Peacemaker Season 2 Set Up the Perfect Story For Another Uncertain DCU Series

The perfect story for one of the most uncertain upcoming DC Universe series has just been set up in the finale of Peacemaker season 2. James Gunn announced several projects set to release as part of the rebooted DCU back in January 2023, all currently comprising the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters, and while some have gone full steam ahead, others have far less certain fates. The perfect storyline for one of these uncertain projects might have just been teased in the divisive finale of Peacemaker season 2, “Full Nelson.”

The DCU is currently comprised of Creature Commandos, Superman, and Peacemaker season 2, and while the likes of Supergirl, Lanterns, Clayface, and more are on the way, we’d love to see the Waller series join them. Waller was announced by Gunn in 2023 and is expected to mark the return of Academy Award-winner Viola Davis as the former Director of ARGUS, Amanda Waller. Gunn has suggested that it’s been difficult to come up with a story for the Waller series, but Peacemaker season 2’s finale might have just hinted at the perfect adventure for Davis’ return to the DCU.

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Amanda Waller Has History With Checkmate in DC Comics

Peacemaker season 2’s finale saw the 11th Street Kids establish Checkmate as a new organization in competition with ARGUS. Checkmate has a rich history in DC Comics as an antihero team who first formed in 1988’s Action Comics #598, and its precursor, The Agency, was set up by none other than Amanda Waller. Waller founded The Agency in 1986’s Vigilante #36 to serve as a small branch of Task Force X, the Suicide Squad. Waller places The Agency in the command of Colonel Valentina Vostok, while her successor, Harry Stein, turned The Agency into Checkmate.

Amanda Waller served as the White Queen of Checkmate during its early operations, running things behind the scenes just like she did for the Suicide Squad and other DC organizations. She used this position to become one of DC’s most notable, influential, and powerful espionage agents, which makes her an essential cog in the live-action DCU machine. Waller is at the top of Checkmate’s chess-inspired hierarchy in DC Comics, but the DCU version of Checkmate already seems to be wildly different.

In live-action, Amanda Waller has been most-connected to the Suicide Squad, Task Force X, and its successor, Task Force M. In the DCU’s canon, Waller brought together the Suicide Squad to protect Corto Maltese from Starro the Conqueror, and she then formed Task Force M in the animated Creature Commandos series to save (and the kill) Princess Rostovic. Following this, however, she was ousted from ARGUS and replaced with Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), but Peacemaker season 2 has teased the perfect way for her to return to the DCU, thanks to Checkmate’s debut.

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Peacemaker’s Checkmate Debut Sets Up the Waller Series’ Perfect Storyline

While the version of Checkmate introduced in Peacemaker season 2 is very different to the iteration from DC Comics, it’s possible the team could return in the Waller series. The DCU’s Checkmate has been founded by Peacemaker (John Cena), Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland), John Economos (Steve Agee), Vigilante (Freddie Stroma), Sasha Bordeaux (Sol Rodriguez), Langston Fleury (Tim Meadows), Judomaster (Nhut Le), and Amanda Waller’s own daughter, Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks). It’s the latter’s role in the organization that could make it key to the Waller series.

While Amanda Waller might have been shunned from ARGUS and replaced with Rick Flag Sr., it would make sense for her to try to regain power in another espionage organization, and Checkmate is the perfect candidate. Waller could use her strained relationship with Leota Adebayo to try and claw her way to the top of Checkmate, perhaps even becoming this team’s White Queen as she does in DC Comics. With Peacemaker trapped on Salvation after season 2’s finale, Checkmate might already be weakened enough for Amanda Waller to get her foot in the door.

We don’t know when, or even if, the Waller series will actually release as part of the DCU, but it would make sense for Checkmate to be included in the series if it does. Perhaps Waller could loosely adapt DC Comics’ Janus Directive crossover event between Checkmate and the Suicide Squad, which could mark the perfect convergence of all of Amanda Waller’s previous adventures in DC’s live-action projects. Viola Davis needs to be kept around in the DCU, and given a more prominent role than she had in the DC Extended Universe, so we hope she returns soon.

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