This text comprises spoilers for “Peacemaker” season 2, episode 5, “Again to the Suture.”
“Peacemaker” season 2 likes to juggle fairly a couple of balls on the similar time, and one which has been constantly flying larger than many is the “A.R.G.U.S. vs. Eagly” B-plot. As /Movie has famous earlier than, the entire thing comes throughout as James Gunn’s apology for his many sins towards birds in tasks like “The Suicide Squad.” As if to again up this level, “Peacemaker” season 2, episode 2 is just not solely known as “A Man Is Solely as Good as His Chicken,” nevertheless it contains a large Eagly combat that solely works due to the dumb, genius determination of utilizing a person’s chook blindness towards him, a lot to Langston Fleury’s (Tim Meadows) chagrin. Cue Eagly totally wrecking a whole A.R.G.U.S. wetworks crew and celebrating the victory by energy strolling to the tune of Ida Maria’s “Soiled Cash.”
This ought to be an indication that Eagly is not any extraordinary eagle, particularly after world-famous eagle hunter and obvious nutjob Purple St. Wild (Michael Rooker, wonderful as ever) begins having dream quest visions about Eagly because the supernatural Prime Eagle. Even so, “Peacemaker” manages to play the Purple. vs. Eagly storyline as a wacky live-action Wile E. Coyote vs. Roadrunner scenario … that’s, till “Again to the Suture” reveals that Purple was proper.
Sure, Purple (R.I.P.) effed round and discovered … that Eagly truly is the Prime Eagle who guidelines over all eagles. The twist that Peacemaker’s (John Cena) dumbass, bologna-obsessed, hug-happy pet is secretly a legendary, divine chook of prey is chuckle-worthy, certain sufficient. Nevertheless, it additionally underlines the “Peacemaker” sophomore season’s tendency to provide its characters pointless power-ups, which is quickly turning into the largest of the present’s uncommon missteps.
Peacemaker characters want no power-ups however hold getting them anyway
In hindsight, there have been loads of earlier Eagly antics that prompt it is no extraordinary chook. The laser-focused dismantling of a number of cops chasing Peacemaker and Vigilante (Freddie Stroma) within the season 1 episode “Murn After Studying” springs to thoughts, in addition to the way in which Eagly readily locates an alternate dimension which may carry pleasure to its beloved Peacemaker within the season 2 premiere. So, the Prime Eagle reveal ought to most likely not be an enormous shock, and will very nicely develop into a supply of a lot merriment.
Sadly, the twist comes instantly within the wake of “Peacemaker” season 2, episode 4 (“Want I Say Door”), which revealed that Peacemaker is greater than only a self-pitying superhero wannabe with a tragic previous and a vaguely heroic streak. He is the one man who is aware of learn how to management the quantum unfolding storage chamber, and subsequently successfully the guardian of the DC Universe’s tackle the multiverse. Or relatively, he was, as a result of “Again to the Suture” additionally grants the identical data to Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks). What’s extra, there’s some proof that “Peacemaker” season 2 could have teased one other alternate universe DC superhero — specifically, Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) turning into Peacewrecker.
That is quickly turning into an issue, as a result of these characters are particularly not meant to be highly effective doorkeepers of eternity. A lot of “Peacemaker” season 1’s charms come from the truth that the characters are non-powered dorks who nonetheless by some means handle to save lots of the world towards overwhelming odds. But, for some cause, season 2 appears hellbent on tinkering with a confirmed recipe by giving a number of characters pointless further powers and skills. What’s subsequent, John Economos (Steve Agee) seems to be rumored “Superman” sequel villain Brainiac in disguise?
The Peacemaker characters’ power-ups are probably benevolent … however will they work in the long term?
I am being crucial of a sure growth within the “Peacemaker” world, however let’s hold issues clear: Between his “Guardians of the Galaxy” stuff within the Marvel Cinematic Universe and all the things he is finished on the DC aspect of issues, James Gunn is simply in regards to the final man whose superhero adaptation credentials could be questioned. As such, I absolutely imagine there is a risk that Gunn is handing out these upgrades out of real love for the present’s characters, with the attainable intention to improve them to allow them to believably dangle with the opposite, virtually invariably stronger characters within the DCU’s “Gods and Monsters” stage. Or he might merely be establishing a bait-and-switch scenario the place everybody loses no matter edge that they had by the top of the season; in any case, the very tagline of the season is “In what world are they the heroes?” Maybe the console that controls the quantum unfolding chamber might be damaged. Possibly Eagly will stroll away from its Prime Eagle duties to stay with its human buddy — or worse, finally ends up as a tragic entry on an avian equal of the “Does the Canine Die?” web site.
On the finish of the day, these folks (and eagles) aren’t and really a lot should not be unstoppable powerhouses in any sense. Seeing them develop into more and more formidable one after the other comes throughout as useless and out of character — particularly since Peacemaker already has the enjoyable and really becoming “new dumb powers with each totally different helmet” cheat code at his disposal for every time he must work together with different metahumans.
“Peacemaker” season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.