Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Peacemaker season 2, episode 5Among several fun Easter eggs and DCU references, Peacemaker season 2, episode 5 features a massive connection to James Gunn’s Superman. As things fall apart in the main DCU reality for Peacemaker, with enemies closing in from all sides, the alternate dimension Chris Smith found is looking better and better. Meanwhile, this new episode features several solid nods and ties.
In Peacemaker season 2, episode 4, Chris relocated the QUC to a cabin, barely avoiding ARGUS while Rick Flag Sr. recruited Emilia Harcourt. Now, this new episode features a full confrontation with ARGUS, a supernatural reveal for Eagly, and a major decision. Here are all the biggest Easter eggs, DCU references, nods, and fun factoids we found along the way.
Rick Flag Jr.’s Funeral
Peacemaker season 2, episode 5 opens with a flashback to the funeral of Rick Flag Jr., notably attended by both Emilia Harcourt and Rick Flag Sr. As the flashback progresses, it’s confirmed that the funeral occurred just after the events of James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad but before the premiere of Peacemaker season 1.
Costumed Clown and a Giant Starfish (The Suicide Squad)
Rick Flag Sr. expresses his frustration and the absurdity that, after years of serving his country, his son died on a mission with “a bunch of costumed clowns and a giant starfish“. This is a reference to the events of The Suicide Squad and Task Force X’s major battle in Corto Maltese with the cosmic kaiju threat known as Starro the Conqueror.
“S*** Detail in Evergreen” (Project Butterfly)
During the funeral flashback, Rick Flag Sr. tries warning Emilia that Amanda Waller has it out for her, though Harcourt already knows, as she and John Economos have already been assigned to “a s*** detail in Evergreen…Project Butterfly“. This is a nod to The Suicide Squad’s post-credits scene and the events of Peacemaker season 1 in general.
Shaft Is A Compliment
Surrounded by ARGUS agents in the park, Chris Smith refers to Agent Fleury as “Shaft”, the fictional P.I. whom Tim Meadows’ DCU character does bear some resemblance to. Likewise, Fluery considers the comparison to be a compliment.
Sasha Bordeaux’s Cyborg Status Confirmed
Preparing to take Chris Smith out with a kill shot, Agent Sasha Bordeaux is confirmed to be cybernetically enhanced in Peacemaker season 2, episode 5. Later on in the episode, Economos confirms that Sasha was in a plane crash and that ARGUS saved her life with multiple cybernetic upgrades. This effectively makes her a cyborg, just like her original DC Comics counterpart.
Some Familiar Hat/Head Confusion
Getting her first response from her detective agency ad, Leota Adebayo is asked on the phone if she’s wearing a hat based on the ad’s silhouette or if she has a square head, not realizing she’s being mistakenly propositioned for prostitution. Regardless, there’s a similar joke about head/hat confusion in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 with Baby Groot.
ARGUS Dimensional Testing?
Following his beatdown of Chris Smith after ARGUS briefly had Peacemaker in custody, Rick Flag Sr. is shown reading what looks to be lab notes regarding an experiment involving dimensional testing. It’s possible that for all of ARGUS’ concern about the dangers of dimensional rifts and pocket universes, they may be looking to secure their own extradimensional access for themselves.
Preventing Another Metropolis Incident (And A Greater Purpose)
Once more, Rick Flag Sr. tells Agent Bordeaux that ARGUS’ priority is to prevent another “Metropolis Incident” as seen with Lex Luthor’s pocket universe in Superman. However, Flag also alludes to a desire to gain control of Peacemaker’s Quantum Unfolding Chamber for “a greater purpose“, further suggesting that Flag may have a secret agenda to travel to other realities himself.
“A Blind Monk In The Himalayas”
Tired of Agent Fleury’s non-PC nicknames, Judomaster warns that if he doesn’t stop, he’ll literally “rip his d*** off” using skills he learned from “a blink monk in the Himalayas“.
While this reference to Judomaster’s past training doesn’t come from Rip Jagger’s actual DC Comics origins, it’s a classic trope we’ve seen from other superhero origins, like Batman training with Ra’s al Ghul in the Himalayas or Daredevil learning how to fight from a blind warrior named Stick.
Peacemaker Takes Down Superman’s Kaiju
Lastly, one of the biggest DCU connections comes at the very end of Peacemaker season 2, episode 5.
Having decided to make a life for himself permanently in the other reality, Peacemaker joins his brother and father to fight a kaiju downtown. Based on the news footage shown at the very end of the episode, The Top Trio was successful, though the kaiju itself looks exactly like the one Kal-El and the Justice Gang fought in James Gunn’s Superman.
It’s certainly one of the biggest connections between the two DCU projects yet, though one that does open up some interesting questions about this alt-reality considering the kaiju in the main DCU was unleashed by Lex Luthor.
New episodes of Peacemaker season 2 release Thursdays on HBO Max.
- Release Date
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January 13, 2022
- Network
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HBO Max, Max
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
