Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 3 Review: Chris Hits His Stride.
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Another week, another Peacemaker episode — and honestly, Episode 3 might be the best of the series so far. With the recent announcement of Superman: Man of Tomorrow (dropping July 2027), the hype around this season is only getting stronger. Where Episode 2 slowed things down with exposition, Episode 3 cranks the dial back up and reminds us exactly who Peacemaker is: a violent, unapologetic man who kills first and maybe asks questions later. The action hits harder, the comedy lands, and there are even a few surprisingly heartfelt moments between Chris and Emilia.
That said, something about this “perfect” dimension feels off. Sure, Chris is celebrated as a hero, but it’s a world where violence is praised and mass murder makes you a celebrity. Doesn’t exactly scream paradise. I can’t quite put my finger on it yet, but I have a feeling we’ll find out soon enough.
Episode 3 kicks off with a flashback set three years ago, where we see Emilia Harcourt and Rick Flag Jr. caught up in a messy little situationship before Rick left for Corto Maltese—where Peacemaker would eventually kill him. The real eyebrow-raiser here is Rick casually mentioning his relationship with June. Could this be James Gunn sneaking Enchantress from 2016’s Suicide Squad into the new DCU canon? Hard to say, but it’s definitely something worth keeping an eye on.
After that flashback, we cut back to Chris waking up in his doppelganger’s bed, where his older brother Keith checks in on him. It’s a surprisingly sweet moment, especially considering the guilt Chris still carries for accidentally killing Keith in his own dimension when they were kids. From there, Chris suddenly remembers he’s late for a meeting with Emilia, throws on his gear, and heads out—cue the debut of the Peace-cycle. And honestly? Life looks pretty perfect for him. He’s cruising through traffic, fans are snapping pics, people are cheering him on… it almost feels too perfect.
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Chris shows up at A.R.G.U.S. to meet Emilia, only to find out that in this dimension Rick Flag is still alive and apparently dating her. This version of Rick is nothing like the one we knew before; he’s jittery, awkward, and a little insecure. Chris and Emilia leave the office to spend some time together, and it turns into another heartfelt moment, the kind of connection Chris has been chasing since the season started. They even share a meaningful conversation about their future.
Of course, peace never lasts long. Just as their date wraps up, the Sons of Liberty cause chaos in the streets, and from here the episode kicks into high gear with some brutal and well-choreographed action which is exactly the kind of Peacemaker energy I was waiting to see. Still, something about it feels off. Citizens are cheering Chris for mowing people down, and Captain Triumph blows up a helicopter without a second thought for the people below. Nobody questions it, nobody bats an eye. Maybe I’m overthinking it, but I can’t shake the feeling that James Gunn has bigger plans for this dimension.
If this episode is any indication, the rest of the season is about to get really interesting. James Gunn has been unusually quiet about the final three episodes, which has fans speculating that we could see David Corenswet’s Superman or Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor make an appearance, especially since Superman: Man of Tomorrow picks up right after this season in the DCU timeline. Episode 3 is streaming now on HBO Max, with new episodes dropping every Thursday, so this is the perfect time to catch up and see where things go next.
