James Gunn is wasting no time diving back into the bizarre, blood-filled, and mostly heartfelt world of Peacemaker with season 2, marking the first major returning live-action project in his newly rebooted DC Universe. When we last saw the 11th Street Kids – Peacemaker (John Cena), Vigilante (Freddie Stroma), Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland), John Economos (Steve Agee), and Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) – they’d just stopped an alien invasion while simultaneously upstaging the Justice League, becoming heroes in their own right. However, season 2 arrives in a completely different landscape.
Gunn is now co-CEO of the newly minted DC Studios alongside Peter Safran, and his full-scale DCU reboot has begun with the animated Creature Commandos and the new Superman movie starring David Corenswet. That makes Peacemaker both exciting and risky. It also leaves the audience with a question: How do you continue a show whose original continuity technically no longer exists? Gunn’s answer is a “soft reboot,” a fever dream version where memories are broken, timelines are hazy, and anything goes. Having seen the first five episodes of Peacemaker, I can officially say that the way they define DCU continuity is actually brilliant, and I couldn’t believe how good the new season is throughout.
DC Studios feels poised for a generational run after the critical and box office success of Superman, and now Peacemaker is looking to capitalize. Season 2 does what most comic book television series can’t: deliver a follow-up that surpasses the first season within its first five episodes. From shocking multiversal sequences to perfectly timed humor, it’s bloody, action-packed, and downright hilarious. Peacemaker season 2 is arguably the best superhero project of the year, and that’s probably due to its fantastically written storyline that blends irreverent comedy, high-stakes adventure, and surprisingly emotional character moments.
Peacemaker season 2 picks up after the events of both the first season and the recent Superman. With his name cleared, Peacemaker is determined to become a hero in his own right – even going so far as to audition for the Justice Gang. That attempt doesn’t pan out, but the anti-hero stumbles into a multiversal adventure that Marvel Studios would envy. It begins when he discovers a door inside his father’s Quantum Unfolding Chamber, leading to an alternate reality where every aspect of his life – and his father – is better. Unfortunately, that same discovery puts him in the crosshairs of Rick Flagg Sr. (Frank Grillo), A.R.G.U.S., and the U.S. government. While the plot delivers plenty of unexpected twists, what truly makes Peacemaker season 2 shine are the heartfelt, standout performances from its cast.
John Cena once again leads Peacemaker’s ragtag cast of misfit heroes, and as we saw in Superman, he hasn’t missed a step. He’s still the oblivious, obnoxious, naive sociopath we know and love – but with a deeper layer of character development that makes him far more likable. Peacemaker is trying to turn his life around, yet his past transgressions hang over him, and Cena plays that internal conflict perfectly. His most vulnerable and emotional moments come when he’s paired with Danielle Brooks, who returns as Leota Adebayo. Brooks remains as much the heart of the series as ever, holding the 11th Street Kids together despite their dysfunction. This shines especially in her moments with both Adrian Chase a.k.a. Vigilante and Emilia Harcourt, where her warmth grounds the chaos around her.
Peacemaker fans will be happy to hear Adrian Chase a.k.a. Vigilante made it through the DCU reboot, and he’s just as wild as before. He gets more screen time this season, and Freddie Stroma has fun playing him again, delivering a performance that would rival that of Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool. Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) is in a rougher spot than last time – still toxic, still violent, still a badass, but trying to get it together. John Economos (Steve Agee) is back too, as curmudgeonly as ever, and his scenes with the new characters (especially Tim Meadows) end up being some of the funniest in the series.
We also meet a bunch of new faces: Sasha Bordeaux as Sol Rodriguez, Langston Fleury as Tim Meadows and David Denman as a mystery character whose identity we won’t spoil here. Frank Grillo returns as Rick Flagg Sr., who ties Creature Commandos, Superman, and The Suicide Squad together – especially since Peacemaker killed Flagg’s son. The new cast is great across the board, but Meadows’ Langston Fleury is the standout, even if he can’t tell birds apart. Peacemaker pushes the DCU in directions fans won’t expect, and I’m ready for whatever comes next.
Overall Thoughts: Peacemaker season 2 might be the best possible way for James Gunn to carry his DCU reboot forward. Serving as a pseudo-sequel to this summer’s Superman, it does nothing but heighten anticipation for what’s next from DC Studios. Gunn crafts a multiversal story that even Marvel Studios would be jealous of, proving that he’s still a master of balancing humor, heart, and high stakes. This season will leave fans eager for more from Peacemaker and the 11th Street Kids — a wild, hilarious, and heartfelt ride that demands to be seen the moment it lands on HBO Max.
Rating: 9/10
