DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has acknowledged the criticism surrounding the Peacemaker Season 2 finale, specifically addressing a point that has left some viewers less than satisfied.
Warning! Spoilers for Peacemaker Season 2 finale follow:
The eight-episode run of Peacemaker Season 2 on HBO Max culminated in a pivotal moment for John Cena’s aspiring hero, Christopher Smith. James Gunn had previously hinted that this finale would lay crucial groundwork for his upcoming Superman project, 2027’s Man of Tomorrow. Indeed, the episode strongly suggested who might become the unifying adversary for Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor and David Corenswet’s Superman.
(A slideshow featuring images from the Peacemaker Season 2 finale was presented here.)
Despite the introduction of significant elements like the organization Checkmate and the planet Salvation, some fans felt the finale was underwhelming or an unsatisfying conclusion to the season’s well-built narrative. The episode left Peacemaker himself on a cliffhanger, and with Gunn ruling out a third season – at least for now – concerns have arisen about a proper resolution.
Recently, Gunn engaged with fans on Threads, responding to various questions about Peacemaker and the broader DCU. When asked about the criticism of the final episode, he candidly replied, “Definitely! Not everyone can love everything. I love the episode but I understand not everyone does which is completely fair.”
(A video discussing fan disappointment regarding the Peacemaker Season 2 reveals was embedded here.)
Gunn elaborated further when a fan expressed a desire for more significant reveals and questioned if Langston Fleury, a former A.R.G.U.S. agent who joins Checkmate, might be the DCU’s Martian Manhunter. Gunn clarified, “He’s not but I don’t get that people don’t think there aren’t big reveals here, including Checkmate and Salvation.”
He utilized the introductions of Checkmate and Salvation to counter the argument about a lack of major surprises. Checkmate’s formation by Chris and his team marks its official entry into the DCU. Salvation, a distant planet initially featured in 2007’s comic series ‘Salvation Run’ (a concept pitched by George R.R. Martin), appears to be positioned for a similar role in the DCU: a central point in a scheme to remove metahumans from Earth.
(A slideshow detailing every upcoming movie and TV show in the DC Universe was presented here.)
Reactions to Gunn’s remarks are varied. One Reddit user, Eugene_Dav, commented, “I think the problem is that only Gunn knows where this is going. It’s probably something cool, but right now it’s just like, ‘Oh, sure, a government prison’ and ‘Okay, the 11th Street Kids get another show.’ Even for comic book fans who know about these premises, it’s completely unclear what this means for the DCU. Because we don’t have enough information, and Checkmate could be a meaningless sitcom or an important force influencing the plot. Although I like Gunn’s idea of a clash between the government, corporations, and metahumans. However, there doesn’t seem to be a grand story yet. We need to wait.”
Conversely, other fans believe Salvation is indeed a significant revelation, suggesting its presence indicates the overarching direction of the DCU. TrueBlue2088 remarked, “I think it’s basically telling us what comic run the whole phase is based on, and in turn we finally have an idea of what this first phase of the DCU as a whole is really going. I think its big stuff…”
(An image depicting James Gunn was shown, with the caption: James Gunn considers Checkmate and Salvation big reveals for Peacemaker Season 2.)
Back in September, Gunn had emphasized Peacemaker Season 2’s importance to the wider DCU, calling it a “prequel” that “directly” leads into the then-announced Man of Tomorrow. This was a notable statement, given that Supergirl, Lanterns, and Clayface are scheduled for release in 2026, preceding Man of Tomorrow in 2027. Gunn had consistently highlighted Season 2’s crucial narrative role, including appearances by Justice Gang members from the DCU’s July kickstarter Superman film and a major cameo later in the season.
Some critics argue that Checkmate and Salvation are too obscure to be considered major reveals, potentially confusing casual DC fans. Poison-harley noted, “Checkmate is just not a very famous or popular property in the DC comics. If it was leading to something that is popular with an actual fanbase, then you’d have people excited.” Similarly, isIwhoKilledTrevor suggested, “It’s a cool nod and all… But unless you are a massive comic book fan you have no idea what this means.”
The absence of a confirmed Peacemaker Season 3 raises questions about the character’s future. However, Gunn stated that the Season 2 conclusion primes Peacemaker for a larger role within the expanding DCU. “He’s really important to me,” Gunn explained. “Peacemaker is an important character. And I said from the beginning when we took on this job, it’s about really propping up and maintaining and repositioning the big diamond properties that DC has, the Batmans and Wonder Womans and Supermans, and then creating diamond properties out of the smaller characters like Peacemaker.”
The obvious follow-up question is whether Peacemaker will appear in the 2026 DCU film Supergirl or 2027’s Man of Tomorrow. Gunn’s cryptic response: “Well we’ll have to see. That’s a secret!”