DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn hosted another Peacemaker watchalong on Threads last night, addressing many of the unanswered questions fans had after watching the penultimate episode, "Like a Keith in the Night."
That saw Vigilante meet his doppelganger, and despite the ridiculousness that ensued, Gunn was quick to say the character isn't "purely comedic" in his eyes. As for why the Earth-X Vigilante's costume was identical to his DCU counterpart, the filmmaker explained, "They're so much alike. And those suits are expensive!"
He also confirmed that the DCU's Vigilante stabbed Auggie Smith to death, but dismissed the notion of any "silly switcheroos" with characters trading places on their respective Earths. Gunn added, "And people keep asking if Chris can forgive [Vigilante]. I think Chris only blames himself for all of this."
The Superman helmer was later quizzed about how it feels to see his wife, Jennifer Holland, in intimate scenes as Emilia Harcourt with John Cena's Peacemaker. "I actually love this romantic scene. There's nothing actually intimate about it," he said. "They're being towed on the back of a truck, and it's all very technical. As a former actor, I know how dispassionate most [of] this stuff is."
Auggie, Earth-X's Blue Dragon and Peacemaker's father, has intrigued fans. Most expected him to be an even worse version of the DCU's version of the character; instead, he was revealed as a true hero who, shockingly, wasn't a Nazi.
"He's definitely talking about the DCU Auggie, who is perhaps the biggest piece of shit I've ever written," Gunn said of the scene, where Earth-X's Auggie talks about encountering another version of himself. "The High Evolutionary and Lex Luthor are saints in comparison."
"I don't think it's subtle Nazi defiance. I think it's Nazi defiance," he continued. "Auggie's speech is important not only because it reveals who Auggie is but also how it speaks to Harcourt and Economos, who have truly spent a lot of their lives as cogs in a corrupt system, rarely fighting it."
"Auggie is not a saint, but I think he taught his kids to subtly fight the system, so he's really disappointed by many of their actions," Gunn shared. "And I also think [Earth-X's] Chris was a very bad guy."
The episode ended with Keith still alive and likely eager for revenge, but Gunn promised that next week's Peacemaker season 2 finale is "nothing like anything anyone expects or has guessed."
Will it live up to the hype? We'll have to see, but the show's latest batch of episodes has definitely subverted expectations and not necessarily gone down the route many fans anticipated.
Peacemaker season 2 follows Chris Smith, the vigilante superhero, as he struggles to reconcile his past with his newfound sense of purpose while continuing to kick righteous evildoer butt in his misguided quest for peace at any cost. He discovers an alternate world where life is everything he wishes it could be. But this discovery also forces him to face his traumatic past and take the future into his own hands.
Season 2 stars John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Frank Grillo, Sol Rodríguez, David Denman, Brey Noelle, and Tim Meadows.
James Gunn wrote all eight episodes of Peacemaker and directed three, including the first episode. Gunn, Peter Safran, and Cena serve as executive producers. Greg Mottola, Peter Sollett, and Alethea Jones also direct.
In our review of Peacemaker season 2's first five episodes, we wrote, "Peacemaker season 2 feels like a wholly superfluous addition to the new DCU, and lacks the stakes and emotion that made season 1 so special. Fortunately, it’s buoyed by some fun surprises for fans and another exceptional turn from John Cena."
Seven episodes of Peacemaker season 2 are now streaming on HBO Max.