Spoilers for “Peacemaker” season 2 comply with.
If there is a central antagonist in “Peacemaker” season 2, it is Normal Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), new director of the Superior Analysis Group of America (A.R.G.U.S.). But regardless that he is been instigating the conflicts this season, I have never actually considered him as a “villain.” In spite of everything, Peacemaker/Christopher Smith (John Cena) did kill the overall’s son, Rick Flag Jr. (Joel Kinnaman). Are you able to not see why Flag desires revenge for that and is relentless in pursuing it?
To recap: Peacemaker was placed on Task Force X back during “The Suicide Squad” for a mission to South American nation Corto Maltese. Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), head of Activity Power X, needed the squad to destroy proof of American crimes in opposition to humanity in a base on the island; she put Peacemaker on the crew as a result of, in his ideological dedication to “holding the peace,” he is the one she might belief to destroy the info. When Flag Jr. found the reality, he needed to whistle blow. He and Peacemaker obtained in a combat, and Chris stabbed Flag within the coronary heart.
Now, we know that this homicide was a turning level for Chris and considered one of his greatest regrets. He admired Flag as a “hero,” and Flag’s final phrases (“Peacemaker… what a joke…”) hit Chris laborious. We additionally know, from watching “Peacemaker” season 1, that Chris has grown into a greater man. However even when Flag is aware of that, guilt and progress are little comfort; the higher man Chris is now continues to be and can at all times be the person who killed his “Ricky.”
Plus, when Flag debuted again within the animated “Creature Commandos,” he was a fairly heroic man similar to his son. He was extra impartial in “Superman,” however nonetheless skeptical of Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult). In “Peacemaker,” although, Flag ideas over into the darkish aspect and never simply because it is a story instructed from the angle of the person he hates probably the most.
Revenge and paranoia have corrupted Rick Flag
“Creature Commandos” established that Flag Sr. had been retired, however he resumed lively obligation to fill his late son’s position at A.R.G.U.S. He was put answerable for Activity Power M, Waller’s latest crew of Belle Reve prisoners turned secret operatives, i.e. the titular Creature Commandos. On a crew with the Bride of Frankenstein, translucent nuclear man Physician Phosphorus and nazi-killing robotic, Flag was the straight man.
He wound up being seduced and deceived by Ilana Rostovic (Maria Bakalova), princess of Pokolistan and aspiring world conqueror, however he had good intentions. In “Peacemaker,” Flag is as soon as extra led astray by private emotions.
First, he primarily blackmails Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) into promoting out Peacemaker by providing to take away her from U.S. intelligence businesses’ blacklist. As soon as he and A.R.G.U.S. do arrest Peacemaker, Flag viciously beats him in a holding room. (Chris does not combat again, acknowledging Flag has a proper to be indignant with him.) If Chris hadn’t been booked into the system, it is steered Flag would’ve outright killed or “disappeared” him.
The turning level for Flag, although, is in episode 6, “Ignorance is Chris,” when he makes a deal with Luthor. Flag does not simply need revenge from Peacemaker, he desires his dimension hopping Quantum Unfolding Chamber (Q.U.C.). Why? To discover a dimension the place the U.S. authorities can ship metahuman prisoners, ceaselessly, like a black web site between worlds. “Superman” steered Flag was rising paranoid about metahumans getting extra energy and this pays off that thread.
In “Full Nelson,” A.R.G.U.S. finds their jail with the unspoiled but habitable forest world, “Salvation.” Flag spends the episode yucking it up with Luthor’s lackeys and, within the closing scene of the season, sends an kidnapped Peacemaker by means of the portal to Salvation as its first prisoner. I went into this season considering that Rick Flag was an honorable man justified in pursuing revenge in opposition to Peacemaker, just for the season to slowly persuade me in any other case.
“Peacemaker” is streaming on HBO Max.
