Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 1 Review: A Multiverse of Bad Decisions.
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros Discovery.
It’s been almost three years since we last saw our boy Peacemaker. With DC now under James Gunn’s leadership, fans weren’t sure if—or how—Chris Smith would fit into his new vision for the DCU. Luckily, he’s found his place. The long-awaited second season is finally here, and the cherry on top? Peacemaker is officially canon within the DCU.
If you’re jumping in right after Superman, brace yourself—the tonal shift is wild. David Corenswet’s Superman brought bright, hopeful, good-guy energy, but all of that goes out the window here. Peacemaker is raunchy, violent, overflowing with expletives, and yes—even features full-frontal nudity in the very first episode.
Still, I couldn’t be happier that the show is back, and I can’t wait to see what this season has in store. Let’s get into the review.
Season 2 kicks off with a recap of Season 1, but with a twist: certain moments are subtly altered to fit James Gunn’s new DCU. The biggest change comes in the Justice League cameo, which now features shadowy silhouettes of the Justice Gang from last month’s Superman, including Milly Alcock’s Supergirl, whose solo film lands in 2026.
From there, we jump back to Peacemaker, woken by Eagly and stumbling into a quantum unfolding chamber that leads to another dimension—where he sees his dead father. The strange part? He shuts the door and just carries on with his day. Sure, he circles back later, but if I opened a portal to another dimension and saw my dead dad, there’s no way I’d just shrug it off.
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros Discovery.
After this, Peacemaker tries to join the Justice Gang, only to be mocked and shut down. We also catch up with the rest of the crew, and things aren’t looking great. Harcourt can’t land a government job, Leota’s laying low after exposing her mom, and Vigilante is stuck in a 9-to-5. The only one holding steady is John Economos, still at his same post.
The story then circles back to that strange door Peacemaker casually ignored earlier. When he finally goes through, he finds himself in another dimension where not only is his father alive, but so is his brother—the one he accidentally killed as a kid. Multiverse plots are everywhere these days and can feel tired, but James Gunn has the ability to give it real emotional weight instead of empty spectacle.
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros Discovery.
By the end of the episode, things take a turn. The Peacemaker from this new dimension comes home, finds our Peacemaker, and the two end up fighting. In the chaos, Christopher accidentally kills his counterpart—a brutal reminder that wherever Peacemaker goes, death seems to follow. But here’s the twist: with this world’s Peacemaker gone, our Chris suddenly has the chance to step into his shoes. In this dimension, his brother is alive, and his dad seems like a far better man. For once, happiness might actually be within reach.
That’s what makes this setup so compelling—because deep down, Peacemaker is a guy desperate for love, family, and redemption, but he’s cursed with violence trailing behind him. This “do-over” universe could be the one place he finally gets everything he’s ever wanted—or the cruelest trick yet. If Gunn leans into that emotional weight while keeping the same chaotic, unfiltered energy from Season 1, Season 2 could end up being even stronger than the first.
Peacemaker Season 2 is streaming now exclusively on HBO Max, with a total of eight episodes. New episodes drop every Thursday at 9 p.m., giving fans plenty to look forward to each week. If the premiere is anything to go by, we’re in for a season that’s just as chaotic, hilarious, and unexpectedly heartfelt as the first—maybe even more so.
