I’ve been completely floored by Peacemaker S2E7! James Gunn really delivered, and this episode has me thinking about where Chris’s character arc is headed. It’s a masterclass in superhero storytelling. 🤯
The Nuanced Twist That Subverted Expectations
Wow, that Nazi alternate reality storyline was handled with such care. What could have been a cheap gimmick for shock value was instead a powerful mirror reflecting Chris’s deepest trauma. The episode didn’t rely on a simple good-vs-evil fight. Instead, it showed how someone can be a product of a hate-filled environment without necessarily being hateful themselves. Peacemaker’s “dream” world was a deeply unsettling reality that forced him to confront the dark legacy of his father, the White Dragon. The way he chose his real, messy, flawed friends over the “perfect” but morally corrupt life was a deeply moving and nuanced resolution. It was a powerful lesson in empathy and self-acceptance.
Chris Smith’s Character Arc is a Work of Art
Gunn’s long-term plan for Christopher Smith is undeniable now. We’ve seen Chris go from a killer driven by a warped sense of justice to a man actively fighting to overcome his past. The entire season has been about his struggle to escape his father’s toxic influence and find his own moral compass.1 S2E7 was the climax of that journey, with Chris literally having to turn his back on a version of his family that was everything he ever wanted, all because he saw the inherent evil in their world. This wasn’t about a physical battle; it was about him winning a moral one. His line about being “the Angel of fucking Death” showed how his trauma is still with him, but his choice proved he’s a hero now.
The Man of Tomorrow Tease: A Red Herring?
Gunn was so vocal about Peacemaker S2 being a “prequel” to Superman: Man of Tomorrow, and now I’m not so sure. 🤔 We know Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor appeared, striking a deal with Rick Flag Sr.2 regarding Peacemaker’s Quantum Unfolding Chamber, which directly sets up a potential partnership between Luthor and the government. This will likely have major consequences for Superman. However, it seems the tease was more about establishing that this deal exists, rather than needing to watch the whole season to understand the movie. Gunn has clarified that the projects are meant to be connected but not dependent on each other, so Man of Tomorrow will stand on its own.3 While the tease wasn’t false, it was a brilliant marketing move to get people to watch the show without making it feel like “homework” for the film.