34 Years Later, the DCU Just Put a Twist on an Iconic Sci-Fi Moment in the Best Way

by

James Gunn frequently includes pop culture references in his work. The beginning of Guardians of the Galaxy famously features Star-Lord dancing to Redbone’s “Come and Get Your Love,” and that’s just one example. The movie series repeatedly references Kevin Bacon and Footloose to the point where Drax and Mantis actually kidnap the actor in The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, giving him to Peter Quill as a present. However, Gunn generally avoids drawing attention to other projects his actors have been involved in. For instance, no one points out the resemblance between Gamora and Uhura, or that Groot’s voice sounds a lot like a well-known character with a strong focus on family.

Now that Gunn leads DC Studios, he has more creative freedom than he did at Disney. He’s willing to take bigger risks, like having a major villain kill someone simply for assisting a hero. The DC Universe is also embracing pop culture heavily, even letting one of its actors fulfill a lifelong dream – something they’ve wanted for over thirty years.

Peacemaker Finally Makes Its Connection to Terminator Obvious

The excitement for the last episodes of Peacemaker Season 2 is greater than anything DC television has experienced before. Episode 6, “Ignorance Is Chris,” finally reveals the truth about Earth-2, showing that it’s actually a version of Earth-X, a world where the Nazis won World War II. At the beginning of Episode 7, Christopher Smith and Emilia Harcourt are in a very difficult situation, as the full force of A.R.G.U.S. is about to overwhelm them. They manage to escape on Peacemaker’s motorcycle, but are quickly surrounded by police officers who aren’t friendly. However, before the authorities can arrest them, Blue Dragon and Captain Triumph arrive and eliminate all of the officers. Blue Dragon doesn’t have time for explanations, simply stating, “The two of you want to live, you come with us now.”

To someone unfamiliar with the films, this line may not seem significant, but it’s remarkably similar to a phrase heard in almost every Terminator movie. In James Cameron’s 1984 film, the Terminator robot attacks Sarah Connor, and Kyle Reese steps in to rescue her. All he manages to say amidst the chaos is, “Come with me if you want to live.” The line reappears in Terminator 2: Judgement Day when the T-800 arrives to protect Sarah from the even more frightening T-1000, portrayed by Robert Patrick, known for his role in Blue Dragon. These two characters are vastly different; the T-1000 is a cold and calculating machine, while the actor Blue Dragon embodies a heroic character with a kind heart, but they share at least one thing in common.

Blue Dragon and the T-1000 End Up in the Same Place

Patrick’s first DC character, White Dragon, is more akin to a relentless machine like the Terminator – he harbors intense hatred for specific groups and is determined to eliminate them completely. It’s natural to think Blue Dragon shares these traits, but that assumption proves to be incorrect. In Peacemaker Season 2, Episode 7, “Like a Keith in the Night,” the leader of the Top Trio reveals he isn’t like the Nazis who control the world and genuinely wants to be a force for good. This revelation comes as a shock to everyone from Earth-One, but they don’t have long to process it before they face a new problem.

When Vigilante appears, he immediately attacks and kills Blue Dragon. This isn’t the first time the author, Patrick, has written a character’s death – readers will remember the T-1000 being destroyed at the end of Terminator 2. At least Blue Dragon can take pride in fighting for what was right, something his robotic counterpart couldn’t claim.

Peacemaker Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/3-major-questions-about-dcu-supergirl-after-superman-and-justice-league-retcon/embed/#

Read More

2025-10-05 02:40