Peacemaker season 2 episode 8 is out now – and it drops some huge clues about the place the DC Universe (DCU) may go subsequent.
Titled ‘Full Nelson’, the HBO Max TV present’s finale – and, probably, last-ever episode – feels fairly rushed for a near-hour-long episode. Nonetheless, whereas it does not dwell as much as expectations, it does ship on some fronts, together with the organising of a possible Peacemaker spin-off and Man of Tomorrow, the latter being the follow-up to 2025’s Superman film.
As the credits roll on this season’s final chapter, I imagine you’ve got lots of questions about the above and other things that happened in ‘Full Nelson’ – and I’m going to do my best to answer them. Full spoilers immediately follow for Peacemaker‘s season 2 finale, so don’t proceed unless you’ve seen it.
Who dies in Peacemaker season 2 episode 8?
Thankfully, nobody important. Sure, a bunch of ARGUS agents die at the hands of the various monstrosities that inhabit the different dimensions that are explored by said agency’s employees. That number includes Agent Clyne, whose face is munched on by the tiny, flesh-eating imps that populate a Willy Wonka-like world.
Peacemaker season 2‘s predominant forged, although, all make it out alive. That means the titular anti-hero, the remainder of the 11th Street Kids (together with Eagly!), and characters who made their live-action DCU debuts on this present – Rick Flag Sr, Sasha Bordeaux, and Langston Fleury – survive.
That mentioned, it isn’t all excellent news for all the above people. Or, to be extra exact, Chris Smith, aka Peacemaker…
Salvation explained: what is the new world we see in the Peacemaker season 2 finale?
In the season 2 finale’s final sequence, Smith is kidnapped by ARGUS agents and brought back to their headquarters. Arriving at ARGUS HQ, he’s greeted by Flag Sr, the institute’s acting director, and sent through a doorway to Salvation, aka the seemingly idyllic world that was discovered during ARGUS’ exploration of other realities in ‘Full Nelson’.
Confused, Smith asks Flag Sr what’s going on. The latter tells Smith that he’s being used as a guinea pig so ARGUS can study the effects of Salvation’s atmosphere, environment, and other potentially deadly things on the human body.
The reason Smith was selected? Because, understandably, Flag Sr still wants revenge for Smith killing Flag Sr’s son in 2021’s The Suicide Squad. Cue Flag Sr and firm closing the one doorway to Salvation as Smith races in the direction of it in a bid to flee. Trapped and alone, Smith hears one thing roar from a close-by forest. Screen cuts to black. Roll credit.
OK, so what precisely is Salvation? Well, aside from the truth that it seems to be liveable, Flag Sr views it as a prison-like world that metahumans may be despatched to – completely, would possibly I add – in the event that they pose a risk to the DCU’s planet Earth. The US authorities appears to be on board with Flag Sr’s plan, too, particularly after Flag Sr convinces them that Lex Luthor, who’s seemingly Flag Sr’s finest bud now, might need been onto one thing along with his extreme dislike for metahumans.
Smith is perhaps Salvation’s first inmate, however he definitely will not be its final. In truth, its introduction would possibly function a jumping-off level for different DCU Chapter One initiatives, together with the sequel to 2025’s Superman. Speaking of which…
How DC Comics’ Salvation Run might set up Man of Tomorrow, aka James Gunn’s Superman sequel
Salvation isn’t a novel concept that DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn created for Peacemaker. It’s a world that really exists in DC Comics, and there is a particular restricted sequence, titled ‘Salvation Run’, which may maintain some clues as to what’s to return in Gunn’s Superman sequel.
Based on a pitch from none apart from Game of Thrones creator George RR Martin, ‘Salvation Run’ is a seven-issue sequence that ran from November 2007 to June 2008. In it, supervillains captured by The Suicide Squad had been despatched to and imprisoned on a planet referred to as Salvation. There, DC’s numerous Big Bads type alliances to both attempt to escape this world, or settle for their destiny and determine to rule over it.
Speaking on the season 2 finale version of The Official Peacemaker Podcast, Gunn says Salvation “is where we’re sort of beginning part of the larger story in the DCU”. So, it’s going to be integral to this franchise’s overarching narrative transferring ahead, together with Gunn’s Superman follow-up.
What’s attention-grabbing about Salvation – or, to name it by its science-designated title, Cygnus 4019 – is definitely a ‘coaching world’ for the New Gods of Apokolips. This is the planet dominated by Darkseid, aka certainly one of DC Comics’ most iconic supervillains.
OK, so what’s this obtained to do with Man of Tomorrow? Well, Darkseid will not be the first villain of that piece. He’s extra more likely to be a Thanos-level risk who pops up on the finish of DCU Chapter One, titled ‘Gods and Monsters’, or in a future DCU saga.
However, it is attainable that DeSaad, certainly one of Darkseid’s lieutenants who oversees the New Gods’ coaching program on Salvation, could possibly be Man of Tomorrow‘s major antagonist. That would imply we had been all improper to imagine that Gunn was teasing Brainiac would be Man of Tomorrow‘s villain when he shared that film’s finished script in mid-September. But hey, we will not be proper about every thing.
If – and it is nonetheless an enormous if – DeSaad is Man of Tomorrow‘s Big Bad, he is definitely a supervillain highly effective sufficient to power archenemies Superman and Lex Luthor to group up. Gunn has already confirmed that Man of Tomorrow will be “a story about Lex and Superman having to work together”, so it is perhaps that they should set their variations apart to stop DeSaad from invading Earth if DeSaad learns about mentioned world.
Admittedly, that is all simply hypothesis at this level. Salvation’s inclusion in one of many best HBO Max shows‘ newest finale would possibly set the stage for it to be a key location in Man of Tomorrow, with Supes and Luthor probably being marooned on it sooner or later.
Alternatively, it could lay the groundwork for a totally completely different DCU venture, which simply so occurred to be teased in ‘Full Nelson’…
Checkmate explained: what is the new agency that’s set up in Peacemaker’s season 2 finale?
After they track down an on-the-run Smith and Eagly, the 11th Street Kids – Emilia Harcourt, John Economos, Leota Adebayo, and Adrian Chase/Vigilante – convince Smith that he’s not the cursed monster he claims he is.
Indeed, they suggest it’s not too late to be the hero he’s always wanted to be. And, armed with Adebayo’s dream of establishing a new spy agency and a boatload of cash (read: blood money) that Chase has stored in his mom’s basement, the group, with an assured Smith among them, set out to be the heroic counterpart to the increasingly nefarious ARGUS.
Introducing Checkmate, a new organization born out of Adebayo’s spy agency blueprint and funded by Chase’s secret cash pile. Smith and the 11th Street Kids aren’t its only employees, either – indeed, alienated by the wicked turn ARGUS has taken, Sasha Bordeaux, Langston Fleury, and Rip Jagger/Judomaster are also along for the ride.
Like planet Salvation, Checkmate isn’t something concocted by Gunn.
Established in ‘Action Comics #598’ in March 1988, Checkmate is a covert operations agency set up by Amanda Waller that’s included the likes of Peacemaker, Vigilante, and Bordeaux among its roster. Characters who’ve appeared in other DCU films and TV shows, such as Creature Commandos‘ GI Robot, Superman‘s Mister Terrific, and Peacemaker 2‘s Maxwell Lord, have additionally been a part of its line-up.
In my Peacemaker season 2 finale predictions piece, I instructed Checkmate can be established within the DCU and even be a spin-off of the aforementioned present. However, on the time of publication, a Checkmate TV sequence hasn’t been introduced. But, with a 3rd season of Peacemaker trying extremely unlikely (extra on this in a second), I would not be shocked if Gunn confirms Checkmate is in improvement someday quickly.
It seems like which may occur within the close to future, too. Speaking on the most recent episode of the Official Peacemaker Podcast, Gunn mentioned: “Peacemaker can be again [but] as this TV present? We’ll see precisely what type [that takes]. We have plans”, earlier than including we’ll see the sequence’ major forged “in the future of the DCU in not too long”.
Will there be a Peacemaker season 3?
Not with that exact title. Speaking in late September, Gunn indicated that Peacemaker season 2 wouldn’t get a sequel. Speaking on the Official Peacemaker Podcast’s season 2 finale episode, Gunn doubled down on that declare, saying: “This is the ultimate episode of Peacemaker season 2… [and] perhaps the ultimate episode of Peacemaker, actually.”
However, with Checkmate now established within the DCU, it is attainable {that a} Checkmate TV present can be Peacemaker season 3 in all however title. Smith’s disappearance may type the premise of its plot, too, along with his allies utilizing their sources to search out out precisely what’s occurred to him. So, whereas Peacemaker 3 is not technically within the DCU’s future, a possible Checkmate off-shoot could possibly be.
Are there any cameos in Peacemaker season 2’s final episode?
Nope. In the season 2 finale predictions piece I linked to earlier, I speculated on the prospect of seeing Superman or even Robert Pattinson’s Batman in ‘Full Nelson’. I additionally mentioned the prospect of the latter occurring in a Peacemaker season 2 episode 8 trailer fan theory article.
Neither of these cameos – or any others, for that matter – occurred, although, in order that’s one factor I guessed incorrectly!
In the hours since ‘Full Nelson’ dropped, its lack of cameos has trigger a ruckus inside the DCU fandom.
Indeed, followers have taken to social media and boards of their droves to criticize Gunn’s hyping up of this season’s finale and the supposedly crowd-pleasing cameos it could comprise. So, whereas there are many viewers who’re proud of how ‘Full Nelson’ panned out and what it probably units up for future DCU productions, individuals aren’t happy in regards to the lack of wider DCU character appearances.
Are there any mid-credits or post-credits scenes in Peacemaker season 2’s eighth chapter?
Yes, there are a few finish credit stingers. However, like its forebears’ post-credits scenes, they’re simply joke-laden extensions of sequences that really made it into the episode.
The first, which takes place when Flag Sr is telling high-ranking Pentagon officers about Salvation, sees US Secretary of Defence General Mori ask Flag Sr if he’ll set up a bug-zapper-style barrier on Salvation to stop its metahuman inmates from escaping. Cue an exasperated Flag Sr making an attempt to inform Mori that Salvation will not want one, as a result of the one manner or out is through one of many multidimensional doorways that ARGUS controls.
The second finish credit scene is a continuation of Economos’ humorously awkward dialog with Sydney Happersen and different ARGUS staff. There are a few humorous traces which might be improvised by Steve Agee, who performs Economos, however you’ll be able to see why this sequence was shortened.
And, that is it, I feel! Have I missed something vital that occurred in ‘Full Nelson’? Or have I obtained one thing improper about any of the above? Let me know within the feedback. Once you are achieved, learn the part beneath for extra DCU-based protection.