In a rather intricate narrative landscape, the second season of “Peacemaker,” created by James Gunn, finds itself situated. The initial season was part of the now-defunct DC Extended Universe, where the title character initially appeared in the series “The Suicide Squad.” However, its sequel falls under the freshly minted DC Universe, spearheaded by Gunn, that encompasses 2025’s “Superman.” Some characters will reappear, while others won’t, but it should all come together coherently. The most notable challenge in these changes, particularly with regards to “Peacemaker,” is the Justice League.
In the finale of “Peacemaker” Season 1, a new team was subtly introduced, with brief appearances by Jason Momoa as Aquaman and Ezra Miller as The Flash. It also hinted at Henry Cavill’s Superman and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, but those were different days for DC Universe. Since then, Cavill’s Superman reappeared only to vanish again, while “The Flash” and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” didn’t do well at the box office. Later, Gunn and Safran took control of DC, aiming to redefine its direction. Interestingly, this new vision no longer involves the Justice League. In fact, “Peacemaker” Season 2 revised that scene and expunged the team from the DC Universe’s official storyline. Spoiler alert for Peacemaker Season 2, Episode 1.
How Peacemaker Season 2 Retcons The Justice League
In a refreshing update, three years after the debut of Season 1, Peacemaker’s second season starts by revisiting key events, albeit with some modifications. For instance, instead of explicitly mentioning the Justice League in a dialogue delivered by Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo, she now refers to them as “Justice Gang.” This revised team includes Nathan Fillion portraying Guy Gardner’s Green Lantern, Isabela Merced embodying Hawkgirl, and Edi Gathegi representing Mister Terrific – characters that hail from the Superman universe.
The narrative continues with a reenactment of the arrival scene, but this time it’s referred to as the Justice Gang arriving instead. Superman stays put, but he’s meant to be portrayed by David Corenswet instead of Cavill. Additionally, there’s space for a shadow of Milly Alcock’s Supergirl, alongside the previously mentioned trio. Green Lantern and Hawkgirl are present as well, although their roles might change as the season unfolds. Maxwell Lord, who is the mastermind behind the team, also pops up in Season 2 of “Peacemaker”.
The decision, not being a shock, was expected given its source of ambiguity. Furthermore, Gunn had hinted at it way back in November 2024, stating to IGN: “In reality, most of Peacemaker aligns with the canon, except for Justice League… which we’ll address in the upcoming season of Peacemaker.
As the anticipation builds for Season 2 of Peacemaker, Gunn expressed his thoughts at a press gathering, which ComicBook was present at. He explained why he opted for a simpler approach instead of a more intricate multiverse reset. Essentially, he suggested that it wouldn’t matter if Season 2’s Peacemaker wasn’t exactly the DCEU Peacemaker, as he could simply walk through a portal and that would be where the DCEU Peacemaker was. In his words, “I could have done it, but people worry about how ordinary viewers will understand it. The truth is, ordinary viewers don’t care about all these detailed canonicities.
Gunn explained that fans might react with excitement when hearing about Peacemaker and Superman or Aliens and Predator teaming up. This doesn’t have to be consistent with what’s come before, he said. Instead, he decided on a straightforward approach: “This world is slightly different.” We know there are multiple universes, and this one is just like season one – except for the Justice League and Batmite being present in it.
What Peacemaker’s Justice League Retcon Means
In simpler terms, the change made in Season 2 of Peacemaker, where the Justice League was replaced with the Justice Gang, aligns well with the current DC Universe’s storyline, which is a thoughtful adjustment. This alteration not only sparks discussions about what stories are valid within this universe, but also impacts the direction of this growing shared universe moving forward.
Significantly, this strengthens the Justice Gang’s position as the leading superhero team within the DC Universe. Previously, Superman had been laying the groundwork for this, so it makes sense that they would continue to develop in this way. Fillion is also set to appear in the 2026 movie “Lanterns,” and it’s anticipated that these characters will feature prominently in what Gunn refers to as the next installment of the “Superman saga.” This movie may include Corenswet’s Clark Kent, but it doesn’t appear to be a direct sequel. The future roles of these characters are yet undecided, but it seems that Guy Gardner, Hawkgirl, and Mister Terrific will all play important parts as the DC Universe grows further.
This scene hints at a degree of collaboration between Superman and Supergirl we haven’t witnessed before. In this instance, Supergirl appears to be under the influence, which presents an alternate portrayal of the Woman of Tomorrow for her 2026 standalone film. However, this scene implies that in the future, possibly during the “Superman saga” movie, we might witness the Kryptonian cousins uniting as a team more profoundly – potentially leading to a full-fledged Superman and Supergirl movie. It remains uncertain if they are permanent members of the Justice League or merely offering assistance.
The Justice League from the DC Universe is another significant aspect that Gunn hasn’t fully detailed yet, but it’s likely they will be assembled at some point. Superman is already part of the lineup, additional Green Lanterns are being introduced (the Lanterns are expected to include both Hal Jordan and John Stewart), and there are definite plans for a new Batman and Wonder Woman in this universe. It seems logical that Gunn would introduce these characters individually – likely including a new Aquaman and Flash as well at some stage – before bringing them together. The rewrite of the Peacemaker character provides a clean slate, making it easier to integrate these characters into the canon when the time comes.
Enjoy the premiere of “Season 2, Episode 1” of Peacemaker, currently available for streaming on HBO Max. Fresh episodes are scheduled to drop every Thursday at 9pm Eastern Time!
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2025-08-22 04:10