James Gunn Just Shot Down Your Biggest ‘Peacemaker’ Season 2 Theory, and That’s a Good Thing

Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for the Peacemaker Season 2 finale.The Peacemaker Season 2 finale, “Full Nelson,” was divisive to say the least, with some enjoying the emotive scenes between Chris (John Cena) and the rest of the 11th Street Kids, and others feeling let down by the supposedly big reveal of the planet Salvation, which James Gunn implied would push the DCU forward. Regardless of your opinion on the finale’s quality as a standalone episode, it has undoubtedly sparked a wave of theories regarding how Salvation will factor into the broader DCU narrative. Following the finale, many theorized that naming the planet Salvation would link back to the Salvation run in the comics, and latched onto the fact that the planet is revealed to be a training ground for Apokolips, Darkseid’s home world, teasing the possibility of seeing the New God in Gunn’s cinematic universe.

However, in a recent interview, James Gunn was remarkably candid and put out that fire by confirming that Darkseid was not a part of his plans for the DCU at this time. While this will upset some fans who see such a powerful villain as the be-all and end-all of DC storytelling, this news should come as a relief to those interested in seeing the best narrative unfold in the DCU. Seeing Darkseid so soon after he was featured on the big screen by Zack Snyder, and with Marvel’s strategy of building up to an ultimate antagonist, would have made this a repetitive story structure that wouldn’t have felt in keeping with Gunn’s fresh and vibrant universe.

James Gunn Confirmed That ‘Peacemaker’s Finale is Not a Tease For Darkseid

James Gunn recently sat down with New Rockstars and Screen Crush to discuss his strategy as DCU studio head, as well as his future vision for the universe’s narrative, in what reflects a refreshingly open line of communication between a studio executive and the pundits who break down and theorize about his work. Screen Crush‘s Ryan Arey asked Gunn what he thought of Darkseid as a character and why he is so compelling. Never one to beat around the bush, Gunn was admittedly direct in saying that, while he liked the character, “to give you probably more of an answer than you expected — using Darkseid as the big bad right now is not necessarily the thing.” While this does not rule out a future role for one of the most destructive forces in the DC cosmos, it certainly puts these rumors to bed for now, allowing for greater possibilities of what the true consequences of Salvation will be moving forward.

Seeing Darkseid Would Only Have Been a Repetition of Previous Superhero Stories

The main issue with including Darkseid in the DCU this early is that not only have audiences already seen the character, but his archetype has also been executed successfully in other superhero franchises. As Gunn pointed out during the aforementioned interview, “Zach [Snyder] did [Darkseid] so cool in his way,” and, indeed, the version of Darkseid that we got in Zack Snyder’s Justice League was one of the most underrated aspects of Snyder’s entire DCEU. While we only got a few scenes, including the ruler of Apokolips, the intimidating aura of the character was on display for all to see.

His fight scenes with the Greek gods in the flashback, his silent stare down with Superman (Henry Cavill) and the other members of the Justice League, and his ominous line about invading Earth using “the old ways,” all communicated that this was the greatest threat that even the most powerful heroes would struggle against. For Gunn to also adapt the character, it would be difficult to find a way that didn’t feel like it meant the exact same thing for David Corenswet‘s Superman, and didn’t feel like Gunn is merely picking up Snyder’s baton, which would draw immediate comparisons.

Snyder’s Darkseid is not the only version of this character archetype audiences have been exposed to, with Gunn also giving his thoughts on how Darkseid and Thanos (Josh Brolin) are “obviously similar” characters. Not only is Darkseid considered to have inspired the creation of Thanos, but the two characters both have similarly genocidal aims in their respective universes, with Darkseid searching for the anti-life equation and Thanos seeking to impress Death by killing as many on a cosmic scale as he could. This would mean Gunn’s DCU would be building up to his heroes trying to stop a powerful being from eliminating swathes of the universe, and while one could say Darkseid is different because he goes further than Thanos’ 50% rule from his Infinity War adaptation, the premise itself and the protagonist goals would be the same.

James Gunn’s DCU Doesn’t Need a Darkseid-Style Villain

Image via HBO Max

If Darkseid were somehow the only cosmic or iconic villain in the DC, perhaps it would feel inevitable and impossible for Gunn not to see the New God as the climax of his saga. Considering the depth of antagonists that the DC has to offer, Gunn does not need to feel forced into going down the “big bad” route at all. While the MCU’s phased build to Thanos and the Infinity Saga was exciting and unprecedented, it did mean that many antagonists felt like one-and-done characters who could have given more to the MCU, such as Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan), Hela (Cate Blanchett), and Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace).

By focusing on more thematic villains who reflect how Gunn’s DCU evolves, rather than an overarching plot that builds to one grand climax, each antagonist can feel significant in their own way, rather than a stepping stone to something larger. Audiences are already familiar with this idea of a bad guy still having a major influence on the DCU after a confrontation with a superhero with Lex (Nicholas Hoult) returning in Peacemaker following his arrest at the end of Superman, which makes him a more nuanced and intriguing character, especially if he is framed as an antihero in Man of Tomorrow as it is believed he will be.

The longer the DCU can go without having to introduce Darkseid, the better his eventual introduction will be. Any attempt at including him at this point will merely feel like something audiences have seen in the very recent past, and topping such predecessors will be even harder than it already is. Even when Darkseid is adapted to Gunn’s universe, as it feels he surely will be eventually, he doesn’t need to be the thing that makes all other villains feel insignificant in comparison. Gunn’s comments should be seen as further proof that the DCU’s future is in more than safe hands, as it is clear he fully understands these aspects of superhero storytelling, which should mean that, whatever the consequences of Salvation are, they will be thrilling and unique to say the least.

Release Date

January 13, 2022

Network

HBO Max, Max

Directors

James Gunn, Brad Anderson, Rosemary Rodriguez