The Season 2 finale of Peacemaker, titled Full Nelson, which premiered on HBO Max, delivers major developments that promise to reshape the broader DC Universe under James Gunn’s leadership. While the 2023 film Superman marked the first theatrical launch of the revamped DCU, Gunn’s series finale introduces vital new elements such as the secretive agency Checkmate and the metahuman prison planet Salvation, both slated to play pivotal roles moving forward.
James Gunn and DC Studios co-head Peter Safran have crafted these introductions to deepen the universe’s interconnected stories, establishing an evolving narrative framework that will extend across upcoming movies and shows.
The Significance of Checkmate and Salvation in the New DCU
During a recent virtual press conference moderated by Variety, James Gunn explained the importance of the new flagship concepts unveiled in Peacemaker. Salvation, a prison planet designed to contain uncontrollable metahumans, is set to be a key element in the upcoming 2028 sequel Man of Tomorrow, continuing the storylines Gunn has been weaving since before his appointment at DC Studios. Both Salvation and Checkmate, the clandestine crime-fighting organization founded by the protagonists of Peacemaker, will also influence future works, including the next HBO Max series Lanterns.
“It may not seem like it at first, but it is all very connected,”
James Gunn said.
Gunn emphasized that integrating these elements was always central to the overarching DCU story he envisioned, noting,
“That was always pretty instrumental in the overarching story that I’m telling in the DCU. I had mapped out what I thought the general story was, and two important aspects to that were Checkmate and especially Salvation.”
The Origins and Goals of Checkmate Within the Series
In the finale, the central characters, referred to as the 11th Street Kids, come together to rescue Chris Smith, better known as Peacemaker, who has isolated himself after traumatic events on the alternate Nazi-controlled Earth-X. Struggling with severe guilt and convinced he is “the angel of fucking death,” Chris retreats to a motel, disconnected from his friends and former life.
His friends, including Adebayo (Danielle Brooks), Adrian (Freddie Stroma), Economos (Steve Agee), and Harcourt (Jennifer Holland), remind him of the inspiration he’s given them to be better versions of themselves. Motivated by this support, they decide to reject the corrupted authorities previously guiding them and instead establish Checkmate, an independent agency funded through Vigilante’s (Adrian) accumulated money from crime fighting.
Checkmate brings together a diverse group, such as Judomaster (Nhut Le) and former A.R.G.U.S. agents Fleury (Tim Meadows) and Bordeaux (Sol Rodriguez), aiming to operate apart from traditional both superhero and government structures. Drawing on its rich comic book history since 1988, Checkmate has been home to DC anti-heroes like Amanda Waller, Deadshot, Deathstroke, and Huntress.
Gunn expressed his enthusiasm for bringing this lesser-known, but significant, element into the DCU:
“I always wanted to build Checkmate into the DCU. It’s the real culmination of the 11th Street Kids and their desire to be good,”
he said. He also indicated the agency’s evolution in future appearances, noting,
“They’re going to be really, really good at what they do. When we see them next, their circumstances will be a little bit different than the startup that they’re at now.”
Introducing Salvation: A High-Stakes Prison Planet
Meanwhile, A.R.G.U.S. leader Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) orders the use of Peacemaker’s trans-dimensional portal to scout for dimensions similar to Earth, hoping to find a suitable location for imprisoning metahumans who cannot be contained on Earth. After facing dangerous worlds, including a flesh-eating zombie universe and a candyland full of hostile imps, agents Harcourt and Bordeaux discover the ideal planet, which Flag designates as Salvation.
The concept of Salvation first appeared in the 2007–2008 limited comic series Salvation Run, where villains are exiled to a distant prison planet. Gunn elaborated on his adaptation of this idea, describing it as
“a prison that was absolutely inescapable, but was also a little rash,”
with the planetary authorities initially underestimating its dangers.
“Because they think it’s not dangerous from their initial tests. But in the comics and in this world, obviously there’s hints of it being dangerous,”
Gunn stated.
However, Gunn cautioned fans not to expect the DCU’s Salvation to follow the comic narrative closely, explaining:
“It really is about the concept. The part that really spoke to me was the beginning of it, where Rick Flag Jr. and Amanda Waller [said], ‘Fuck it. Metahumans are a pain in the ass. They keep escaping. Let’s just get rid of them permanently.’ And of course, there are a bunch of repercussions about sending a bunch of bad guys to another dimension. In this case, kind of, you know, the sole person there right now is a good guy who has to survive on his own.”
The Season’s Cliffhanger and Its Implications for the DCU
The finale closes with a dramatic twist: Chris is forcibly taken by Rick Flag Sr. and sent to Salvation as a consequence of killing Flag’s son, Rick Flag Jr., setting up major ramifications for his character and the wider story.
Though fans might expect a third season of Peacemaker, Gunn indicated that the show is currently concluded, shifting focus to other upcoming DC projects within his vision for the DCU.
“This is about the other stories in which this [cliffhanger] will play out,”
he explained. While not ruling out a possible Season 3, he added,
“Never say never. But right now, this is about the future of the DCU.”
Peacemaker’s Role and Future Within the DC Universe
James Gunn remained reserved about Chris Smith’s involvement in near-term films like Man of Tomorrow or 2026’s Supergirl, though he assured that Peacemaker will continue to be a crucial part of the DCU’s landscape. Gunn views the character as an opportunity to develop
“diamond properties out of the smaller characters”
that will stand alongside iconic figures such as Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman.
Speaking passionately about the character, Gunn revealed a deep emotional connection to Peacemaker, describing him as “incredibly human” and highlighting the importance of empathy in their storytelling approach.
“I really love the character. I could say about me, but I don’t really think it is. Chris is just incredibly human,”
he said.
Gunn first introduced Peacemaker in his 2021 film The Suicide Squad, initially envisioning him as a “douchey Captain America”:
“He started out as a character who was the kind of guy that everybody calls morally reprehensible online every day. I would have met Peacemaker at a party and gone, ‘Who is that fucking asshole over there?’”
Exploring Themes of Empathy Beyond Conflict
Through Peacemaker’s narrative arc, Gunn continues to emphasize themes of understanding and compassion, echoing the messages central to his Superman film. He critiqued the common tendency to demonize those with opposing viewpoints:
“We live in this world where everybody thinks that the way to deal with people that think differently than you is to treat them like demons. What a fucking stupid idea. You want to change the world? You want the world to be a better place? You don’t do it by telling somebody they’re evil. It’s just not the way you do it.”
Balancing Universe Building with Accessible Storytelling
Gunn acknowledged the complex challenge involved in crafting a cinematic universe that remains approachable to newcomers while rewarding longtime fans with deeper connections. Drawing on his experience with the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Guardians of the Galaxy films, he highlighted the need for elegance and simplicity in storytelling:
“It’s a very, very, very delicate balance when writing these things. You’ve got to be able to tell the story in a way where people that already know the information are not going to be bored, and where people who don’t know the information will get the information in an easy and simple way, but also not to be burdened down by too much shit. There needs to be an elegance to the storytelling. Too many mumbo jumbo things, to me, is always a thing that I [avoid]. ‘Oh, this magic stone does this and it’s that’ — there’s no emotional aspect to that. A prison in another dimension is easy for me to understand — and say in one sentence.”
Looking Ahead to Upcoming DC Projects
With Peacemaker currently wrapped, Gunn will focus on guiding core DCU projects tied to Salvation, Superman, Lex Luthor, and Rick Flag Sr., while other new series such as Lanterns, Supergirl, Clayface, and The Batman 2 move forward under different creative leads.
Despite expressing fatigue, Gunn remains committed to steering the central narrative threads within the DC Universe.
“That’s the plan right now, at least. I may get so fucking tired that I can’t do it — because I’m pretty tired, but we’ll see!”
