This text incorporates spoilers for “Peacemaker” season 2, episode 5, “Again to the Suture.”
“Peacemaker” season 2 likes to juggle fairly just a few balls on the similar time, and one which has been constantly flying increased 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 initiatives 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 Hen,” however it contains a massive Eagly combat that solely works due to the dumb, genius determination of utilizing a person’s chicken blindness towards him, a lot to Langston Fleury’s (Tim Meadows) chagrin. Cue Eagly completely wrecking a complete 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 isn’t any unusual eagle, particularly after world-famous eagle hunter and obvious nutjob Pink 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 Pink. vs. Eagly storyline as a wacky live-action Wile E. Coyote vs. Roadrunner state of affairs … that’s, till “Again to the Suture” reveals that Pink was proper.
Sure, Pink (R.I.P.) effed round and came upon … that Eagly really 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 chicken of prey is chuckle-worthy, positive sufficient. Nevertheless, it additionally underlines the “Peacemaker” sophomore season’s tendency to provide its characters pointless power-ups, which is quickly changing into the most important 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 unusual chicken. The laser-focused dismantling of a number of law enforcement officials chasing Peacemaker and Vigilante (Freddie Stroma) within the season 1 episode “Murn After Studying” springs to thoughts, in addition to the best way Eagly readily locates an alternate dimension which may convey 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 effectively 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 methods to management the quantum unfolding storage chamber, and due to this fact successfully the guardian of the DC Universe’s tackle the multiverse. Or somewhat, 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 might have teased one other alternate universe DC superhero — particularly, Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) changing into Peacewrecker.
That is quickly changing 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 one way or the other handle to avoid wasting the world towards overwhelming odds. But, for some motive, season 2 appears hellbent on tinkering with a confirmed recipe by giving a number of characters pointless additional powers and talents. 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 important of a sure improvement 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 completed on the DC facet of issues, James Gunn is simply in regards to the final man whose superhero adaptation credentials could be questioned. As such, I totally consider there is a chance that Gunn is handing out these upgrades out of real love for the present’s characters, with the potential intention to improve them to allow them to believably grasp with the opposite, virtually invariably stronger characters within the DCU’s “Gods and Monsters” stage. Or he might merely be organising a bait-and-switch state of affairs the place everybody loses no matter edge they’d 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 good friend — 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 individuals (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 unnecessary and out of character — particularly since Peacemaker already has the enjoyable and really becoming “new dumb powers with each completely different helmet” cheat code at his disposal for at any time when he must work together with different metahumans.
“Peacemaker” season 2 is streaming on HBO Max.
