For many fans, Peacemaker Season 2 ended with more of a whimper than a bang, but DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has definitely set the stage for some interesting ideas to be explored in future DCU stories.
With Checkmate now operating in this shared world and poor Chris Smith stranded alone on "Salvation" after being left there by Rick Flag Sr. (who intends to use the alternate dimension as a prison for metahumans), it's going to be fascinating seeing what all this means for Man of Tomorrow and beyond.
So, who is Checkmate, what exactly is Salvation, and which comics should you be reading? Below, we take a deep dive into everything you need to know after watching Peacemaker Season 2's finale, "Full Nelson."
Checkmate
The presence of Sasha Bordeaux in Peacemaker Season 2 led many fans to theorise that she might somehow be connected to Checkmate, a clandestine organisation that debuted in the pages of 1988's Action Comics #598.
However, she doesn't secretly serve Amanda Waller, and instead teams with the 11th Street Kids (along with Langston Fleury and Judomaster) to form a group that will do the right thing, unlike A.R.G.U.S. Maxwell Lord, another character with close ties to the group on the page, doesn't appear to have any involvement, though we could see Checkmate and the Justice Gang eventually working together.
While the comic book Checkmate was often portrayed in an antagonistic light, this version seems entirely heroic. We can't help but wonder whether things would be different had the Waller TV series not fallen apart.
One key story worth seeking out is "The OMAC Project. That saw Lord set out to kill the Earth's Metahumans, and culminated with Wonder Woman killing him. While Batman played a pivotal role in the story alongside Sasha, Gunn has already confirmed that's not his plan with the DCU's Dark Knight.
"No, it’s really not about that," he said in a recent interview. "I mean, if you think we’re kind of skipping that part of it, because it really is about Sasha and Checkmate, it’s not about Sasha and Batman. Frankly, I know Sasha mostly from Checkmate, so that’s why she came into the story."
Salvation (And Salvation Run)
Gunn has confirmed that the Salvation Run limited series (written by Bill Willingham and Lilah Sturges, with art from Sean Chen, Walden Wong, Joe Bennett and Belardino Brabo) was a key source of inspiration in Salvation's introduction in Peacemaker. The Final Crisis tie-in saw Waller use a Boom Tube to send the Earth's villains to a planet far, far away from Earth.
Lex Luthor, The Joker, Catwoman, Killer Croc, The Rogues, and even members of Task Force X find themselves stranded there and, as you might expect, war breaks out as the villains start taking sides against each other.
Soon, Salvation's inhabitants discover they have bigger problems when they realise the seemingly peaceful planet is ruled over by the New Gods of Apokolips, serving as DeSaad's training station for his Parademons.
Peacemaker Season 2's finale confirmed that Chris isn't alone on the planet, and we wouldn't be shocked if, in place of Darkseid and Apokolips, Salvation ends up being Gunn's take on Dinosaur Island. That could tie into his wider plans for the DCU, especially if The Centre (a sentient island and eldritch being) ends up being this world's big bad.
If we're correct with that assumption, then Darwyn Cooke's The New Frontier is essential reading...and a story you should check out, regardless.
All episodes of Peacemaker are now streaming on HBO Max.