The finale of Peacemaker Season 2 revealed that Rick Flag Sr. has become a villain, marking a dramatic shift in his character arc. Set in the Quantum Unfolding Chamber, Flag Sr. is shown laughing with Lex Luthor’s followers while loyal A.R.G.U.S. agents suffer fatal consequences. He forcibly abducts Chris Smith, denying him any semblance of justice by imprisoning him in Salvation, an alternate reality designed to contain the world’s metahumans, specifically targeting those he deems villainous—but possibly many heroes as well. This development highlights a notable change for Rick Flag Sr., who was previously seen as heroic in other DC projects.
James Gunn Reflects on Rick Flag Sr.’s Complex Nature
James Gunn, DC Studios co-CEO and the creative mind behind Peacemaker, addressed Rick Flag Sr.’s villainous turn during an interview with Screen Brief. He described Rick as someone with misplaced confidence in his intellect, saying,
“I love the character of Rick Flag, but he thinks he is way smarter than he is. And we see it continuously. He thinks can compete with Lex, and there’s just no way he’s going to be able to. It’s not going to be great for him.” – James Gunn, DC Studios co-CEO
Gunn further explained that while Rick appears to be a good man in Creature Commandos, his actions reveal an entirely different side. He commented,
“We saw a guy in Creature Commandos, who seems at first like he’s a good guy but he’s absolutely not. He screws up everything, again, because he thinks smarter than Waller—which he isn’t. And he messes that up, and he falls for this woman, and is played by her from the beginning.” – James Gunn, DC Studios co-CEO
Despite this, Gunn asserted that Rick Flag Sr. is not truly evil, but deeply flawed and driven by obsession. He shared insight from actor Frank Grillo, who portrayed Flag Sr., saying,
“That to me, is the fun thing about Rick Flag. He’s totally imperfect. I certainly don’t think Rick Flag Sr is evil, I really don’t,” he added. “Whenever Frank Grillo talks about the character he’s always like ‘I don’t see him as a villain, I see him as being a little obsessive about revenge, but I don’t know, someone kills my son, I’m not sure I wouldn’t feel the same way.'” – James Gunn, DC Studios co-CEO
Gunn expressed sympathy for Flag Sr., explaining that his fixation on revenge blinds him from a larger truth. He stated,
“I have compassion for Rick Flag, I don’t think he’s allowing himself to see the whole truth. The worst thing about Rick Flag is that he’s focused on the guy he can do something about more easily, rather than focusing on Amanda Waller who would be more difficult to confront,”
“Because Amanda Waller was the one that gave the order to kill Rick Flag Jr.” – James Gunn, DC Studios co-CEO
The Role of Salvation and Its Connection to the DC Universe
Gunn also discussed Salvation, confirming the concept was integral to his long-term DC Universe (DCU) vision. Salvation is portrayed as a place where bad metahumans must find ways to establish their own society, highlighting the challenges of forced exile on superpowered individuals. Gunn stated,
“bad metahumans are going to have to figure out a new way to create a society.” – James Gunn, DC Studios co-CEO
Moreover, Gunn confirmed that Salvation and Checkmate are closely tied to other DC Studios series. He explained the interconnected narrative approach, revealing,
“Lanterns is very connected to all of that. It may not seem like it, but it is all very connected.” – James Gunn, DC Studios co-CEO
Future Storylines and Lex Luthor’s Motivations
Although Peacemaker Season 2 did not meet widespread fan expectations, James Gunn has laid groundwork for promising developments in the DCU. Many of these plot threads are expected to continue in the upcoming Man of Tomorrow film. The story will further explore how a significant threat prompts Lex Luthor to join forces with Superman. Gunn reflected on Lex’s motivations with measured insight, stating
“I think that Lex Luthor is mostly concerned about Lex Luthor, so we’ll see what threatens Lex Luthor.” – James Gunn, DC Studios co-CEO
All episodes of Peacemaker are currently available for streaming on HBO Max, offering viewers full access to the series as these intricate story arcs unfold.
