One of James Gunn’s Big Earth X Peacemaker Clues Was a Total Accident

To its credit, season 2 of “Peacemaker” manages to setting up huge things for the future of the DC Universe while telling a fascinating story about Christopher Smith aka Peacemaker (John Cena). Arguably the most important development of the season is its use of the multiverse, which immediately stands out from other multiverse films and shows because it actually depicts the alternate reality it explores as being different and not just an excuse to indulge in cameos and fanservice. Season 2’s reveal that Chris’s “perfect” world is actually the horrible Earth (That and he should Really pay more attention to its surroundings in case there is, for example, a giant mural of Adolf Hitler on the wall.)

Not that the creator of “Peacemaker” and big boss of DC Studios, James Gunn, hasn’t left clues for fans. In the opening credits sequence of season 2, the very first dance move Chris performs evokes the swastika. There’s also the distinct absence of people of color on this alternate Earth, the ashtray in the alternate Smith house literally being a swastika, and the way the characters pronounce “Blüdhaven” with a German accent. Additionally, fans also noted that Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) from Earth-X is weird by Chris asking “What’s going on?” (a phrase popularized in black culture in the 1970s).

Except it wasn’t really a clue, at least not according to Steve Agee. As the actor, who plays John Economos in “Peacemaker,” explained, Reversehe himself asked Gunn if it was intentional:

“He says, ‘What? No, she’s confused because he called her Harcourt. Chris, in this world, calls her Emilia. I never thought about that. [theory].'”

Once again, “Peacemaker” makes excellent use of the multiverse. It’s basically emulates the mirror universe of the “Star Trek” franchise just focusing on reversing some things we know well (like bringing dead characters back to life and making them all incredibly nice to Chris).

Likewise, the introduction of the multiverse in “Peacemaker” has huge potential implications for the future of the DCU. We already know that the planet Salvation will be present in an upcoming project, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The DC Comics Universe is home to an incredibly complex and vast multiverse, as depicted in “The Multiversity,” the limited comic book series written by Grant Morrison and featuring art by Frank Quitely, Ivan Reis, Cameron Stewart, Chris Sprouse, Karl Story, Ben Oliver and Doug Mahnke. Easily among the best comic book limited series of the last decade, the story explores both the history of DC’s alternate universes and the nearly 100-year history of superhero comics. It’s extremely strange and creative, and Gunn would be wise not to take inspiration from it as he continues to incorporate elements of the multiverse into the DCU.

Certainly, it’s difficult to include the multiverse in a superhero franchise in 2025. Between the “Spider-Verse” films perfecting its representation on the big screen and Marvel Studios shoving so much multiverse stuff down the throats of audiences, it’s hard to justify. another multiverse project – especially when one of the last films made before Gunn took over as head of DC Studios was “The Flash”, a horrible film that completely misuses the multiverse. Yet the multiverse is intrinsic to DC’s mythology. Hell, that’s one of the things that made it special from the start. Therefore, it’s likely going to be a big part of the DCU, for better or worse.

“Peacemaker” is streaming on HBO Max.