REVIEW: 'Peacemaker' Season 2 Episode 6 Is Exactly What Was Missing From This Season
- Christopher Mills
- Sep 25
- 5 min read
This review contains spoilers for 'Peacemaker' Season 2 Episode 6.
For the last five weeks, we've been providing weekly reviews on Peacemaker Season 2 and also provided a review based on the first five episodes. James Gunn had stated that he was keeping the last three episodes close to his chest and not allowing any press to view them before release. Not even his personal assistant has been allowed to watch these episodes and has been made to wait like everybody else to see what else James Gunn has in store for us.
James Gunn returns to direct after previously directing Episode 1, and the opening sequence just oozes Gunn's style. Instead of opening with a flashback like the previous episodes, we catch up with the Top Trio after they have defeated the Kaiju, eating food at a cafe and taking pictures with kids who look up to them, but as the picture is snapped, their faces begin to eerily melt, further raising suspicions about this "perfect world" that Chris (John Cena) loves so much.
A big complaint that I had from Peacemaker Season 2 is that it felt like the 11th Street Kids were left in the dust while the story focused on Chris, Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) and Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo). This episode takes some of the focus off of these characters and allows us to spend more time with Adrian (Freddie Stroma), Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) and Economos (Steve Agee). Adrian has always been a loveable character, and with Gunn finally allowing us to take a look at his home, we see how lovely and welcoming his mother is (despite Adrian's warnings) and also see the shitload of cocaine and money that he keeps in his secret room from all the busts so that corrupt police don't sell or use it (he's literally the best character).
This scene, as they prepare to use the Quantum Unfolding Chamber, really allows the audience to learn a lot more about Adrian as a character, and while he's not the sole focus of this episode, it's the most screentime we get with the character who's now finally suited up as Vigilante. Now in the alternate dimension (while covered in cocaine residue), they all get a first peek at the life their Chris is currently living, weirded out but possibly understanding why he may have made this decision. Despite that, it's still their job to bring Chris back, and this all begins to spiral into events that they couldn't have prepared themselves for.
Chris and Harcourt finally come across each other at A.R.G.U.S. while she's being detained for the residue of cocaine left on her that the dog smelt. This is quite easily the most progression we've gotten between the characters as they sit down and finally try to talk about each other's feelings. Harcourt reveals that she's come to like Chris despite him killing Rick Flag Jr., and she understands that Chris loves her, but she struggles to get out how she feels towards him, beating around the bush and dodging the question at any chance. All she wants is for him to return home, and her feelings for him shouldn't be the deciding factor.
While Chris has been going through a lot, he learns that he hasn't been keeping everyone else's feelings in consideration. The comparison can also be made with how James Gunn has been writing this season, having the majority of the focus on Chris while not really considering what the rest of the 11th Street Kids may be feeling, and with Chris finally beginning to realise that, it feels like the writing is also starting to make a change, evolving alongside Chris. John Cena delivers such a nuanced performance during this scene, but it's Jennifer Holland who completely steals the scene from him. She delivers such a phenomenal performance throughout the episode, between playing both versions of Emilia Harcourt.
It all begins to come together as Harcourt begins to realise that she hasn't come across a single person of colour in this world, Vigilante finds his alternate self and discovers they have everything in common with each other except that Peacemaker is his archenemy in this world, revealing that Vigilante 2 works for the Sons of Liberty, Chris discovering the Nazi swastika on the American flag replacing the stars, and the cherry on top, Adebayo being chased by an entire neighbourhood. We all expected early on that there was something odd with this dimension and it was likely to do with the fact that there wasn't a single person of colour to be found but James Gunn's writing allows for this reveal to remain shocking with how it plays out.
Will this dimension be officially known as Earth-X, or will James Gunn be going for his own original version of the Nazi-run universe? It's too soon to find out, but the little information we do get is from Keith, who says, "One got out! A Black!" hinting that the people of colour of this world are likely being held in a prison or a camp.
Outside of this alternate dimension, Rick Flag Sr. is still trying to find out where Peacemaker has gone, and there's only one person who could possibly help him. Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) arrives in Peacemaker S2 following the events of Superman, and he's hating it in a prison full of metas but is willing to help Rick Flag Sr. as long as he's moved to Van Kull, a prison that was very prominent in the Arrowverse. Lex wanted freedom, which Rick Flag Sr won't give, but he tells him that he can offer him a chance of redemption, which might be a little more than a prison change. It seems like Gunn is already planting the seeds of Man of Tomorrow and making his DCU feel like a connected universe without it feeling like there's too much to swallow.
Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 6 is an improvement from the last episode as we finally enter the final phase of the second season. Jennifer Holland continues to prove that she's a phenomenal actress and puts on display her range, varying from a sweet romantic woman to a woman who's scared to show her true emotions. Chris is finally put on the backburner as we focus a little bit more on the 11th Street Kids and get to learn more about Adrian as a character and that he truly may be a perfect guy in every universe (we even got the Spider-Man pointing meme confirming his existence in the DCU).
Most importantly, as of now, James Gunn keeps his promise on how he handles cameos. Nicholas Hoult returned as Lex Luthor, and instead of feeling like a moment that was for pure excitement, he served a purpose in the overall story, possibly leading to further setup with his next appearance. The only downside to this episode is that they continue to be rather short, and it feels like some moments could've been fleshed out more, but overall, this episode served its purpose and has set up what might be an action-packed and emotional seventh
episode.
Rating: ★★★★☆
About Peacemaker Season 2
Premiere Date:Â August 21, 2025
Episode Count:Â 8
Executive Producer/Showrunner: James Gunn
Writer: James Gunn
Director: James Gunn, Greg Mottola, Peter Sollett, Althea Jones
Production:Â DC Studios, Troll Court Entertainment, The Safran Company
Distribution:Â HBO Max
Cast:Â John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Jennifer Holland, Freddie Stroma, Steve Agee, Robert Patrick, Frank Grillo, David Denman, Sol Rodriguez, Tim Meadows
Synopsis: In season 2, Peacemaker discovers an alternate world where life is everything he wishes it could be. But this discovery also forces him to face his traumatic past and take the future into his own hands.