The first season of Peacemaker ended with most of its key characters, including Christopher ‘Chris’ Smith and a few crucial supporting roles, surviving despite some losses like the villainous Auggie, Chris’s father, and Clemson Murn. However, James Gunn recently shared that the initial plan for the finale might have taken a darker turn, resulting in the death of an important character.
Alternate Script Included a Major Character’s Death Through Alien Possession
On a recent episode of the Peacemaker Podcast, actress Jennifer Holland, who plays Emilia Harcourt, questioned Gunn about possible script variations where main characters faced fatal outcomes. Gunn revealed that in an early outline, Harcourt would have been overtaken by Royland Goff’s controlling alien parasite, effectively killing her by erasing her original consciousness.
Harcourt got taken over by Goff. There was more of a pronounced line of Goff being in love with Peacemaker, and Peacemaker is in love with Harcourt. He keeps her alive and stays with Harcourt even though she’s been taken over by Goff.
—Jennifer Holland, Actress
This alien possession meant Harcourt’s personality would have been replaced entirely by the Butterfly controlling Goff, making her original self lost with no chance of recovery.
James Gunn’s Creative Process on Season 1’s Ending and Season 2’s Direction
Gunn clarified that these scenarios were part of rough outlines rather than finalized scripts, emphasizing the fluidity of his writing process. He indicated that had this idea remained, Season 2’s story would have continued with the Goff persona inhabiting Harcourt’s body.
When I say I changed it, these were all just like outlines where I was trying to figure stuff out,
Gunn said.
It wasn’t a fully written script. But in that version, season 2 would have been Goff as Harcourt.
—James Gunn, Creator
Season 2 Explores Multiple Dimensions While Maintaining Canonical Consistency
Peacemaker’s second season is set to premiere this week, receiving strong critical acclaim with a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. James Gunn described the season’s core as dealing with two dimensions, presenting a complex narrative that differentiates the old DCEU from the new DCU across the story without negating much of the first season’s canon.
People are realizing that Peacemaker Season Two is about two dimensions, and that’s really the core of the show,
Gunn told Rolling Stone.
But it’s not as if one of these is old DCEU and one’s DCU. That’s dealt with in a different way, very upfront in a season where most everything in Season One is canon and some things are not. And in fact, I did a podcast with [actors] Steve Agee and Jen Holland. And we did every episode of Peacemaker, and in those episodes, I talk about what’s canon and what’s not. I basically chip off little things from Peacemaker Season One that aren’t canon, like Aquaman. But most of the stuff is canon.
—James Gunn, Creator
Peacemaker Season 2’s Narrative Focus and Character Development
Continuing the story of Christopher ‘Chris’ Smith, the vigilante Peacemaker, the new season delves deeper into his struggle to come to terms with his past while pursuing peace at any cost. Chris encounters an alternate reality that seems ideal but forces him to confront old traumas and make defining decisions about his future.
