. He’s an operative with decades of experience and the resources of the U.S. government at his disposal. He’s determined to bring Chris in, not just to answer for his crimes (even though he helped to save the world with Project Butterfly), but to make him pay in the most direct way possible.
This sets up a tense cat-and-mouse dynamic that runs through the season. Chris must deal not only with a revenge that’s coming in his way but also with his desire to leave his life and go explore it in the “Perfect World.” Meanwhile, there are a lot of background stories happening, which are too funny and too good to talk about, as they are full of spoilers, but let me say this. If you enjoyed The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker season 1, then this is still the same humor, and you’ll enjoy it the same.
Evolution of the characters in Peacemaker season 2
While Chris’ arc is the center of the story this season, the rest of the team gets plenty of attention. Their development arcs feel real and not forced at all. Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) is still recovering from the physical and emotional tolls of their past missions. She finds herself questioning the moral decisions she made and being haunted by things from her past. She’s always been the most serious and strongest member of the team, but this season forces her to consider whether the mission’s ends can still justify the means. Rick Flag Sr. joining the series is not a good thing for her. It’s more trouble than relief.
Adebayo (Danielle Brooks), meanwhile, is paying for exposing her mother’s corruption in Season 1. Her loyalty to Chris is real, but she’s aware that being friends with him puts her on the wrong side of the law, and that may cause her more pain in the future. Vigilante (Freddie Stroma) is still our beloved crazy, idiotic, “friendly” killer who still considers Chris his BFF. During this season, he is forced to face situations that test his warped sense of justice to help the team. All scenes he’s in are weird, funny, and confusing, but also somehow satisfying.
Economos (Steve Agee) continues to be the team’s underestimated member. His awkward sense of humor masks a quiet, normal person with their own problems, which still brings some down-to-earth vibes to the story. He is a competent worker who wants to help his friends but is still afraid of potential consequences. Together with our main cast, there are also supporting characters who have their own crazy moments in the story. For example, we have Red St. Wild (Michael Rooker), who is a world-famous eagle hunter with an obsession to capture Eagly and kill him. He’s a redneck type of guy who brings even more craziness to the story and gives Rooker even more opportunity to have another crazy role in his CV.
Also, as I mentioned earlier, Rick Flag Sr. gives this series many moments in which we explore his grief, anger management, and sadness. His sole purpose in this show is to prove that not everybody forgave Peacemaker. Some may consider him a friend and even a hero for what he did with the Butterflies, but nothing will change Rick’s opinion about him. And that’s a remarkable addition to this series. The funniest new character I have to mention is Flurry, played by Tim Meadows. Dude is the fantastic mix of a chilly, nutty, heartwarming, yet prickly guy. He has plenty of funny jokes and one-liners that make him wonderful comedic relief. But when it’s time to be serious and the atmosphere gets tense, he keeps his cool and acts properly.
This DC series’ bigger impact on the DCU
One of the most interesting aspects of season 2 to me is how easily it retcons itself to be a part of this new DCU. Without going into details, all I can say is that it is so simple that it works, and you believe it. The events take place just a few weeks after Superman. Characters from the Superman movie, like Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion), and Maxwell Lord (Sean Gunn), appear and have their own short moments to confirm that Peacemaker is set in this world.
Rick Flag Sr.’s presence connects Peacemaker to Creature Commandos and makes it clear that Peacemaker isn’t being treated as a side project anymore. It’s a central piece of the first DCU chapter and one of the most important projects for now that will help to set up future storylines for Waller, Justice League, and others.
Final thoughts on Peacemaker season 2’s first 5 episodes
Peacemaker season 2 has accomplished something pretty rare for a superhero show of that kind. It delivered a personal, character-driven story that still manages to expand its universe in meaningful ways. Chris/Peacemaker remains one of the most broken, flawed, and realistic characters in the recent DC projects. The supporting cast is needed, and they all have their own tasks and reasons to be there.
And yet, despite all the connections to larger events, this season never forgets that its core is about one man trying to figure out if he can actually change. He doesn’t know if he’s doomed to repeat his mistakes or if everything will be good now. It’s messy, it’s heartbreaking, it’s funny, and it’s violent in all the ways fans expect. But more than that, it’s proof that even in a shared universe packed with gods, aliens, and cosmic threats, there’s room for a story about a broken man in a ridiculous costume trying, against all odds, to be better.
Are you excited for a new season of Peacemaker? Let us know on social media @MyCosmicCircus or join our Patreon and Discord to discuss with other Marvel and DC fans.
Also check out: Peacemaker Season 1 Review (Spoilers)
