Hoist that Flag: This text comprises spoilers for “Peacemaker” season 2, episode 3, “One other Rick Up My Sleeve.”
Peacemaker (John Cena) has a critical Flag drawback. Not solely does he really feel responsible about killing Rick Flag Jr. (Joel Kinnaman) in 2021’s “The Suicide Squad” (2021), however Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) is aware of all about this, and because the new head of A.R.G.U.S., he is in prime place to do no matter he can to get on Peacemaker’s case. If all of that wasn’t sufficient, the opening of “Peacemaker” season 2, episode 3 (“One other Rick Up My Sleeve”) provides one more twist to the present’s ever-expanding Flag sport by bringing again Rick Jr.
In a flashback scene, we uncover that Junior had an affair with Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) whereas relationship June Moone, the host of the Enchantress (Cara Delevingne). The scene particularly takes place simply earlier than the occasions of Gunn’s 2021 “The Suicide Squad,” however there’s one drawback: June Moone is a personality from David Ayer’s “Suicide Squad” (2016). By the point Gunn’s soft-rebooted “The Suicide Squad” (2021) rolls out, the Enchantress entity (who’s the 2016 film’s most important villain) has been lifeless for years, and June needs to be depowered. So, why does Flag say that he cannot break up with June as a result of he is afraid she may blast a gap by the planet?
Certain, this is likely to be Flag indulging in a very egregious instance of the “I am unable to go away her for you as a result of …” excuse by insinuating that June nonetheless someway has powers. However Harcourt would not bat an eyelid to this regardless of being a rating A.R.G.U.S. agent who needs to be completely conscious of June’s state of affairs. The connection between “Suicide Squad” and “The Suicide Squad” is peculiar at greatest, and this scene creates a giant plot gap that solely serves to additional muddy the waters.
Peacemaker’s The Suicide Squad period is a story mess, however that is likely to be all proper
This June Moone-sized plot gap between the 2 “Suicide Squad” motion pictures might sound fairly terrible in nearly every other state of affairs, nevertheless it’s value noting that James Gunn has executed the legwork to be sure that this present is a particular case. In any case, the “beforehand on” recap of “Peacemaker” season 2 rewrites the present’s personal historical past by changing the season 1 finale’s DCEU-era Justice League with a Justice Gang cameo. Nearly instantly afterwards, “Peacemaker” season 2 introduces its “Star Trek”-influenced multiverse sport with a Mirror Universe-style dimension the place Peacemaker is a profitable hero whose household is alive and loves him.
On this context, Flag Jr.’s remark about June’s doubtlessly planet-wrecking powers is not fairly as outlandish because it in any other case is likely to be. In all probability, that is simply Gunn’s try to mesh the very best of each “(The) Suicide Squad” worlds into the DC Universe fold. Maybe later episodes of “Peacemaker” season 2 will wholeheartedly verify that “Suicide Squad,” “The Suicide Squad,” and “Peacemaker” season 2 all happen in several alternate universes that ever so barely remix the identical occasions, however for now, superhero present followers would not be superhero present followers in the event that they did not arch an eyebrow at this at the moment unanswered thriller.
New episodes of “Peacemaker” season 2 start streaming on HBO Max each Thursday.