Season 2 of Peacemaker is about to reach its midpoint and the story is just kicking into gear. John Cena’s title character is already fully entrenched in the multiverse, making the show a critical turning point in James Gunn’s rebooted DC Universe.
As you carve out time to watch Peacemaker this week, here is everything you need to know in the lead-up to season 2, episode 4.
When does Peacemaker S2E4 come out?
Episode 4 of season 2 of Peacemaker will be released on the HBO Max streaming service at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, September 11.
The latest episode, titled “Need I Say Door,” is expected to have a runtime of 45 minutes. That doesn’t include the end credits, the outtakes or the preview of the following episode, which have added about three minutes to the past few episodes.
(Warning: Spoilers for Season 2, Episode 3 of Peacemaker and Superman ahead).
Who will show up in this episode?
Between the main DC Universe timeline and the alternate dimension that Peacemaker explored in the first three episodes, the next episode could feature multiple versions of characters we already know. Here is the unofficial cast list for season 2, episode 4:
- John Cena as Christopher Smith, a.k.a Peacemaker
- Jennifer Holland as Emilia Harcourt
- Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo
- Steve Agee as John Economos
- Freddie Stroma as Adrian Chase, a.k.a. Vigilante
- Frank Grillo as Rick Flag Sr.
- Sol Rodriguez as Sasha Bordeau
- Tim Meadows as Langston Fleury
- Michael Rooker as Red St. Wild
- Robert Patrick as Auggie Smith, a.k.a. The Blue Dragon
- David Denman as Keith Smith, a.k.a. Captain Triumph
- Joel Kinneman as Rick Flag Jr.
It remains to be seen if or when Nathan Fillion’s Guy Gardner, Isabela Merced’s Hawkgirl or Sean Gunn’s Maxwell Lord will return after their cameo appearances in episode 1.
What to expect in Peacemaker S2E4
In episode 3, Peacemaker got to spend a day walking in his deceased alternate-self’s shoes. After mocking his odd wardrobe, he drove around town in his custom motorcycle, got to reconnect with Harcourt and saved the town from a terrorist group called the Sons of Liberty. Chris himself said it was the best dimension ever, which makes everything feel a little too good to be true. That’s led to a number of fan theories floating around about what exactly is wrong with the alternate universe.
Just as Chris returns to his home universe at the end of the episode, A.R.G.U.S. is rolling up to his house for another raid. This time, Red St. Wild has joined the crew to deal with Eagly, on top of Bordeau, Fleury and dozens of other agents looking to catch Chris misusing a dimensional portal.
There is not an official synopsis for season 2, episode 4 of Peacemaker publicly listed yet.
How does Peacemaker fit into the DC Universe?
The DC Extended Universe that existed from 2013 to 2023 effectively got scrapped when James Gunn came in to head up DC Studios alongside producer Peter Safran. The continuity didn’t get a completely fresh start, though, since Gunn wanted to continue stories that he had written and directed pre-reboot.
Cena’s Peacemaker initially appeared in 2021’s The Suicide Squad, which was a loose sequel to 2016’s Suicide Squad. Harley Quinn, Rick Flag Jr. and Amanda Waller were among the characters to appear in both films. Flag Jr. just made his first appearance in Peacemaker last week, both in a flashback sequence in the main universe and as an active part of the “Earth 2” storyline.
The “Previously On” at the beginning of the season 2 premiere fully retconned certain aspects of season 1, which makes it hard to gauge what is cannon and what isn’t. The Justice Gang arrived late to save the day instead of the Justice League, for example, with reshoots replacing Jason Mamoa’s Aquaman and Ezra Miller’s Flash with the new versions of Green Lantern and Hawkgirl. The silhouettes of David Corenswet’s Superman, Milly Alcock’s Supergirl and Edi Gathegi’s Mr. Teriffic replaced those of Henry Cavill’s Superman and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, as well.
It still remains to be seen if Robert Pattison’s Batman and Colin Ferrell’s Penguin are part of the same universe as Peacemaker & co.
Peacemaker exploring this alternate universe in more depth could provide some more insight into how “elseworlds” work in the new DC Universe, as well as what lies ahead from a reboot perspective.
