James Gunn loves discussing fan theories. When social media was making a big deal about the rumors of Robin being in The Batman Part II, the co-CEO of DC Studios fanned the flames a bit by not outright denying the Boy Wonder’s presence in the script. That’s not a project that Gunn is directly involved in, though, and he’s even more willing to spill the beans when he has a personal stake in the game. Take Peacemaker Season 2, for example. With the show having a weekly release schedule, Gunn has been quick to discuss every plot point that appears and whether it will have ramifications for the larger DC Universe.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Peacemaker Season 2’s finale, in particular, changes the status quo in a major way, introducing a concept that could mean major things for not only the franchise’s villains but its heroes a well. While Gunn is being tight-lipped about the details of the bombshell, there’s a clear path forward. There might even be room for the DCU to confirm one of the biggest fan theories floating around.
The DCU Is Adapting a Little-Known DC Comics Storyline
The final episode of Peacemaker‘s sophomore outing is all about Rick Flag Sr.’s quest for “Salvation.” His goal is to find a planet that he can send dangerous metahumans to, ensuring that the Earth is safe from their nonsense. While several A.R.G.U.S. agents die for the cause, Flag Sr. gets what he wants and finds a new home for the worst of the worst. At first, it seems like the Slavation reveal is only a tease of what’s to come, as nobody gets sent through the portal by the time “Full Nelson” is ready to wrap up. However, the show literally pulls a sack over Peacemaker’s eyes and takes him to the entrance of Salvation. Flag Sr. tells him he’s doing it for his son and watches as the titular anti-hero realizes he’s not getting his happily-ever-after.
What Gunn is setting up is an adaptation of the Salvation Run storyline, which sees Amanda Waller and Rick Flag task the Suicide Squad with rounding up villains who deserve a spot on a remote planet. The conditions on Salvation are bad in the comics, with the evil beings from Apokolips using it as a place to train. When Batman catches wind of what’s going on, he sends one of his closest allies to monitor the situation and report back. The character the Dark Knight trusts with this important mission isn’t officially part of the DCU, but many fans believe they’re hiding in plain sight.
A Minor Peacemaker Character Could Be the Key to the DCU’s Take on Salvation Run
Flag Sr. doesn’t think his plan through because he doesn’t grab someone whom nobody will miss; he grabs Peacemaker, who has just started a new organization with his ever-growing group of friends. Emilia Harcourt and Leota Adebayo are sure to lead the search party whenever they return, but, if one fan theory gets its way, they would be better off handing the reins to Langston Fleury, who leaves his job at A.R.G.U.S. to join Checkmate. The Internet has been wanting to learn more about Fleury since his debut earlier this season, and, without a backstory episode, they’ve decided he’s actually the Martian Manhunter, pretending to fit in among humans by using his made-up condition, bird blindness.
At first, it seemed like a stretch to say that Fleury was moonlighting as a superhero. However, adding Salvation Run into the DCU mix changes everything. In the Bill Willingham and Lilah Sturges story, Martian Manhunter goes to the planet under Batman’s orders and pretends to be the villain Blockbuster. It doesn’t take long for his identity to be exposed, and once it is, the villains turn on him and leave him for dead. That could happen in the DCU, but Fleury already knows that he has at least one friend on Salvation, someone who will have his back in a pinch. That means the door is open for Gunn to pull the trigger if he wants to, turning one of his funniest characters into a hero worthy of joining the Justice League.
Peacemaker Season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.
What did you think about the Peacemaker Season 2 finale? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
