Peacemaker Recap: Taking a Life

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Okay, so things got *really* heavy in the latest episode of *Peacemaker*. There’s this running gag where Adrian Chase, you know, Peacemaker, tries to break the tension with random facts – this week it was manta rays! – but honestly, it’s because the whole season is way darker than the first one. It’s not just silly superhero stuff anymore; it’s really focused on Chris trying to become a better person while still dealing with all the awful things he’s done, and everyone else remembers. The episode actually *started* with a flashback to Rick Flag Jr.’s funeral – super depressing – and Harcourt basically promised Flag Sr. she’d get revenge on whoever killed his son, but she wouldn’t tell him who it was just yet. It’s a lot, even for a show as wild as *Peacemaker*.

Now, back in the present, Harcourt has a chance to fulfill her promise, but she chooses not to. While it seemed like she’d tricked Chris into a trap set by A.R.G.U.S., she actually warned him to stay away beforehand. She used a secret code word – “copacetic” – to signal that things weren’t safe, despite appearances.

This criticism was enough to finally push Chris to make a choice he’d been considering ever since finding what seemed like a better, happier reality through the quantum chamber. However, he’s still caught in an A.R.G.U.S. trap-and Sasha Bordeaux would have killed him if Harcourt hadn’t stepped in to subdue him instead.

At A.R.G.U.S. headquarters, Chris and Rick Flag Sr. finally meet, and Chris quickly discovers that a simple apology isn’t enough to make up for past mistakes. Driven by a desire for revenge, Flag Sr. confronts Chris, locking him in a room and physically attacking him despite Chris’s attempts to explain how he’s changed and feels remorse. Harcourt intervenes, officially arresting Chris and forcing Flag Sr. to stop the assault, preventing what could have been a fatal outcome.

Watching Chris leave A.R.G.U.S., hurt and feeling betrayed by the woman he loves, I couldn’t help but wonder – as I have several times this season – if anyone could fault him for wanting the new life that’s being offered to him.

Chris is fully committed to leaving his old life behind, and he doesn’t hesitate to do so, even bringing Eagly with him. With assistance from Adebayo and Adrian, he goes to the hunting cabin and uses the quantum unfolding chamber one final time, leaving a note to explain his departure. In it, he admits he’s tried repeatedly to atone for his past errors, but questions if true redemption is achievable in this world. He expresses his hope to find peace, heal from his trauma, and become a better person elsewhere, and asks his loved ones not to be sad, assuring them of his affection.

Chris has left for another universe and ignored the important lesson Adebayo shared with him recently: our biggest challenges come from within, not from our surroundings. (And if fan theories are right, he’ll find plenty of new problems in this other universe too.) Even though he’s a celebrated hero, has a good relationship with his family, and might even find love with Emilia Harcourt-though she’s a very different person than he knew before-he’s still running from his internal struggles.

Chris is struggling with his own issues, but the people around him aren’t willing to let him isolate himself. While Judomaster secretly follows him, leaving a mess behind, Chris’s friends are determined to bring him back. During a meeting, Harcourt firmly states their intention to rescue Chris, and no one disagrees. They’re committed to helping him, no matter what it takes.

Stray Bullets

What exactly happened between Chris and Harcourt on the party boat? The show has hinted at this event, which occurred right before season two began, but we still haven’t seen it play out. While a casual hookup seems likely, the show’s been deliberately vague, leading me to believe it was something more emotionally significant – perhaps a heartfelt confession or a passionate kiss that Harcourt now regrets. Whatever it was, this moment is clearly central to both characters’ journeys, and I suspect we’ll finally see it revealed through flashbacks in the final three episodes.

Like most episodes of *Peacemaker* season two, the funniest parts of this one come from the side stories. There’s a funny misunderstanding with a potential client who thinks Adebayo’s security company is actually an escort service, and we see the disastrous end to Red St. Wild’s eagle hunt. It turns out Eagly really *is* the legendary “Primal Eagle,” and he calls on a whole flock of eagles to attack and kill Red – a suitably violent ending. While Michael Rooker is always entertaining, it’s noticeable how little these side plots have to do with the main storyline of the season.

I’ve really grown to like the new opening credits. While I wasn’t sure about it at first, the song “Oh Lord” is fantastic, and the simpler dance moves fit the more serious and thoughtful tone of *Peacemaker*’s second season.

While Fleury often uses insulting nicknames for his A.R.G.U.S. colleagues, Rick Flag Sr. prefers a different approach. Inspired by the movie *Reservoir Dogs*, he gives each of his undercover agents a code name based on a color.

Despite being difficult, Fleury surprisingly demonstrated a sense of ethics by acknowledging Economos’s diligence in properly documenting Chris’s arrest. I suspect Fleury will end up being a key player in a positive way before the season is over.

Similar to her portrayal in the comics, Sasha Bordeaux is revealed to be a cyborg. However, the story differs from the comics – according to Economos – in that Sasha wasn’t transformed by another cyborg, but as a result of a terrible car accident. Economos admits he intensely dislikes her, even going so far as to use a photo of her injuries from the accident as his phone’s screensaver. Harcourt is understandably shocked by this admission, but Economos dismisses it with a shrug, stating he wasn’t responsible for his own brain’s development.

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2025-09-19 07:00