The second season of Peacemaker kicks off a month after the chaotic events of Superman. Following the destruction of the horrifying, brain-burrowing alien butterflies—those fluttering fiends were never to be trusted—the 11th Street Kids find themselves dispersed and disoriented.
The premiere episode, aptly titled “The Ties That Grind,” quickly gets viewers up to speed, unveiling a new antagonist, a significant retcon, an intriguing multiverse concept, and an irresistibly catchy new theme song that perfectly sets the stage for the season ahead.
Peacemaker Season 2 Details
Remember the unforgettable opening theme and quirky dance sequence from Season 1 featuring Wig Wam’s ‘Do Ya Wanna Taste It’? This season, creator, showrunner, and writer James Gunn has swapped it out for Foxy Shazam’s ‘Oh Lord’, an absolute earworm that will have you humming for days.
Peacemaker, also known as Chris Smith (played by John Cena), shows a noticeable softening in his demeanor this season. When he uncovers an alternate universe within the Quantum Unfolding Chamber where both his brother, Keith (David Denman), and father, Auggie (Robert Patrick), are alive and flourishing, he believes he’s found a path to finally reconcile his profound, guilt-ridden past. Unsurprisingly, things don’t quite go according to his hopeful plans.
Following Adebayo’s (Danielle Brooks) bombshell revelation about her mother, A.R.G.U.S. director Amanda Waller, and her truly dreadful nature, life hasn’t been easy for any of the gang. Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) is struggling to find new work, and a complex past continues to simmer between her and Peacemaker.
Meanwhile, Economos (Steve Agee) is barely holding onto his position, with the new A.R.G.U.S. director, Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), constantly scrutinizing his every move. Given that Peacemaker was responsible for his son’s death, Flag Sr.’s relentless surveillance is fueled by a powerful thirst for revenge.
Following the relentless action of Episode 7, “Like a Keith in the Night,” which shockingly unveiled Earth-2 as a dystopian reality where the Nazis triumphed in World War II, Episode 8, “Full Nelson” (also directed by Gunn, like the premiere), takes a slight breather. Here, Flag Sr.’s intricate schemes come to light, laying the groundwork for Checkmate, a newly formed group dedicated to battling injustice, and introducing the grim prison planet of Salvation.
The season also finally reveals the mysterious “boat incident” that Harcourt and Peacemaker frequently alluded to, where they shared a dance to ‘Oh Lord’ and a kiss. Peacemaker’s deep-seated belief that he is “toxic” is challenged, with the 11th Street Kids ultimately convincing him of his worth, even using Vigilante’s (Freddie Stroma) drug money to secure his release from jail. Flag Sr., meanwhile, dispatches A.R.G.U.S. agents through the portal, only for them to meet various inventive demises in alternate Earths, from zombie attacks to being overwhelmed by adorable yet deadly imps.
The season concludes with a tantalizing cliffhanger, and despite James Gunn remaining silent on the prospect of a third season, we desperately hope for one to resolve the numerous loose ends and to liberate a certain square-faced individual from a monster-infested prison planet.
Season 2 captures all the magic that made its predecessor a hit, delivering irreverent dialogues, clever jokes, thrilling action, a fantastic ‘80s-inspired rock and metal soundtrack (Queensrÿche truly shines!), and the undeniable, effortless chemistry among our beloved band of misfits.