The DCU’s Biggest Conflict Proves How Different This Universe Is from the MCU

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The season finale of Peacemaker—and potentially the series as a whole—hinted at a major development for the DC Universe. A new planet called “Salvation,” reachable through a doorway to other universes, will be used by A.R.G.U.S. and Rick Flag, Sr. to imprison metahumans. Unlike Marvel’s approach with singular villains like Loki or Thanos, the DCU seems to be building a conflict where the heroes and villains are at odds with the government itself. This represents a significant departure from the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s storytelling style.

A recent comic series introduced a new planet, leading many DC fans to expect that world to be central to the future of the DC Universe. However, James Gunn recently told YouTubers Ryan Arey, Heather Antos, and Erik Voss that Darkseid won’t be the main villain. While Jack Kirby’s New Gods will still be part of the DCU, Gunn has already written a complete script for a Mister Miracle series by Tom King. Gunn doesn’t want to rush into a large story with Darkseid, especially given his similarities to Thanos and his previous appearance in Zack Snyder’s Justice League. Instead, the overarching conflict of the DCU will build on ideas first presented in Superman and expanded in Season 2 of Peacemaker. The DCU acknowledges that metahumans – people with superpowers – already exist in the world, and they’re not uncommon. Some, like the Justice Gang, work for companies, while others, like Superman, operate independently. Flag, Sr. and the organization A.R.G.U.S. are responsible for monitoring metahuman activity, and a group called Salvation offers them a way to eliminate all metahumans, both heroes and villains. This approach to superpowered individuals is different from how the Marvel Cinematic Universe has handled the same concept.

The MCU Integrated Their Biggest Heroes Into the Governmental Infrastructure

From the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, S.H.I.E.L.D. worked with and kept tabs on the first heroes with special abilities. Despite Tony Stark’s claim of handling world peace on his own, S.H.I.E.L.D. maintained control over these heroes. Unlike Thunderbolt Ross, Natasha Romanoff was able to convince Bruce Banner (and his alter ego) to join them in the first Avengers movie. After being revived, Captain America immediately rejoined a government organization and remained with them until he exposed and dismantled both HYDRA and S.H.I.E.L.D. in The Winter Soldier. Essentially, this secretive agency aimed to recruit these powerful individuals and bring them under its control.

Even after the Avengers started operating as a private team from Stark Tower, they still had connections to S.H.I.E.L.D. through Maria Hill and Nick Fury, who appeared in Age of Ultron to offer support and help save the city of Sokovia. While Captain America, Falcon, Black Widow, and Wanda Maximoff went into hiding, the other Avengers didn’t seem to be actively searching for them, as shown in Infinity War. Later, in Brave New World, Captain America and the new Falcon begin working with the military, accepting help from President Thunderbolt Ross.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is starting to show tension between its heroes and government organizations. The Department of Damage Control, though seen briefly in Spider-Man and Ms. Marvel, was originally created by Stark Industries to manage the aftermath of superhero battles and secure risky technology. Now, they seem to be acting more like a police force for the heroes themselves. However, what drives the Department and its agents isn’t yet clear within the MCU.

The Heroes of the DCU Avoid Working for the Government (Unless Forced to Do It)

During the same interview where James Gunn discussed Darkseid, he also mentioned he had previously been developing Creature Commandos. Dean Lorey, the showrunner, was aware of the larger story arc, unlike with the first season. Because Gunn wrote the Superman animated series and Season 2 of Peacemaker simultaneously, Lorey and the other writers likely knew about the ‘Salvation’ twist all along. Given Gunn’s consistent statements about the future DC Universe featuring a broad conflict between metahumans and organizations like A.R.G.U.S. and the government, it’s logical that Season 2 of Creature Commandos will explore this theme. After all, Task Force X and Task Force M are the only teams that directly work for the government, and they’re compelled to do so as prisoners.

The Justice Gang is financed by billionaire Maxwell Lord. Although current projects don’t show it, it’s likely Lord has agreements with cities like Metropolis that allow the team to intervene. Guy Gardner’s comments after the kaiju battle in Superman seemed like a promotional pitch. However, the Justice Gang’s involvement in the Boravia conflict wasn’t officially authorized. Lord’s wealth and influence probably protect them from consequences for now, but it’s uncertain how long A.R.G.U.S. will continue to support Lord Tech. Other heroes, such as Superman and Batman, operate completely independently.

As a huge DC fan, I’ve been thinking about this ‘Salvation’ doorway and who might end up going through it. It seems pretty clear Lex Luthor won’t be one of the first – he was helping set it up, so sending him through wouldn’t make sense. And honestly, I don’t expect we’ll see major villains shipped off there before we even really get to know them in the new DCU. With projects like Supergirl and Lanterns on the horizon, I have a feeling the whole Salvation planet storyline might take a backseat for a while. I’m guessing we’ll see characters pop up in those shows and movies first, and then maybe, after their initial story arc, they’ll end up going to Salvation. It also feels like this whole conflict between metahumans and the government – A.R.G.U.S., specifically – is going to be a slow burn. It’s not going to really explode until James Gunn and Peter Safran are ready to properly introduce the Justice League. It’s all building, and I’m excited to see where it goes!

How the MCU and DCU Heroes Interact With Public Power Makes Them Different

The Sokovia Accords from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which caused the conflict between Iron Man and Captain America, initially suggested a larger debate about superhero accountability. However, the movies and shows never fully explored how this policy actually worked in practice. It wasn’t until near the end of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law that we learned the real focus of the Accords wasn’t about controlling powerful beings or maintaining order. Instead, the story revolved around the personal histories of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers. Even in Avengers: Infinity War, the heroes’ defeat wasn’t due to government intervention – they lost because they weren’t united.

The tension between people with superpowers and the government isn’t an open war, but more of a silent struggle. As seen in Superman, Kal-El chose to surrender to A.R.G.U.S. instead of fighting Lex Luthor’s Planetwatch. Characters like Judo Master, Emilia Harcourt, and John Economos continued working with A.R.G.U.S. for some time. The Justice Gang clearly has connections to local and possibly federal authorities thanks to Lord Tech. Plus, the disappearance of supervillains sent to Salvation isn’t likely to be investigated until a well-known hero is sent there, potentially raising awareness within the DC Universe.

The dynamic between heroes and A.R.G.U.S. in the DCU feels very different from the relationship most Marvel heroes had with S.H.I.E.L.D. While both organizations sometimes disagreed, they generally shared the same goals. Because the DCU has dealt with people with powers for 300 years, the public and government have a different perspective on their place in society. For characters like Flag Sr. and even Lex Luthor’s group, and for A.R.G.U.S. itself, the priority is simply global safety – they don’t get caught up in labeling someone a hero or villain. This approach promises a more complex conflict within the DCU and sets it apart from the MCU.

You can watch DC Universe movies and shows on HBO Max, and Marvel Cinematic Universe content on Disney+.

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2025-10-26 04:37