The DCU Just Rewrote The Origin of a Batman Character (& Removed the Dark Knight Entirely)

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Season two of *Peacemaker* is quickly building out the new DC Universe, officially establishing the 11th Street Kids and adding lots of new heroes and villains. The series introduces hilarious new character Langston Fleury (Tim Meadows) and Eagly’s rival, Red St. Wild (Michael Rooker), both created for the show. It also connects to the wider DC Universe, with appearances from characters in the upcoming *Superman* movie and even a cameo by Batman villain White Rabbit (Brey Noelle). Notably, the show subtly added a DC Comics character to the ARGUS team, keeping her in the background until the fifth episode completely changed her backstory, breaking a key connection to a major DC hero.

Season 2 of *Peacemaker* introduces Sasha Bordeaux (played by Sol Rodríguez) as a key member of ARGUS, reporting directly to the new director, Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo). She’s in charge of the continuing effort to monitor Christopher Smith (John Cena). Comic book fans will recognize Sasha Bordeaux as a character with a complicated past – she’s trained by Batman, worked with and against Amanda Waller, and underwent a transformation that made her part human, part machine. While many expected her appearance to be a simple reference to Batman’s world, the show is now establishing a new, separate origin story for her. Be warned: Spoilers ahead for Peacemaker Season 2, Episode 5.

Sasha Bordeaux’s Comic Book History

I first learned about Sasha Bordeaux when she showed up in *Detective Comics* #751. She was created by Greg Rucka and Shawn Martinbrough as this incredibly skilled Secret Service agent. Lucius Fox hired her to be Bruce Wayne’s personal bodyguard, which caused a lot of tension. She was dedicated to her job, but Bruce needed to keep his Batman identity a secret. Sasha wasn’t content just being an employee, so she started looking into why Bruce was always getting hurt and disappearing. Eventually, her investigation led her right to the Batcave! She figured out Bruce was Batman, and he had no choice but to bring her in on the secret and, after some hesitation, train her to work alongside him.

I’ve always been so impressed by Sasha’s unwavering dedication to Bruce Wayne, and the *Bruce Wayne: Murderer?* storyline really showcased it. When Bruce was falsely accused of murder, and Sasha got caught up in it too, she faced an impossible choice. Even with the police closing in, she refused to reveal Bruce’s secret identity to clear her own name. It led to her being convicted and sent to Blackgate, where she suffered terribly, but she *never* broke. It was heartbreaking when reports came out that she’d died after an attack in the prison infirmary. It felt like a huge loss, not just for Gotham, but for everyone connected to the Bat-Family. Her story was truly tragic, and I’ll always remember her sacrifice.

Sasha wasn’t actually killed; the secret organization Checkmate faked her death because they recognized her talent and wanted to recruit her. They gave her plastic surgery to change her appearance and brought her into the agency, where she quickly became a key figure. She became Maxwell Lord’s trusted second-in-command, known as the Black Knight, and helped lead Checkmate, which aimed to control the world’s super-powered individuals. This put her right in the middle of the massive Infinite Crisis event. She eventually learned that Lord’s real goal was to destroy all superheroes, and he started this plan by taking control of Batman’s Brother Eye satellite, using it to build an army of incredibly powerful OMAC cyborgs.

When Sasha tried to stop Lord, she was attacked and seriously wounded by an experimental OMAC soldier. But instead of dying, the attack unexpectedly changed her. The tiny nanites inside the OMAC merged with her body, healing her injuries and turning her into a combination of human and machine. Unlike the other OMACs, which were controlled by Brother Eye, Sasha kept her mind and ability to make her own choices. This gave her incredible strength, resilience, sharper senses, and the power to connect with technology, though it also meant losing part of what made her human.

I was so thrilled to see Sasha rise to lead the rebuilt Checkmate, officially backed by the UN – becoming the Black Queen was a huge moment! But honestly, it also meant constant conflict with Amanda Waller. Their styles just couldn’t be more different. Waller’s willingness to do *anything* with ARGUS and Task Force X constantly butted heads with Checkmate’s more by-the-book approach. It was a really intense rivalry, these two incredibly powerful women pulling strings and shaping world events, but always working against each other. You could feel the distrust in every interaction!

Peacemaker Season 2 Changes Sasha Bordeaux’s Backstory

The latest episode of *Peacemaker* shifts focus from the character’s comic book background to tell the story of Sasha Bordeaux. We see Sasha leading an ARGUS team – including Emilia Harcourt – trying to capture Peacemaker. As Peacemaker attempts to escape, Sasha has a clear shot at him, and a conversation with Rick Flag Sr. explains her unique skills. The episode shows us what Sasha sees – a high-tech, bionic interface that provides tactical information – confirming she’s more than just human.

John Economos later tells Harcourt the full story of Bordeaux’s past. Years before the series begins, Bordeaux was in a devastating plane crash that left her critically injured. The organization ARGUS rebuilt her, replacing almost half of her body with advanced technology before sending her back into the field. This new backstory erases any previous connection she had with Bruce Wayne. Considering Batman has already been established as active for years in the DC Universe through *Creature Commandos*, this change seems intentional, separating Bordeaux from her history in Gotham and firmly placing her within the realm of government spying.

Although this version of Sasha doesn’t seem connected to Batman, the show hints that her history – especially her relationships with Checkmate and Amanda Waller – could become important later. In this episode, Sasha clearly tries to get close to Rick Flag Sr., using flattery to win his trust. She seems most interested in finding out about his plans to get Peacemaker’s unique technology. This makes it seem like she might not be truly loyal to ARGUS. With a new TV show about Amanda Waller in the works, it’s possible Sasha is secretly spying for her former boss, providing information as Waller plans a return to power.

What are your thoughts on Sasha Bordeaux’s updated backstory? And do you suspect she might be secretly helping Amanda Waller? Share your opinions in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2025-09-19 14:42