Peacemaker Season 2: DCEU to DCU – How?

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The prospect of the DC Universe appears promising, yet there seems to be a bit of perplexity concerning its puzzles and components. When James Gunn was initially appointed as co-chair of the new DCU Studios, alongside Peter Safran, he disclosed that the DCEU would no longer exist, replaced by a more organized DCU instead. However, Gunn has persisted in keeping characters from his DCEU projects, leaving many puzzled about the situation.

The issue arises due to Gunn’s decision not to categorize Peacemaker and Creature Commandos as Elseworlds, unlike Matt Reeves’ Batman and Todd Phillips’ Joker universes. However, while Season 1 of Peacemaker was within the DCEU, the director has confirmed that Season 2, scheduled for August release, falls under the DCU’s initial chapter titled “Gods and Monsters.

In the narrative created by Gunn, it appears that Christopher Smith’s upcoming adventures will unfold following the occurrences in “Superman: Legacy.” However, you might wonder how this can happen given that the character initially emerged from the DCEU film, “Suicide Squad.” This situation seems complex, and the co-chair’s explanations haven’t provided a clear resolution yet. It would have been simpler if Gunn had abandoned characters linked to Amanda Waller, as he did with the Justice League, but it seems the director has a habit of keeping certain elements, hence our current predicament.

‘Peacemaker’ Season 1’s Ending Complicates Things

It’s clear why James Gunn chose to keep ‘Peacemaker’ and many of its characters – with a 93% Rotten Tomatoes score, the show ranks among the top-rated productions in the DC Extended Universe. At the time when Warner Bros. decided to restructure their superhero universe, Gunn was only beginning to explore the potential of the series. Now that he’s in charge, he wants to maintain all the elements that made him put in so much effort.

Season 1’s storyline stands on its own so strongly that Gunn could have effortlessly labeled the show as part of the DC Universe rather than the DCEU. It would be less complicated to integrate this series into the DCU compared to other DCEU productions, unfortunately, its finale prevents such a declaration from being made.

The story unfolds as Christopher Smith, also known as Peacemaker, gets drafted into a secret operation unit called “Project Butterfly” following his recovery from the tumultuous occurrences in the movie “The Suicide Squad.” Their mission is to eradicate parasitic aliens named Butterflies that invade their hosts’ bodies.

In the climactic scene, I, along with my comrades, take on the Butterflies for good. Just as we’re about to eradicate the last parasites, the Justice League unexpectedly appears. Aquaman, portrayed by Jason Momoa, and The Flash, played by Ezra Miller, deliver a few lines. Although Superman and Wonder Woman remain hidden, their presence suggests they are the characters brought to life by Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot respectively. This cameo implies that our series, Peacemaker, belongs to the troubled DCEU universe. So, how will Season 2 serve as a bridge, opening the doors wide for us to fully immerse ourselves in the DCU?

‘The Flash’ Gives a Rough Idea of How the Season 2 Will Play Out

Fans might find themselves perplexed, yet it’s straightforward to follow along if they glance at the way events unfold in The Flash TV series. In The Flash, Ezra Miller’s character, Barry Allen, goes back in time with the aim of averting his mother’s murder and clearing his father’s name as a suspect. He manages to accomplish this, but in doing so, he disrupts the timeline. Now, there’s another iteration of him coexisting in the same reality. Moreover, since most members of the Justice League are no longer present, a cunning General Zod takes advantage of the situation and wreaks chaos.

In the movie, when Michael Keaton’s character Bruce Wayne appears, it becomes clear that he isn’t present due to linear time but because his presence is affected by retroactive causation. Barry’s actions didn’t generate a parallel universe or provide entry into one. Instead, his actions altered reality itself, creating a different history. This alteration caused his timeline to intersect with the multiverse at various points, rather than creating a new universe altogether.

In the movie’s climax, Barry manages to rescue his father by delving into different realities, yet tragically loses his mother in the process (to keep things from becoming too confusing). This leads to the return of Jason Momoa as Aquaman and George Clooney stepping into the role previously held by Ben Affleck as Batman.

In this scenario, it appears that John Cena’s character, Peacemaker, might have been transported into a different universe where David Corenswet portrays Superman instead of Henry Cavill. Similar to how certain occurrences in The Flash were rewritten, events in Peacemaker have undergone changes as well. Unlike Barry, who interacted with Miller’s Flash and Momoa’s Aquaman in the finale, Peacemaker did not meet them. In the case of Barry’s father, he was never convicted.

Gunn could opt for an explanation similar to that of Superman & Lois, implying that Cena’s Peacemaker resides on a different Earth. We were simply unaware. But what about Aquaman, the Flash, and Amanda Waller? Why do they resemble their DCEU counterparts? It’s plausible that variants often share similar appearances, hence even though both versions are portrayed by Viola Davis, the Amanda Waller we encounter here might not be the same as the one interacting with Affleck’s Batman and Cavill’s Superman.

Gunn’s Comments Back Up This Theory

In an interview on Collider, during promotions for the Creature Commandos, James Gunn hinted strongly that Peacemaker may adopt The Flash’s method to connect the DCEU and the DCU. He clarified that while Season 1 is largely self-contained, he regrets the Justice League cameo he included. Later, he illustrated his understanding of canon by saying that Rick Flag’s death at the hands of Christopher Smith is considered part of the DCU solely due to its reference in Creature Commandos. This has no bearing on the events that transpired in The Suicide Squad.

In simpler terms, this suggests that certain past occurrences remain unaltered, whereas others might be modified due to the actions taken by Barry Allen.

It’s clear that Rick Flag Sr.’s anger stems from his son’s death at the hands of Peacemaker, an event that took place in the past. We can speculate about how this incident unfolded based on our knowledge, but it’s important to note that this scenario is considered canon due to its mention in Creature Commandos, not necessarily because it transpired within Suicide Squad. I tend to view both Suicide Squad and Peacemaker as somewhat questionable sources when it comes to understanding the DCU’s true events.

As a film enthusiast, I’d say Gunn could subtly refer to alternate timelines or realities within the DCEU to explain why certain storylines have been modified. After all, revisiting successful elements from the past seems like a smart approach, doesn’t it?

It’s understandable that Henry Cavill’s fans might feel disappointed with how things are being handled, given that if another director like Christopher Smith could transition from the DCEU to the DCU, then perhaps Henry Cavill’s Clark Kent could have done so as well. However, it seems reasonable for him to be cautious about the plans of other directors since Peacemaker is Gunn’s project, not Man of Steel. For the new DCU to succeed, Gunn needs to maintain control over his creative vision.

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2025-01-25 02:34