Peacemaker Season 2 concluded this past Thursday with an episode that's divided opinions. Despite being nearly an hour long, John Cena's Chris Smith didn't get much in the way of screentime, but big chunks of the episode were devoted to music performances by Nelson and Foxy Shazam.
After spending most of the season teeing up the Earth-X reveal, that sinister alternate dimension didn't factor into the finale at all, and the series ended on something of a bum note when Peacemaker was robbed of his happy ending by a vengeful Rick Flag Sr.
However, "Full Nelson" did bring Checkmate and Salvation into the DCU, two incredibly intriguing concepts that will reportedly be key to future DC Studios stories. At the same time, the finale packed an emotional punch, particularly for fans of the 11th Street Kids and the romance between Chris and Emilia Harcourt.
Inadvertently or otherwise, Gunn somewhat overhyped Peacemaker's final few episodes. Between keeping them from critics, repeatedly hinting at big cameos, and declaring the show a Man of Tomorrow "prequel," the filmmaker perhaps made it so that whatever he'd concocted would never be able to live up to fan expectations.
That could explain why the Peacemaker Season 2 finale is the lowest-rated episode of the series ever, according to fan-submitted ratings on IMDb. "Full Nelson" has been awarded 6.8/10, a stark contrast from the past couple of episodes, which were each scored 9.2/10.
The second-lowest-rated episode of Season 2—and the series in general—was episode 4, "Need I Say Door" with 7.6/10. So, was the finale a let-down or did fans set themselves up for disappointment by banking on Superman and the Justice Gang showing up alongside Brainiac? That's up for debate, but Gunn's frequent interviews and social media updates definitely played a role here.
Gunn can now shift focus to Man of Tomorrow, and any fans frustrated with the DC Studios co-CEO have a year to enjoy projects he hasn't written or directed: Lanterns, Supergirl, and Clayface.
With so much pressure to establish the DCU's tone, the filmmaker has been stretched thin with Creature Commandos, Superman, and Peacemaker, so concentrating on one movie might do him well. Ultimately, regardless of IMDb ratings, each of his DCU movies and TV shows has been a critical hit.
How would you rate the Peacemaker Season 2 finale?
Peacemaker season 2 follows Chris Smith, the vigilante superhero, as he struggles to reconcile his past with his newfound sense of purpose while continuing to kick righteous evildoer butt in his misguided quest for peace at any cost. He 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.
Season 2 stars John Cena, Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Frank Grillo, Sol Rodríguez, David Denman, Brey Noelle, and Tim Meadows.
James Gunn wrote all eight episodes of Peacemaker and directed three, including the first episode. Gunn, Peter Safran, and Cena serve as executive producers. Greg Mottola, Peter Sollett, and Alethea Jones also direct.
In our review of Peacemaker season 2's first five episodes, we wrote, "Peacemaker season 2 feels like a wholly superfluous addition to the new DCU, and lacks the stakes and emotion that made season 1 so special. Fortunately, it’s buoyed by some fun surprises for fans and another exceptional turn from John Cena."
All episodes of Peacemaker season 2 are now streaming on HBO Max.