Peacemaker (2022)

Peak fiction

**The Bully is a Hero**

Not long ago, I didn't even know who the DC character "Peacemaker" was. When Alan Moore wrote the famous graphic novel "Watchmen", his original intention was to use the Charlton Comics heroes that DC had just acquired, with a pitch titled exactly "Who Killed the Peacemaker?". Since DC didn't let him use those characters to avoid making them unusable for future stories, Moore was forced to create equivalents: that's how "Peacemaker" became the direct inspiration and blueprint for bringing "The Comedian" to life.

After introducing John Cena and his costume in "The Suicide Squad" (2021), the great James Gunn decided to keep Christopher Smith's story going in an 8-episode series written during the pandemic. Christopher Smith is forced to join a new black-ops team known as "Project Butterfly". Their mission is to identify and stop parasitic alien creatures that take over human bodies by entering through "any of their orifices"—literally—controlling their urges while keeping the host's memories and personality. Throughout the different missions, Smith has to deal with his own morality, his complicated relationship with his white supremacist father (the White Dragon), and the trauma of his past. Little by little, we get to know more about the quirks of these aliens and their reasons for taking over Earth through its people.

When it was announced that James Gunn would dedicate a series to Peacemaker (one of the most divisive characters in the movie) a lot of people wondered if the premise could hold up. The result has been mind-blowingly addictive, becoming one of the best additions to the DC onscreen universe. The production is a whirlwind of brutal action, irreverent humor, and, surprisingly, a deep psychological exploration.

With James Gunn's unmistakable style (from the now-legendary choreography in the opening credits to the masterful use of hair metal and classic rock tracks), the series oozes that anarchic, passionate energy that defines the director, who also made the Guardians of the Galaxy saga. The violence in Peacemaker is graphic and comically over-the-top, but never pointless; it always works to push the plot forward or to highlight the ridiculous nature of the world the main character lives in.

I don't understand how this show has such a high rating and such high praise. Four episodes in and I gave up and just read the wiki pages for the last four episodes.

I feel like both Peacemaker and Harcourt as I watch this; I don't understand why the !@#$ we're here doing any of this because I'm not being told anything, and I don't understand why I'm surrounded by !@#$ing morons.

The only part of this story that has any weight to it is Peacemaker's relationship with his father.

There's certainly entertainment here, else I wouldn't have sat through four episodes, but it's wrapped up in so much brain-dead garbage that it's like watching Whedon's Josstice League and Snyder's Excessive Justice Cut back-to-back.

Holy !@#$. Maybe I'm just not in the mood for it.

Why is Adebayo so... clownish? We started the series with Waller trying to guilt trip her into staying on the payroll because she's supposedly exceptional, except we don't see that on screen at all!

By comparison, MCU's Ironheart is currently sitting at 57%. Explain that to me, because the first three episodes of Ironheart were overall more entertaining than the first four episodes of this.

## **Peacemaker is a Flawless Masterpiece**

Let’s be unequivocal: the first two seasons of James Gunn’s *Peacemaker* are not just great television; they are a rare, explosive, and emotionally resonant masterpiece that achieves a perfect 10/10. In a landscape crowded with superhero media, this series is a glorious, blood-soaked, and unexpectedly heartfelt unicorn. It takes a D-list DC villain—a man whose entire personality is built on a ridiculous helmet and a questionable moral compass—and crafts one of the most compelling character arcs in modern fiction.

### The Gunn-verse Unchained

If *The Suicide Squad* (2021) let James Gunn off his leash, *Peacemaker* gives him the keys to the entire kingdom. The show is a pure, unfiltered distillation of his sensibilities: a perfect alchemy of crass humour, hyper-violent action, a killer hair-metal soundtrack, and a shocking, genuine heart. The premise is deceptively simple: after the events of *The Suicide Squad*, Christopher Smith / Peacemaker (John Cena) is forced to work with a ragtag, deeply dysfunctional black-ops team on "Project Butterfly"—a mission to stop an alien parasite invasion. The genius lies in the execution.

### Season 1: The Perfect Blueprint

The first season is a flawless eight-episode arc. It masterfully balances:

* **Hilarious, Unapologetic Humour:** The dialogue is relentlessly witty, profane, and absurd. From the deeply philosophical debates about music to the sheer horror of "eating a whole bowl of dicks," the show is laugh-out-loud funny from start to finish.
* **Shockingly Deep Character Work:** We expect jokes and action, but we get a profound exploration of toxic masculinity, parental abuse, and the struggle for redemption. Peacemaker starts as a pathetic, brainwashed bigot and evolves into a man painfully learning to feel empathy. John Cena delivers a performance that should have garnered every award available, blending physical comedy with stunning vulnerability.
* **A Perfectly Balanced Ensemble Cast:** Every character is iconic. Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo, the moral compass with a secret; Jennifer Holland's stoic yet damaged Emilia Harcourt; Steve Agee's kind-hearted John Economos; and the scene-stealing, universe-altering performance by Freddie Stroma as Vigilante, the hilariously psychotic and fiercely loyal best friend. Their chemistry is electric.
* **The Greatest Opening Credits Ever Put to Film:** The solemn, perfectly choreographed dance sequence to Wig Wam’s "Do Ya Wanna Taste It" is un-skippable. It sets the tone immediately: this show doesn't take itself seriously, but it is dead-serious about its characters.

### Season 2: The Triumphant, Meta Evolution

Somehow, Season 2 elevates the formula. Picking up after the events of the *Blue Beetle* post-credit scene, it deals with the fallout of the DCU reboot in the most brilliant, meta-textual way possible. The "butterfly" infection is gone, but a new, more insidious threat emerges: Peacemaker's own irrelevance and his team's fractured dynamic in a universe that has seemingly forgotten them.

* **Deepened Relationships:** The bonds forged in Season 1 are tested, broken, and reforged with even greater strength. The exploration of friendship, forgiveness, and found family hits even harder.
* **Vigilante's Ascension:** Freddie Stroma cements his status as one of the greatest comedic characters in TV history, with an arc that is both ridiculously funny and strangely touching.
* **Narrative Ambition:** By making the central conflict internal and existential, Gunn avoids the "bigger villain" trap. The season is a masterclass in character-driven storytelling, proving that the biggest battles are often the ones we fight with our own demons and our past.

### The Verdict: A Perfect 10/10

*Peacemaker* is television firing on all cylinders. It is a show that makes you cry from laughter one moment and from a raw, emotional gut-punch the next. It features career-best performances, a flawless soundtrack, thrilling action, and, at its core, a powerful message about choosing to be better, no matter how fucked up your start in life was.

It is the gold standard for what a comic book adaptation can be: bold, personal, hilarious, and profoundly human. It is, in a word, perfect.

... I only hope there is a season 3!!!