James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad (2021) was a marked improvement from the 2016 Suicide Squad, thanks to its wild action, on-the-nose comedy, and talented cast. Even with a cast full of absurd, seriocomic characters, John Cena’s Peacemaker stole the show. And while he was thought to be killed, Peacemaker was shown to be alive in a post-credits scene. The Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) director had already planned on doing a Peacemaker show before The Suicide Squad hit theaters, realizing that there was something special in Cena’s performance.
James Gunn is one of the most talented and creative people working in Hollywood, but no one knew they needed a show about the Peacemaker. Christopher Smith, aka Peacemaker, may have been a highlight in The Suicide Squad but setting a show around a still relatively unknown character is an obvious risk. However, Gunn hit another home run and made an awesomely unique superhero show that exceeded fan expectations.
Warning: Spoilers Ahead For The Whole First Season Of HBO Max’s Peacemaker And DCEU
10 The ’80s Hair Metal Soundtrack Proved There’s No Wrong Time To Rock
James Gunn is a huge fan of music and has incorporated some classic songs into each of his projects, namely The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and The Suicide Squad. Gunn kept the good times rolling in Peacemaker by incorporating songs by many classic hair metal bands of the 80s. Whether they were just part of the soundtrack or an integral part of the story, each episode benefited from at least one big needle drop.
One of the more impressive moments featured Christopher Smith playing Motley Crue’s “Home Sweet Home” on the piano, with John Cena actually tickling the ivories. It’s one of several nuances that made the show so enjoyable and proved that there really is no wrong time to rock.
9 Peacemaker’s Hilarious Thoughts & Wild Stories About Famous DC Characters
Peacemaker was a lesser-known DC character before the HBO Max show, but John Cena’s performance and Gunn’s direction have breathed new life into the character. Adding to the hilarious absurdity of the character himself, Peacemaker has some wild stories and freely offers his opinions about more famous DC characters.
Whether insinuating the odd habits of Superman or just pondering why Batman’s villains were always left alive to break out of jail, Peacemaker didn’t hold back throughout the season. Additionally, his story about Green Arrow being an avid fan of My Little Pony who dressed up in less than flattering costumes had fans in stitches.
8 Huge Cameos In The Finale Added To The Show’s Importance, But Still Allowed Peacemaker & His Crew To Stand Tall
While Peacemaker may be better known after the series, having some established DC characters show up in the finale was the cherry on top. After destroying the Butterflies and the worm-like cow, Chris and the gang are greeted by four members of the Justice League. Superman and Wonder Woman are shown in silhouette next to Ezra Miller’s Flash and Jason Mamoa’s Aquaman, who are cursed at by Peacemaker for being too late to do any good.
Peacemaker tells Aquaman to go make love to another fish, to which Aquaman responds by saying he’s sick of that rumor. Flash quickly adds that it’s not a rumor. While the cameos were exciting for DC fans, they didn’t take away from what Peacemaker and his team accomplished that night, or throughout the whole season. It’s just a pity Batman and Cyborg couldn’t make the final cut.
7 The Extreme Violence & Action Was Brutal But Didn’t Distract From The Plot
There are a lot of shows and movies these days that are filled with bloody violence at the expense of character development. Peacemaker has plenty of blood and action but the show also makes sure to incorporate important details and some of the best character-driven comedy in any superhero project to date.
Action aside, seeing members of the team interact with each other and their loved ones is just as important to the series. Gunn was able to humanize Peacemaker, Vigilante, and all of their cohorts, which helped fans relate to the group and made rooting for them even more satisfying.
6 Having Several Different Villains Kept The Story Evolving At A Perfect Pace
Having too many villains sometimes takes away the importance of other characters. Thankfully, Peacemaker found a balance and juggled them to perfection. Whether it was the introduction of the Butterflies, the arrival of Judo Master, or seeing the White Dragon costume for the first time, each week brought another exciting challenge for the team.
Having eight episodes gave the writers time to flesh out the villains and explain their motives. While Judo Master and the Butterflies come off as somewhat sympathetic and likable characters, Peacemaker’s biggest threat was his own racist, psychotic father, Auggie Smith, aka White Dragon.
5 Peacemaker’s Helmets Were All Uniquely Awesome & Helped Uncover The Season’s Biggest Twist
Peacemaker was introduced as an expert marksman with a funny helmet in The Suicide Squad, whose claim to fame was putting Superman in the hospital with a kryptonite bullet. However, the HBO Max series expanded on Peacemaker’s helmets, including the fact that his father made them and that there were multiple helmets, each with its own unique function.
Whether it was the sonic boom or human torpedo helmet, each one had a specific purpose and added to Peacemaker’s unique characterization. The biggest twist of the season occurs when Leota Adebayo, testing out the X-ray helmet, sees a Butterfly in Clemson Murn’s skull.
4 James Gunn Is The King Of CGI Animals & Otherworldly Creatures
Besides being one of the kings of comic book properties these days, James Gunn is also a true lover of creatures, from more realistic animals, to strange beings like Starro in The Suicide Squad, or the Butterfly cow in Peacemaker. Gunn even managed to get millions of people to fall in love with a wisecracking raccoon and a walking tree in the MCU, so who better to introduce audiences to Peacemaker’s best friend, Eagly, the bald eagle?
Eagly captured the hearts of fans everywhere with his adorable sounds and his loyalty to Peacemaker, who, in turn, repeatedly said that Eagly was his best friend. Whether Eagly was bringing his prey back to Chris for approval or the two were just sharing a hug, their love for each other was a beautiful thing to witness.
3 John Cena Proved He Has Acting Chops
John Cena may always bleed WWE and professional wrestling but there’s no denying his talent outside of the squared circle. Cena has been popping up in several comedy movies over the past few years and has seemingly stolen every scene he’s been in. James Gunn recently said that Cena’s performance in The Suicide Squad, mainly the sadness on his face when he was about to kill Ratcatcher 2, is what inspired the HBO Max show. Cena’s ability to transform from a lovable meathead to a conflicted killer proved he can do both comedy and drama. Season 2 of Peacemaker was recently confirmed so it will be exciting to see Cena’s continued growth as an actor of all genres.
2 The Entire Cast Were Incredibly Hilarious & Had Tremendous Chemistry
While the Peacemaker cast included famous actors such as John Cena and Robert Patrick, the rest of the cast isn’t as widely known. Yet, all of them were amazing during the season and showed why they were cast. Danielle Brooks as Adebayo was fabulous and her friendship with Peacemaker was a rollercoaster throughout the show. Jennifer Holland as Harcourt was the backbone of the team and learned from Chukwudi Iwuji’s determined Murn character. Freddie Stroma’s Vigilante was the breakout comedic star and Steve Agee’s Economos proved that he was much more than just the butt of jokes. While we won’t see everyone return for Peacemaker‘s second season, those who do will have legions of new fans in their corner.
1 The Best Intro Music & Opening Credits In The History Of Superhero Television
There hasn’t been another superhero TV show that caught the eyes of viewers so quickly with its explosive opening credits as Peacemaker did. Wig Wam’s 2009 rock song, “Do Ya Wanna Taste It?” plays while the actors perform an elaborately choreographed dance routine. HBO Max should have stopped offering to “skip intro” because it was never going to happen after seeing it once. Following the season finale, “Do Ya Wanna Taste It?” became the number one song on iTunes.
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