Peacemaker Season 2 Review
Emma Londoner ‘26 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer
As a Whole
I’ll start by saying that I’ve never been a superfan of superheroes. I occasionally watch films or series, but I don’t follow every Marvel or DC storyline. That changed when I watched Season 1 of Peacemaker with one of my close friends.
It completely won me over.
It was everything I value in a show: Funny, self-aware, and unexpectedly emotional. Beneath all the chaos, it had a heart. So when Season 2 was announced, I was genuinely excited to see where James Gunn would take the show.
That said, this season was very different from the first. It’s darker, slower, and far more reflective. Peacemaker Season 2 shifts its focus from constant action to exploring who these characters are when the fighting stops. The show still delivers Gunn’s signature blend of humor, violence, and emotion, but it lingers longer on the quieter, more human moments. We see Chris Smith (John Cena) struggling to redefine what peace means to him, Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) balancing leadership with her vulnerability, and Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) wrestling with guilt as she tries to carve out her own identity. The pacing may drag in the middle, but this feels intentional. Gunn slows things down to explore what happens after the chaos, when the masks come off and the silence sets in. This season isn’t about saving the world; it’s about understanding the people still trying to survive in it, finding pieces of connection and redemption in the aftermath.
Opening
I can’t make this review without mentioning the opening number theme song — it’s so iconic that the world feels like an understatement. It lays the foundation for the show and generates buzz in the best way possible. It’s the mix of choreography, music, and unapologetic weirdness that works together to capture precisely what Peacemaker is: bold, ridiculous, and oddly heartfelt. The Season 1 intro was beyond phenomenal, instantly unforgettable. Going into Season 2, with a different intro, Gunn reiterated to the public that people would need to separate the two and allow no comparisons. He is right about that.
At first, I wasn’t a massive fan of the new opening. It felt disorganized and lacked the instant spark I had. But as the season went on, it grew on me. The finale brought everything full circle when Foxy Shazam, the band behind the intro song, performed it live. It was an incredible moment, electric and perfectly in sync with the show’s energy. Peacemaker isn’t just a story; it’s also an experience that fuses music, emotion, and chaos into something unforgettable.
James Gunn’s Vision
It’s no secret that James Gunn has always been a storyteller who finds humor in pain and beauty in imperfection. This season completely captures that. On Instagram, Gunn discussed the “Earth X” storyline, explaining that its purpose wasn’t to shock fans but to explore how circumstances shaped morality.
Gunn said, “The choice of Earth X wasn’t simply to shock, but to underline how morality shifts when shaped by environment.”
Earth X isn’t just about building the DC Universe; it’s also about what people choose not to see. It’s about denial, comfort, and how easily we justify things when they fit the world we want to believe in. Gunn doesn’t just question Chris’s morality; he also wants us to challenge ourselves.
Gunn’s approach to Peacemaker has always been about more than superheroes or spectacle. He uses absurdity as a lens to reveal truth. Oftentimes, his world is full of broken, complicated people who make terrible choices but still try to do good, and that’s precisely what makes his storytelling resonate. This season, he leans even further into that idea, stripping away the noise to examine what drives people to look away from what’s uncomfortable. It’s messy and human, but that’s what gives Peacemaker its heart.
The Unexpected Ending…
This season has been full of highs and lows, both in the story and in my emotional response to it. Everything had been leading up to the finale. When the finale ended, I wasn’t sure how to feel. For a moment, it seemed like the show was wrapping up peacefully, if you will. The montage of everyone leaving felt like it was the ending. It was a calm moment, showing that they had somehow grown despite everything. If the season had ended there, it would have felt complete, almost like the storm had finally passed.
But then came the twist. Just when it felt like everything was finally settling, Chris was suddenly thrown into Salvation, a world that turned everything we thought we knew upside down. What had seemed like closure instantly shifted into confusion and unease. As a viewer, the ending felt unfinished, even unsettling. It wasn’t the closure I expected. It left me wanting and hoping for more.
Even though it may not be the ending that I or some people want, it makes me think that Gunn had a larger message. Here, it becomes something much more profound. Salvation isn’t just a setting, but a reflection of Chris himself. It’s chaotic, dangerous, and full of guilt. It forces him to face who he’s become, not escape it. It’s not a happy ending, but it’s honest. I didn’t love it, but I respect it. It fits Gunn’s larger message that peace isn’t always comforting. Sometimes it’s painful. Maybe we’re not supposed to feel satisfied. Perhaps we’re meant to sit with the discomfort, just as Chris does.
Final Thoughts
The reaction to this season has been mixed. Some people wanted a bigger payoff or more action, while others loved the emotional depth. Despite its uneven pacing, it’s still one of the most interesting and original shows in the superhero space. James Gunn doesn’t write to please people, he writes to make you think. That makes his work stand out to a vast audience.
Peacemaker Season 2 might not be perfect, but it’s brave. It trades shock value for substance and loud moments for emotional honesty. It reminds me why I was drawn to the show in the first place: not for the fights or the jokes, but for the heart behind it all. I may not have loved the ending, but I’ve seen why Gunn ended it that way, even if part of me still wishes it were different.
Final Rating: 8/10. Uneven at times, but honest, bold, and full of heart, which is precisely what James Gunn does best.