‘Peacemaker’ season 2 didn’t end with a bloody showdown or an explosive twist; it ended with a slow-burn setup that could shape the course of James Gunn‘s DCU. What seemed at first like a quieter finale turned out to be loaded with foreshadowing, character shifts, future conflicts, and seeds for ‘Man of Tomorrow’, the upcoming ‘Superman‘ sequel.
Episode 7 took a surprising turn with Peacemaker willingly turning himself in to ARGUS. Rather than rushing toward a climactic battle, the season 2 finale took its time, exploring the consequences of that choice and immersing audiences in the mysterious Quantum Unfolding Chamber and its endless doors. By the end, one of those doors opened, not to freedom, but to a place that fans of DC Comics will immediately recognize: Salvation. And that one word changes everything.
What Is The Lore Behind Peacemaker’s Surprise Prison, Salvation?
For a moment, it looked like Christopher Smith had finally found peace. His bond with Emilia Harcourt was back on track, his makeshift family was still together, Keith didn’t show up from his alternate universe, and he’d just formed a new spy agency with his friends. However, peace is never permanent in this universe, especially not for someone like Peacemaker. Rick Flag Sr. had spent the entire season obsessing over the QUC and what lay beyond it.
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The big reveal landed when Harcourt explained ARGUS’s supposed goal: to find a world similar enough to Earth to sustain life. However, Flag’s real target wasn’t exploration; it was incarceration. That world is called Salvation, and it isn’t paradise; it’s a prison planet. Flag’s endgame echoes the 2007 DC Comics Salvation Run storyline. In that comic arc, Amanda Waller and Rick Flag orchestrate the deportation of dozens of DC villains to a seemingly barren world where they could do no more harm.
However, there’s a horrifying twist: the planet is crawling with deadly beasts, and it is ultimately revealed to be under the control of Desaad, one of Darkseid’s New Gods. He uses the planet as a secret testing ground, and when villains unite, he unleashes Parademons on them. The final moments of the finale hint that this same setup is unfolding in live action. When Cena’s character steps through the QUC doorway, he hears a thunderous roar echoing through the alien landscape.
It’s not empty, and it’s not safe. Unlike the comic storyline, Peacemaker was never involved in these events. However, the DCU is clearly weaving him into the center of it. And given Rick Flag Sr.’s hatred for him, there’s every reason to believe he’ll be left stranded there. Even the method of arrival has been updated. Rather than Boom Tubes, the DCU uses the mysterious doors of the Quantum Unfolding Chamber to access Salvation. Whether anyone can return once sent there is another question entirely.
How The Finale Set The Stage For New DCU Projects, Especially ‘Man Of Tomorrow’
The Peacemaker finale strategically introduces two major threads for the future of the DC Universe: the rise of Checkmate and the road to Man of Tomorrow. First, let’s talk about Lex Luthor. Episode 7 revealed that Rick Flag has been collaborating with Lex and his inner circle while developing Salvation. A written note confirms Lex is satisfied with the progress. This immediately connects the events of Peacemaker to the next ‘Superman’ film. In the animated ‘Superman: Man of Tomorrow’, Lex traps Superman in an alternate-dimensional prison.
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The same concept is now being positioned for live-action. Based on Gunn’s previously teased character dynamics and the Salvation Run storyline, two possibilities are at play: Lex betrays Superman and sends him to Salvation, or Rick Flag Double-Crosses Lex Luthor. Moreover, in the comics, Lex eventually becomes trapped on Salvation himself. The DCU might flip the script and send both Lex and Superman there, forcing them into a reluctant alliance against a larger threat. So, Salvation is the perfect setting.
Meanwhile, back on Earth, a new power structure emerges. Peacemaker and his friends, disillusioned by Flag and ARGUS, establish Checkmate, using Vigilante’s blood money to fund it. In the comics, Checkmate is part of Task Force X under Amanda Waller. However, the DCU flips this dynamic completely. Here, it’s led by Leota Adebayo, Waller’s estranged daughter, signaling a shift away from morally gray espionage toward something more principled (or at least less corrupt).
This changes the political landscape of the DCU dramatically. ARGUS is compromised, Waller’s influence is shaken, and Checkmate emerges as a wildcard force. And yes, for fans wondering: Chris and Harcourt are officially, emotionally back on. Their flashback on the boat, the kiss, and Harcourt confessing that it meant “everything” set the tone for a mature connection rather than a one-off spark.
