Murphy's Multiverse

Tag: Peacemaker

  • What Could The ‘Peacemaker’ Spin-Off Focus on

    What Could The ‘Peacemaker’ Spin-Off Focus on

    Peacemaker was quite the ride for fans, featuring the return of John Cena in the titular role of the DC Universe’s biggest douchebag, yet again working for Amanda Waller on Project Butterfly. The ending of the first season had some serious ramifications for the future of Amanda Waller and Task Force X, with Leota airing all the dirty laundry of ARGUS to the presses.

    We can assume that this is what the recently announced Waller-centric Peacemaker spin-off series will tackle. The series could see Waller go on the defensive and mobilize whatever she’s got to save her skin, but what else might we be able to expect from the series? Allow us to breakdown some possibilities.

    The Secret Six

    The Secret Six are one of DC Comics’ hidden gems, a team of mercanaries lead by the mysterious Mockingbird. In the Villains United comic book event, where Gail Simone reinvented the team, the six came together for the first time as the few villains that would not join up with Lex Luthor and his coalition of DCs Supervillains known as the Secret Society of Supervillains. Mockingbird brought the team together against their will, but still makinf it a point to compensate them for their work.

    There have been many people to take on the moniker of Mockingbird to hire the Six yet again for whatever dirty deed needs doing and it seems we could see them come together in the DC Extened Universe. The idea here is that we could see Viola Davis reprise her role as Amanda Waller and become a sort of Mockingbird figure, hiding in the shadows as she dispenses mercenaries to take out the witnesses and surviving members of Task Force X.

    Ideally, the roster would be quite similar to the comic book roster aside from a few changes. Essential members of the team would be Catman, Scandal Savage, Ragdoll, Jeanette, and Bane. Deadshot is tricky due to his involvment in the Suicide Squad and the situation with the team in the current DCEU. Floyd Lawton is often seen as Waller’s personal errand boy and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him working alongside the Six, but in the end, it’s another loose end for Waller. It could be cool to see members like Strix, Black Alice, Cheshire, Parademon, and even Mad Hatter work for Waller, but it’s important that the core members of the team are front and center.

    Checkmate

    Another option for Waller could be forming Checkmate. Originally known as the Agency, the group was run by Valentina Vostok, aka the Negative Woman, who after leaving the organization to join the Doom Patrol handed the reigns over to Harry Stein. At that time, the group was ordered by Waller to be reorganized into Checkmate.

    The organization, named after the winning move in a chess match, became an independent branch of Task Force X. The levels of the group were modeled after the playable pieces in chess, with kings and queens being the highest ranking level one could reach. Roles like bishops had oversight on the missions that planned by the rooks, with knights being the ones on said missions. Pawns worked as support.

    A subtle hint to the organization appeared in the first season of Peacemaker. In the decrepit video store base of operations, can be seen a poster for a film titled “Privateer.” Privateer was the heroic alter-ego of Mark Shaw, who’d worked with Checkmate at one point and even went onto run Checkmate for a time.

    Plot details on the upcoming spin-off series remain scarce as it has yet to officially be announced by James Gunn or HBO Max. Fans are eager to hear more as Gunn’s few entries into the DC Extended Universe have been quite the crowd pleasers. This will be the first though that Gunn will not write, and there’s currently no word on if he will direct any of the series episodes.

  • Viola Davis in Talks to Star in a ‘Peacemaker’ Spin-Off

    Viola Davis in Talks to Star in a ‘Peacemaker’ Spin-Off

    The DC Extended Universe saw its first venture into television with James Gunn‘s spin-off of The Suicide Squad with Peacemaker, featuring the return of John Cena as the titular character. Gunn revealed before the series had even wrapped on its first season that he was already developing another DC series although he would not go into details about what that series might be.

    Deadline is reporting that the star of Suicide Squad and its sequel, Viola Davis, will reprise her role as Amanda Waller in an upcoming HBO Max series. She will also serve as an executive producer on the project alongside James Gunn, Peter Safran, and Christal Henry, who will write and serve as an executive producer on the series.

    There are no plot details on the series just yet and all we know is that it will not be in the same vein as Peacemaker was, with Gunn previously stating his next spin-off “won’t be as much a comedy as Peacemaker“.

    The series could follow the aftermath of Peacemaker, where Waller’s own daughter, Leota Adebayo, went on national television to expose ARGUS and bring Task Force X into the light. Effectively Adebayo put a target on her mother’s back and revealed everything from what happened in Midway City to the project Starfish in Corto Maltese.

    There has been no other details plot or casting wise as the project still seems to be in early development but it could be cool to see them explore Checkmate or even the Secret Six with a project like this, with Waller acting as the mockingbird figure.

    Source: Deadline

  • Marvel Studios’ Disney+ Venture Needs to Embrace the Diversity of TV Storytelling

    Marvel Studios’ Disney+ Venture Needs to Embrace the Diversity of TV Storytelling

    Moon Knight‘s fifth episode has been quite loved due to the way it continues a trend of Marvel Studios’ series having a penultimate episode that takes its time to explore our protagonist’s psyche or the underlying theme of the series. Still, there is a current trend that the Disney+ series are facing that could backfire with each new release. While not a fan of the overused buzzword “Marvel formula,” there is a certain danger with their reliance on the three-act structure to construct their series. There are still distinctions in their approach, but a six-episode benchmark muddles that vision. In a way, they are suffering from something that was started in Netflix’s early days and have yet to fully embrace the diversity of TV’s storytelling possibilities.

    Marvel Studios has always been flagged for having a “formula” behind each film. Even as they broke away from their more streamlined films due to the infamous Ike Perlmutter era, the genre has an inherent expectation that creates that very issue. One could argue that certain expectations and perceptions play a key influence due to the brand and its heroic genre; something we’ve seen in comics over and over again. It’s not a Marvel Studios-specific issue, they just so happened to be the one to stick out the most. While saying that, their TV offerings are suffering from a different yet similar issue that is more inherent to the long-form storytelling format.

    Yet, with a strict six- or ten-episode structure, you are setting a certain tempo for your series. If you adhere to the three-act structure, it becomes even more restrictive, as most of the “action” or meat of the story happens within the final two episodes. We’ve seen it a few times, such as with Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Hawkeye, and even potentially Moon Knight. They end up exploring important themes in Episode 5 but have to quickly wrap up the story in its finale, sometimes not as effective as it hopes to. Knowing that there are “only” six episodes available, also creates the before-mentioned perception issue that not everything will be wrapped up.

    Ironically, Netflix’s issue was that thirteen episodes were at times too many. It’s a funny contrast to Marvel Studios’ six facing the opposite criticism. For the sake of comparison, Peacemaker‘s used an eight-episode structure and was less a “film” but more traditional TV in its storytelling. While it did have some minor pacing issues like any other show nowadays does, it built its story per episode with an overarching narrative. Plus, a character like Peacemaker has fewer expectations because the story can explore whatever it wants due to the character being a blank slate. This is in stark contrast to Netflix’s Daredevil series back in the day or even now with Moon Knight, they both have very set expectations that restrict just how much a story can tell.

    Speaking of Netflix, the issues Marvel Studios is currently facing have their roots in that era. The promise of “a 13-episode film” created this illusion of having a film being told with more time. Yet, even the much-loved Daredevil had pacing issues with many at the time pointing out that elements dragged a bit. Similar to what we’re seeing now, as more shows were released they faced the same issue but became more apparent. By the time The Punisher rolled around, they fell victim to having the episode count set the pacing and certain story beats were expected.

    Was it formulaic? To a certain degree, yes and it was and Marvel Studios is going to fall victim to the same issue if they strictly remain on this course. Throw on top of the issue of a rather short episode count, they potentially will keep facing the issue of their final episode ending up rushed as the internet will repeat. “How will they wrap it all up after that?” That issue becomes even more apparent if you realize they are moving away from one monumental aspect that defines TV storytelling, multiple seasonal arcs for their characters.

    So far, only Loki got a second season and it’s hard to say if any of these series will actually continue moving forward. Marvel Studios’ reluctance to even communicate multi-seasonal plans creates a new issue with expectation. It creates the illusion that this specified six-episode season needs to wrap up everything. Technically speaking, their “second season” commonly are film appearances such as The Falcon and Winter Soldier setting up Captain America 4. Yes, it’s great to see this expansion from TV to film and potentially back, but it creates a whole new issue that they seemingly are struggling with.

    We have no idea where and when Moon Knight might show up next. Lots of coverage is hinting at his series is a limited run, which adds to the issue that the titular hero is not very present in his project. Yet, they are setting up a lot of elements that affect its pacing within the six episodes. While I don’t agree with everything, a discussion on the show’s quality from ScreenCrush made a good point that the penultimate episode feels a bit late and may hit harder if it was earlier in the series. We won’t have much time to actually spend with Marc now that he had his revelation and the loss of the alter that helped him through his trauma.

    To give an example, Loki had his mental revelation at the beginning of the series, and it worked because we already knew his character. So, we got to explore that storyline which we won’t really get to with Moon Knight, as we have to wrap up the plot, character development, and set up for whatever is next. It’s great they aren’t restricting themselves to old-fashioned origin tales, but their current model restricts exploring it fully. While it’s great that we might get Oscar Isaac‘s Moon Knight in a future movie, the fact we never know when or how–a Marvel staple–may see the company’s usual secrecy backfire on them. WandaVision with 10 episodes waited until the end for the big emotional story arc but at least a mystery to keep us wondering.

    Speaking of mystery, Wanda’s town-altering storyline and Hawkeye‘s big bad added an additional issue to what was mentioned previously. They keep the “big reveal” until the very last episode. While it makes sense to build up suspense on whatever the mystery is, especially the excitement of Vincent D’Onofrio‘s return as Kingpin and its implications, it creates the issue of having to bring everything together at the last moment. Even Moon Knight‘s Episode 4 revelation has now been limited due to the time available afterward. Loki‘s second season is following a year after its premiere and we don’t know when we’ll get it or how it fits in the overarching story.

    So, the ever-expanding universe is showing its fangs a bit. Even if comedy series are teased to have ten episodes, the fact they are restricting the episode count to specific formats is surprising given the freedom they should have. TV storytelling is diverse, may it be planning multiple seasons in mind, structuring the episode count to abide by the story, or even having each episode work as a standalone storyline. Even with that potential, modern streaming offerings tend to share similar issues due to the formatting. Even Peacemaker and The Boys rely on shock value at times to keep you watching from week to week.

    Moon Knight‘s been said to “fit better as a film” because that’s what it is. It’s a six-hour film just like how Netflix promised its series and many other streamers are copying. While it does have cliffhangers to keep you watching, they are more character-driven than story-driven. It’s something that makes this storyline a personal favorite among the Disney+ shows, but it does face the issue that also expectations play a massive role when exploring a potentially one-time project based on 70 years of comic history. Expectations on what makes a “Moon Knight” show become a crux for viewers and those creating the series. We have no idea if there’s going to be a second season, ironically unlike how most films get sequels.

    So, the weekly wait for episode 6 with a slower start ends up creating a pacing issue that is very perceptive due to the uncertainty moving forward. WandaVision probably worked the best as a weekly release due to the formatting of the actual show as different eras of sitcoms. The later episodes that broke away from it are much closer to what we see with its six-episode offerings. Each Marvel Studios show has its strengths, and, like everything else out there, weaknesses, but one can see the roots of the issue from the Netflix era. It has affected many series within the market, especially now that we’re moving away from the binge model. In a way, the distribution model is changing but not the expected storytelling element.

    Marvel Studios has a lot of opportunities with their Disney+ series. Yet, their venture into cross-media storytelling has been showing its fangs, as it restricts them from truly embracing the TV model. That is on top of long-term trends within the industry, and we can’t forget this is a completely new venture for this film-focused production studio even if they took in employees from the former Marvel TV subsidiary. Moving forward, if they want this concept to stick out more it might be time to embrace the TV model.

    Give us a series that was built with multiple seasons in mind, something we’re seeing already with Lucasfilm’s Andor. Allow a character to grow over a few years before integrating into the bigger picture, or have their appearances be independent of what’s happening. Ms. Marvel is the perfect opportunity. Yes, she will appear in The Marvels but her “usual” world is the one we’ll see in the June release. Let her character grow over multiple seasons with that experience adding to her character but not redefining her story. It’s what happened in Spider-Man: Far From Home, as it was a sequel to Avengers: Endgame rather than Homecoming.

    A lot of inspiration for the Marvel Cinematic Universe lies in comics, and the Disney+ series is becoming an opportunity for ongoing storylines with the films acting as “detours” for some of the characters. Their stories still should remain ongoing rather than one-time moving forward. Plus, let the show breathe and move away from a strict episode count. Not every story needs to follow a third act structure or something related to it. You can see they are still trying to find their footing with these new ventures on Disney+, and they have an opportunity to truly embrace the diversity of TV storytelling.

  • The DCEU Should Develop ‘The Secret Six’

    The DCEU Should Develop ‘The Secret Six’

    Over the past few years, the DC Extended Universe has gone through a bit of a development period with a few leadership changes and course corrections. It took a while, but things in the DCEU finally feel consistent and projects that are announced are happening, resulting in the shared universe finally finding its groove. In the past year, we’ve seen the DCEU march into mature content, led by James Gunn projects The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, opening a window of opportunity for another niche team from DC Comics.

    Back in 2005, comic book writer Gail Simone took over The Secret Six, an off-beat team introduced all the way back in 1968, and reinvented them, making them instantly more interesting than before. The difference between the two incarnations is that Simone’s was comprised of mostly villains and mercenaries who took on jobs of questionable morality. She introduced this new team in the villain crossover event Villains United, where the new Six would be comprised of Catman, Scandal Savage, Cheshire, Deadshot, Ragdoll, and a Parademon, all villains who refused to join Luthor’s society of supervillains.

    In the few years, the DCEU has done something the MCU has yet to attempt: making R-rated projects for mature audiences. With this shift came a willingness to explore more mature content with their characters and they’ve seen resounding success. WhileThe Suicide Squad didn’t do gangbusters at the box office, it soared on streaming, quickly becoming the highest viewed DC film on the service, topping Zack Snyder’s Justice League and Wonder Woman: 1984. Following the success of The Suicide Squad, its spinoff, Peacemaker, followed probably the most disliked character from the film and crushed it on HBO Max.

    With success like this DC and WB should be gazing through their gallery of characters to find their next big thing, and should look no further than The Secret Six. Consisting of a colorful cast of characters with a few revolving chairs, the Six are one of DC Comics’ hidden gems and could be perfect for another trip down the R-rated avenue the DCEU has been visiting. The comics feature a much more mature, violent, and at times vulgar tone than many other comics and the series would work quite well as a streaming series on HBO Max.

    The current path of the DCEU seems as promising as ever and should continue to pull from the obscure regions of their universe to make some new household names. Characters like Catman, Ragdoll, Scandal Savage, Jeanette, and Black Alice could quickly become fan favorites. The series could also feature the return of Will Smith’s Floyd Lawton, as well as King Shark, and even introduce new heavy hitters like Bane. Never did we think someone like Peacemaker would make his way to screens around the world but here we are. Let’s give The Secret Six a chance.

  • The ‘Peacemaker’ Finale and Peace In Our Time

    The ‘Peacemaker’ Finale and Peace In Our Time


    The long lingering shot at the end of the season finale of Peacemaker felt appropriate. Christopher Smith had found what felt like a modicum of peace. He had Eagly by his side and the relationship he built with Goff (the last living butterfly) felt like an agree-to-disagree but closing with friendly terms. In watching that moment, there was an ease in Smith as he came to grips with who he is and is ready to move on. It was short lived however, as his father reappeared as a ghost. There can be speculation about what that means for season 2, but there’s something that James Gunn nailed in this moment. Sometimes we are left to carry our trauma as if a butterfly was sitting in our heads.

    The closing montage to the season found Peacemaker and his crew dealing with new realities. Adebayo outing her mother Amanda Waller; Harcourt recovering and rehabbing her injuries in battle; and Economos right back to Belle Reve. Vigilante gets to be Vigilante so at least there’s that, but the point is the fight doesn’t just end. There’s more. Peacemaker, as it seems, doesn’t get to move forward. Even though he killed his father, that part of it doesn’t end in his death.

    In a lot of ways, whether intentionally or not, Gunn’s writing reflects the time we’ve spent since 2020 sitting and wading in our collective trauma. As the global pandemic has affected everyone in different ways, it’s illuminated the weight we carry. Like Peacemaker, we all have had to keep moving despite those effects. Whether mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual it feels like a price has been paid. As Economos is baring his soul to a butterfly just to attempt to stay alive, you can’t help but feel the weight of that. These are the words we’ve all held onto because life doesn’t wait for us to recover.

    Adebayo speaks poignantly to Peacemaker at the beginning of the episode, referring to the accidental death of his brother: ”Don’t forgive me that’s fine, but don’t let that shit define who you are.” It feels like great advice, in fact it is. However, like all things in life, these are easier problems to think about than the act of forgiveness. The familiarity of trauma for Peacemaker allows him to stay in it because its the easy thing to do. It’s a hard truth for many of us in life to just move on instead of dwell.

    The beautiful thing, whilst heartbreaking, is these characters continue to fight. Adebayo battles Amanda Waller’s influence and voice to become something more. Harcourt grows to understand that while the job is the job, there is room for others in her life. Economos, much so the same, finding friends in the midst of trouble.

    Christopher Smith has been through a great deal, and that last shot of the episode felt like what peace could potentially look like. He can forgive himself for his brother’s death, and feel like there’s a chance for redemption. He can find and cultivate friendships, meaningful ones, that grow through honesty. There was a feeling of accomplishment in that shot. Seeing Auggie again was a reminder of the passengers we carry. It was sad, yet so identifiable. In ways that we can all understand, this is peace in our time.

  • ‘Peacemaker’s Justice League Cameo Included Henry Cavill’s Superman Suit

    ‘Peacemaker’s Justice League Cameo Included Henry Cavill’s Superman Suit

    Just a few days ago, we got the season finale of Peacemaker which gave us a heartfelt and action-packed ride. Yet, many are still talking about the surprise cameos by the Justice League. We saw Aquaman, the Flash, Wonder Woman, and Superman arrive to save the day, but they were too late at that time. Jason Momoa and Ezra Miller were the only members to make an actual return with the others kept in the shadows. A stand-in actor shared a first look at what would’ve been a Batman costume and confirmed that he alongside a Cyborg stand-in were cut from the scene.

    Now, actor Brad Abramenko has shared a look at the Superman costume that was used for the scene and confirms that it was indeed Henry Cavill‘s Superman. There’s been a lot of debate on if the actor would eventually return to the role, but his inclusion may further give some hope that DC will see the return of the Man of Steel that started the current rendition of the DCEU. You can check out his costume here:

    It was hard to make out in the darkness, but it seems they went with the more colorful version of Cavill‘s Superman suit for the shot. That was the version used in Joss Whedon‘s take of Justice League that may still be deemed canon. The Flash will rewrite our understanding of this franchise after a quick trip through the multiverse. That’s the theory on why Batman and Cyborg were absent given who knows where this series takes place. For now, we’ll have to wait but it’s great to get a confirmation.

    Source: Instagram

  • ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 May Be Eyeing a 2023 Release

    ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 May Be Eyeing a 2023 Release

    HBO Max’s breakout series Peacemaker won over critics and audiences alike over the course of its eight-episode season. The finale was the biggest single-day performance for an HBO Max original production. So, it made sense that ahead of the finale episode, it was announced that The Suicide Squad spin-off would indeed be returning for a second season.

    While many series end up taking years to release a new season, it looks like Peacemaker fans might not have to wait quite so long. Luis Duran, General Manager at HBO Max Latin America, appears to have announced that Peacemaker Season 2 will arrive in 2023 in a recent tweet, which The Direct translated as follows:

    With this finale so strong we already know that S2 will be one of the great releases of next year!

    Luis Duran

    Fans can also rejoice in the fact that James Gunn will be returning to write and direct every single episode of Season 2. It was speculated that Peacemaker’s second season might take quite a bit of time since is still in production of The Guardians of The Galaxy Holiday Special and Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3. He is also still developing another spin-off to The Suicide Squad, but just who it will follow and plot details on that remain under wraps for now. The writer and director are certainly racking up quite the resume in comic book film and television.

    Source: Twitter via The Direct

  • Batman and Cyborg Were Cut From ‘Peacemaker’s Justice League Cameo

    Batman and Cyborg Were Cut From ‘Peacemaker’s Justice League Cameo

    The Peacemaker finale was filled to the brim with surprises for fans. The one that stood out to many was the surprise appearance of a few Justice League members. Towards the end of the episode, we saw Superman, Aquaman, Flash, and Wonder Woman arrive just as the battle with the butterflies had come to an end. It looks like Jason Momoa was the only one actually on set, while Ezra Miller filmed his scenes on the set of Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 3. It turned out Wonder Woman and Superman were played by doubles, explaining they were hidden in the shadows. Turns out, there were a couple of other surprises that sadly got cut.

    A double, who worked on the Peacemaker finale, confirmed via a behind-the-scenes photo from his trailer that Batman and Cyborg were indeed set to make a brief appearance in the finale. He even shared an image on his Instagram of him wearing a Batman costume very similar to that worn by Ben Affleck throughout his tenure as the iconic DC character.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CaKpbLvJskM/?utm_medium=copy_link

    The curious aspect of their exclusion further hints at the characters confirmed with a future in the franchise were present in the short scene. Affleck’s iteration of Batman will make his final appearance in The Flash, while Cyborg’s future is unknown and doesn’t look to be returning anytime soon. There have been many theories on what the future holds for Superman though, as Henry Cavill also seemingly moved on from the role. perhaps his appearance hints at his return in the near future, but it’ll just leave us with a few questions for now.

    Source: Instagram

  • ‘Peacemaker’s Finale is HBO Max’s Best Performing Single-Day Release

    ‘Peacemaker’s Finale is HBO Max’s Best Performing Single-Day Release

    Peacemaker just wrapped its season finale, and it looks like the show is quite the success for HBO Max. James Gunn took to Twitter to not only thank the fans for their love towards the project but also to highlight that it was the biggest single-day performance for an original production. It was able to even pull in 44% more viewers than the premiere episode, which isn’t a common occurrence with these streaming series.

    https://twitter.com/JamesGunn/status/1494772448503508995

    It’s crazy to think how such an unknown character has managed to rise up the ranks, especially as the first DCEU-connected original show. John Cena and the entire cast offered a very down-to-earth experience that redefined our look at heroism in a series that tricks you by making you think it’s just a comedy. Seeing that the finale was able to push even stronger numbers than its initial premiere is quite impressive, as most shows see a drop in viewership over their runtime.

    Still, it continues to prove that weekly releases are an asset for most shows, as each week Peacewalker was the buzz of the town. Netflix still remains firm with its binge approach but also forces its hands into offering a lot of content within smaller time windows. Who knows, perhaps the development will push all streaming services to embrace the weekly schedule.

    Source: Twitter

  • REVIEW: ‘Peacemaker’ Episode 8 – “It’s Cow or Never”

    REVIEW: ‘Peacemaker’ Episode 8 – “It’s Cow or Never”

    After a six-week run, the first season of Peacemaker has come to an end with “It’s Cow or Never.” The series has seen some highs as James Gunn has yet again taken the comic book genre and flipped it on its head. This time he tackled one of DC’s most unknown characters, Peacemaker. The highly anticipated finale has finally arrived and proves why Gunn told people to avoid Social Media at all costs. The only question remains: did the finale live up to the rest of the show?

    Keep in mind, this review contains massive spoilers of the finale. So, only continue at your own risk.

    The Peacemaker finale does not waste a second, as we jump straight into the action. Our unlikely team is on their way to take down the “cow” teased during the previous episode’s final moments. John Cena‘s Peacemaker has gone through quite a bit in the past twenty-four hours, such as being betrayed by a friend and killing his father. That would obviously affect anyone’s mood with the betrayal of Adebayo hitting him especially hard. He proceeds to make fart noises over her attempted apology highlighting his childish way of handling these kinds of situations.

    One of the running jokes this season is that Peacemaker constantly rags on Economos, such as mocking his beard. It all built up to a surprising somber moment after he briefly tried to infiltrate the Butterfly’s hideout. While it felt a bit silly given the stakes of the story, it did give us some great character growth for everyone left on the team. It was a heartfelt moment that was important to build up the final confrontation.

    Peacemaker’s journey this season, strengthened by John Cena‘s performance is what truly carried the series. His work on the series is stunning, as he offers a strong emotional range from a character that once killed an entire village of people without batting an eye – no, we won’t talk about Rick Flag. The finale uses his character development to push his old belief in direct contrast to the lessons he learned throughout and what it means to have friends.

    The series doesn’t want to fully turn him into a boy scout just yet, as the final moments reveal his father is still haunting him. This is an element torn right from the comics but given a psychological twist. This time around isn’t the soul of his father living in his helmet, but a personification of his regrets. He also isn’t joining any superhero group, as the amazing surprise cameo by the Justice League gave him a moment to curse them out on being late and focusing on what is truly important.

    One of the series’ biggest strengths lies in how it uses parallels to further develop its characters, especially with Smith and Adebayo. They have similar parental situations and had to realize that they might not be as good as they once believed. After he was forced to face his father head-on, she decided to do the same by revealing Amanda Waller’s ties to Task Force X. Not only is it a way for her to make up for planting the diary but also to confront her demon. Plus, it got us a cameo by the always-amazing Viola Davis.

    The finale may have featured one of the series’ best action sequences. It highlights just how much effort has been put into the choreography of the series, as the all-out assault being played alongside the series’ theme song “Do Ya Wanna Taste It” gave us some memorable moments. We even get Peacemaker wielding a shield to play on the ongoing joke of him being a “douchy” version of Captain America.

    Ther is one oddity in this series that remains even in the final episode, Judomaster. While he provided some incredible beatdowns – Nhut Lee offering a fun performance throughout – he didn’t really provide that much to the series. He just showed up and kicked ass. There wasn’t much of a character arc outside of his love for snack food. The only reason he wasn’t a butterfly was revealed due to him buying into their vow, but it may be something that the now-confirmed second season might further explore.

    The first season of Peacemaker was truly something special and the finale offered a tense, fast-paced, and incredibly well-put-together 45-minute episode. James Gunn continues to be a powerhouse in the genre of comic book adaptations, and it’s no wonder DC wants to develop more projects. If this episode is anything to go by, the DCEU will be shaken up quite a bit moving forward, and I can’t wait to see more of John Cena in this role.