Peacemaker season 2 concluded without the explosive climax that James Gunn had hinted at throughout various interviews and social media posts, notably regarding the highly anticipated cameo of Lex Luthor. Despite this, the DC Universe (DCU) introduced a fresh, heroic iteration of Checkmate. Meanwhile, a prison planet called Salvation, located inside the Quantum Universe Collider (QUC), emerged as a key narrative element, with Chris Smith remaining its sole prisoner after being placed there by the villainous Rick Flag Sr. Flag’s intention is to eventually use Salvation to contain the world’s criminal metahumans.
James Gunn’s Vision Behind Introducing Checkmate and Salvation
In an interview with Yahoo! News, James Gunn, co-CEO of DC Studios, shed light on why these two significant elements were incorporated into the shared DC world. He revealed that both Checkmate and Salvation were planned components from the beginning.
“Well, those are the two things that were always a part of this season,”
Gunn affirmed.
“So when we sat down, even before I sat down with the writers room in DC, I had sort of mapped out what I thought the general story was, and two important aspects to that were Checkmate and especially Salvation.”
Gunn further explained that these themes predated his official involvement with DC and remained central once collaboration with the writers room began.
“Those were things that I had pitched to everybody before we ever came into DC and then after we came into DC and we met with the writers room and worked things out a little bit more, that was always pretty instrumental in the overall, overarching story that I’m telling in the DCU, but also connected to it as well.”
The Role of Chris Smith and the Future of Peacemaker Season 3
Although Chris Smith now inhabits the Salvation prison planet as a test subject under Rick Flag Sr.’s control, Gunn emphasized that Chris remains a crucial character within the DCU storyline. However, he confirmed that there are no immediate plans for a third season of Peacemaker.
“This is about the wider DCU and other stories in which this will play out right now,”
Gunn clarified.
“That doesn’t mean that there won’t be. I don’t want to never say never, but right now, no, this is about the future of the DCU.”
Rick Flag Sr.’s Complex Portrayal as an Antagonist
Rick Flag Sr.’s descent into villainy was part of Gunn’s original concept, contrary to the somewhat heroic portrayal seen in the animated series Creature Commandos. Gunn described Flag as a deeply flawed character whose actions derail plans due to his own misjudgments.
“We saw a guy in Creature Commandos, which, when you’re first watching that season, he seems like he’s the good guy, but he’s absolutely not,”
Gunn disclosed.
“He screws up everything again because he thinks he’s smarter than Waller, which he isn’t, and he falls for this woman, and is kind of played by her from the beginning. The fun thing about Rick Flag is he’s not this. He’s totally imperfect.”
Checkmate’s Emerging Influence and Evolving Role
While Rick Flag poses significant challenges, Checkmate is set to play a pivotal role moving forward. Gunn assured fans that the organization will continue to develop and gain prominence, eventually operating within new conditions.
“You’ll definitely see Checkmate carrying through like they’re a thing now, so they’re a part of what’s going to happen, and I think they’re going to be really, really good at what they do,”
Gunn stated.
“When we see them next, I think their circumstances will be a little bit different than the startup that they’re now.”
Unresolved Storylines and Prospects for Captain Triumph
Earth-X was not revisited in the season two finale, and the character Captain Triumph, also known as Keith Smith, did not appear seeking revenge as some fans speculated. Gunn acknowledged having plans for the character but admitted that the specifics remain uncertain.
“I have to make sure I can do it,”
he said regarding the unfolding of Captain Triumph’s storylines.
Implications for the DC Universe Moving Forward
With these developments, James Gunn is steering Peacemaker and its related plots toward a wider narrative thread encompassing the DCU. The integration of Checkmate and Salvation introduces new dimensions to the overarching story, setting the stage for future DC installments. Although Peacemaker Season 3 is not currently confirmed, the groundwork laid here indicates a complex, evolving world where characters like Chris Smith and Rick Flag Sr. will continue to impact events beyond the series itself.
