This year, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) expanded from blockbuster films to hit TV series.Loki,Wandavision,The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, andWhat If…?have had tremendous success on the streaming service Disney Plus. The question now is whether the DC Universe can form its own TV show.Peacemaker, the first DC Extended Universe television series, created by James Gunn, will premiere on HBO Max next year, and it could very well be a game-changer that surpasses the MCU shows.
After his appearance in James Gunn’s all-out spectacleThe Suicide Squad, Christopher Smith (aka Peacemaker) left a lasting impression due to his effective skill set as an assassin, and his arrogance in proving he’s the best killer. The larger-than-life DC character also displayed his true morals based on his fight against Rick Flag by declaring that he would protect America at any cost, including covering up hidden secrets that signify corruption, to protect the integrity (or lack thereof) of the U.S. government. In Gunn’s film, Peacemaker is self-centered and funny at times, with John Cena portraying the character with the right balance of humor and seriousness. Peacemaker resembles the qualities of Captain America in terms of strength, but is a douchebag (as stated byJames Gunn), especially at times when working alongside others.
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Based onthe recent DC FanDome teaser trailerfor the new HBO Max series,Peacemaker(similar toThe Suicide Squad) will continue to focus on the character’s egocentric behavior and his hilarious antics towards others. However, the series appears adamant about analyzing more of Peacemaker’s origins, as well as his personal relationships, including the bond he shares with his father Auggie Smith (played by the T-1000 himself, Robert Patrick). There are also returning characters fromThe Suicide Squad, including Emilia Harcourt and John Economos (both aides to Amanda Waller), who could also impact Peacemaker’s actions when it comes to saving the world, or killing people.
Peacemaker resembles the MCU’s Loki, the God of Mischief, in the sense that the DC comic book character has a mixture of good and bad qualities, and crosses a fine line between right and wrong. In terms of good, Peacemaker works effectively in taking down bad people and killing targets. However, the downside is that he’s a killer who is capable of eliminating not only bad guys but also good figures and innocent civilians (as shown inThe Suicide Squad, including the killing of Rick Flag) when it comes to protecting America’s best interests. The ruthless side of Peacemaker, and his ability to eliminate individuals without hesitation, is what’s scary about his character.
The newPeacemakerseries, likeLoki, also has the ability to show a more humane side to Christopher Smith, and offer him a chance at redemption to condone past mistakes and sins. Smith’s past, and how he started training to become a killer with extreme methods, are also key in exploring his core psyche, as well as why Smith chose to kill and strive for world peace in the first place. The series can also not only focus on current missions but also on previous missions since Peacemaker has an impressive track record of taking down dictators and destroying enemies bent on attacking the U.S. and/or orchestrating global domination.
Rick Flag’s death will undoubtedly continue to haunt Peacemaker because he actually liked Flag and the Squad, but chose his mission over the team.The Falcon and the Winter Soldieralso displayed guilt from Bucky Barnes, who felt bad for the people he murdered when he was the Winter Soldier working for Hydra, and wanted to forgive the families of the dead. Peacemaker’s journey could tackle the protagonist’s guilt, and how he deals with that pain and remorse (perhaps with some humor and cracking jokes with others).
Lokicontained moments in which the God of Mischief looked back on his actions, feeling guilty for the harm he caused on Earth, and the pain he induced on his family, especially Thor and Odin. InPeacemaker, Christopher Smith and his dad Auggie appear to have a close and conflicting relationship, with doses of humor (like Christopher wanting his dad to take a picture of him being hugged by an eagle, but he’s not present). Family ties could be a major theme inPeacemakerbydepicting how and where the DC character grew up, and how his father and other family members impacted his career.
With Amanda Waller’s aides like Emilia and John returning, and the introduction of new characters that will work with Smith, the series will likely display Peacemaker’s skills in leadership and teamwork.The Suicide Squadestablished Peacemaker as a reliable ally at moments when working with a team, including some funny competition between Smith and Robert DuBois/Bloodsport when they compare their weapons and killing methods. Peacemaker can kill enemies in various ways, especially with guns, knives, and in hand-to-hand combat, meaning that the level of violence in this DC series will be more explicit than other superhero shows, including the MCU series.
WhilePeacemakercan top the MCU shows and other superhero TV series in terms of high-octane action (like inGunn’sThe Suicide Squad), the priority is also to establish Peacemaker’s character and his history. If the DC show can deliver entertainingly violent sequences and an intriguing story that conveys Peacemaker’s heroic and bad sides, this will become a series to be reckoned with, and can potentially change the game in terms of depicting superheroes and supervillains on television.
