Peacemaker season 1 is such a big hit that it has already been renewed for season 2. Here’s our Peacemaker season 1 ending explained and theories for season 2.
Peacemaker season 1 has taken fans on a wild and crazy ride from the very start. This show has been so very clearly James Gunn, who has always been unafraid to push the envelope, and is fantastic at writing and directing content with big ensemble casts. He makes sure that everyone gets their moment to shine, and while this series is titled after just one of the characters, Peacemaker, if is truly a collaboration between everyone involved.
Peacemaker episode 7 left the team on their way to take out the butterflies’ only source of food, the craziest looking cow you could ever imagine. Things are rocky between Leota and Chris after she betrayed him, but they both plan to put their differences aside in order to finish the mission. With Harcourt as the new leader after Murn butterfly was murdered by Goff / Sophie butterfly, she is determined to do a good job.
The Peacemaker season 1 finale, episode 8 “It’s Cow Or Never”, has just aired and here is the ending explained — plus some season 2 theories and things we would like to see.
Warning: Peacemaker Season 1 Spoilers Ahead
Peacemaker Season 1 Ending Explained
The Peacemaker season 1 finale episode “It’s Cow or Never” is jam packed with everything that fans wanted, and more. The team had to band together to get rid of the cow in order to stop the butterfly invasion. The best part though is all of the callbacks from things that were sprinkled throughout the season. From dye-beard, to flaming hot Cheetos, to Aquaman’s extracurricular activities, this episode fantastically wraps up the season as a whole, but at the same time manages to get viewers hyped for season 2.
Toward the beginning of the episode the ghost of Chris’ father shows up and starts taunting him. This is clearly going to be something he needs to deal with, as the ghost continues to talk down to Chris and make him feel like crap. This is a great touch and feels completely necessary. Just because Peacemaker was able to shoot his father, doesn’t mean he won’t be haunted by those demons for a long time to come.
Watching how far this team has come from the beginning, how they have become more of a family, and are willing to do anything to help each other out, is truly heartwarming. The finale has some of the best action of the season, with several large scale fights. These fights see them all working together to not only take out the butterflies, but to protect each other throughout the battle. One of the best moments is when Peacemaker leaves the fighting to everyone else to get the cow, and is pursued by one of the butterflies. Vigilante chops him in the head, saving his BFF.
In the moment where Economos must admit the fact that he dyes his beard after being called out by one of the butterflies, it is hard not to feel for him. In his explanation he confesses how Peacemaker mentioning it over and over made him feel (SPOILER: not good). It seems that this really hits Chris hard as he realizes the majority of the things he says and does are not nice. This is something he has been going through all season, but he sort of fully gets it in this moment.
During the big, epic, final fight, both Harcourt and Vigilante get shot. There is a moment here where it feels like this could be the end for at least one of them, but luckily they both live to fight another day. James Gunn has never shied away from killing characters, so even though it felt like they would survive, fans likely sat on the edge of their seats for a while.
After Harcourt goes down, Leota knows she must go help her. Seeing her transform into a complete badass, taking out multiple butterflies to get to Harcourt – and even ripping one out of Harcourt’s throat as it tries to possess her – is incredible. Every character in this show has an amazing arc this season, and the finale is pretty much perfect.
Related: 40+ Of The Best & Most Hilarious DC Peacemaker Memes
After making his way to the cow, Peacemaker is confronted by Sophie. While the two fight for a minute, she eventually tells him that she has no reason to hurt him. She thanks him for being kind to her, and feeding her. She also wants to confess to him the truth.
In a deep conversation with Sophie, Chris learns what the butterflies are up to. When they arrived on Earth, they saw that humans were going down the same path their species was. Destroying the Earth and listening to bozos in the government who tell us to look away, and that these things are not due to our actions.
The butterflies made a vow to save the planet, no matter how many lives they had to take to it. She asks Peacemaker to help them in their mission, and it is here that he must make a decision.
Leota, who has made her way down to the cow to help Peacemaker, is wearing one of his helmets — the human torpedo helmet. While Sophie is waiting for his answer he says “activate human torpedo” which launches her into the cow, killing it. All of the blood and gore in this scene is EVERYTHING, by the way.
When asked later why he didn’t side with the butterflies, he admits it is because he knew they would hurt the team if he did. Obviously he can relate to the butterflies and their mission as he himself made a vow when his brother died, to kill in the name of peace. So it wouldn’t have been a far fetch for him to opt to help them.
Related: 50+ Hilarious DC’s Peacemaker Quotes From The HBO Max Show
In what is sure to be the most talked about cameo of the year, the Justice League – Superman, Flash, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman – arrive just a little bit too late to help out in the final fight. Peacemaker is unafraid to let them know that as he calls them names as he walks by them with the rest of his team, carrying Harcourt. In another brilliant callback to the very first episode Aquaman and Flash discuss THOSE rumors about Aquaman and fish. When Flash says they are true, Aquaman does not appreciate it.
During the final few moments of the episode viewers see Peacemaker sitting at the hospital for days in support of Harcourt, and the two hold hands as he sits by her hospital bed. Leota holds a press conference to not only admit that she planted the diary, but to expose Task Force X and her mother. Economos returns to work, and places a frame with the photo from the group rocking out in the van together on his desk.
Peacemaker sits outside his trailer with Eagly, Goff/Sophie butterfly (who he gives the last bit of stolen nectar to), and the ghost of his father.
Peacemaker Season 2 Theories
Ahead of the finale HBO Max officially renewed Peacemaker for a season 2, which will also be written and directed by James Gunn. Even though this was just announced, there is a chance Gunn has known about this for some time. And even if not, knowing the way his brain works it would be a shock if he doesn’t have some plans already up his sleeve.
Here are some things we think Peacemaker season 2 could bring:
- The effects of Leota calling for an investigation against her mother.
- A Harcourt and Peacemaker romance.
- The Suicide Squad member cameos / team-ups.
- Ties to the DCEU films. Black Adam is very possible because Harcourt is rumored to be in that film.
- More jokes at the expense of DC heroes.
- Probably the death of one of the members of the group, because that is James Gunn’s style.
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About Peacemaker
Written and directed by James Gunn, PEACEMAKER explores the continuing story of the character that John Cena reprises in the aftermath of Gunn’s 2021 film “The Suicide Squad” – a compellingly vainglorious man who believes in peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill to get it.
The series stars John Cena as Peacemaker, Danielle Brooks as Adebayo, Freddie Stroma as Vigilante, Jennifer Holland as Harcourt, Steve Agee as Economos, Chukwudi Iwuji as Murn and Robert Patrick as Auggie Smith.
Gunn wrote all eight episodes of PEACEMAKER and directed five, including the first. Gunn, Peter Safran and Matt Miller serve as executive producers on the series, with Cena as co-executive producer. Based on characters from DC, PEACEMAKER is produced by Gunn’s Troll Court Entertainment and The Safran Company in association with Warner Bros. Television.
The DC spinoff series is streaming on HBO Max
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.