Warning! This article contains spoilers for Peacemaker season 2, episode 2.Peacemaker‘s new episode follows up on that major cliffhanger from the season 2 premiere and showcases some of its best aspects. I didn’t know exactly what to expect from the show’s return after three years, but Peacemaker season 2’s premiere quickly got me hooked again.

Episode 2 focuses on how Peacemaker’s interdimensional trip leads to two major events. The first one was the death of his alternate universe self, which was quite the way to start the season, while the second is how ARGUS responds to Christopher Smith’s travels to another dimension. I’m intrigued to see just how much of a role ARGUS will play in Peacemaker‘s interdimensional storyline.

Peacemaker‘s new episode has a solid mix of emotional moments and over-the-top antics. It’s one of James Gunn’s biggest strengths, as he expertly balances heart, action, and humor. Multiverse-like stories usually have a larger scope, so it’s nice that Peacemaker‘s is more insular and focuses on character development.

John Cena’s Peacemaker Has To Dispose Of His Alternate Self

The season 2 premiere’s shocking ending saw the main version of John Cena’s Peacemaker accidentally impale his alternate universe self to save his life. I instantly pictured how that could play out over the course of the season, but what I did not expect was how the series would actually approach the aftermath.

Peacemaker calls the hilarious Vigilante, and they go into the Quantum Unfolding Chamber, where we see one of the most gruesome moments in a live-action multiverse story.

We even get a funny scene that sees Cena’s character try and fail to hide his deceased counterpart. On one hand, Peacemaker and Vigilante dismembering and incinerating his variant might be deemed too dark, but that’s also why it works.

It’s dark for reasons beyond the show being rated TV-MA. Peacemaker, a character we have come to know as fragile despite his hard exterior, goes through a traumatic event that might lead to compelling inner turmoil as season 2 unfolds.

Peacemaker’s Cast Gets Together For A Party

It seems like Peacemaker and Emilia Harcourt’s relationship in season 2 will be even more important than before. While it didn’t happen onscreen, Peacemaker and Harcourt hooked up on a party boat. She thinks it was a mistake; he doesn’t.

The dynamic is spotlighted in one of the show’s best moments. While Peacemaker is known for its raunchy humor and bloody action, the show’s greatest strength rests in its characters. The 11th Street Kids have developed a found family type of bond, and the episode highlights it.

John Economos’ “welcome home” party is the perfect setup to delve into the various connections between its main cast. Vigilante remains adorably hilarious, Economos and Adebayo have a heart-to-heart, and Peacemaker tries to get Harcourt to open up but fails miserably. That leads Chris to pursue the alternate universe Harcourt instead, which can’t end well.

ARGUS’ Motivations Become Clearer

While episode 1 revealed that ARGUS wanted to stop Peacemaker from creating another interdimensional threat like the Luthor Incident in James Gunn’s Superman movie, episode 2 firmly establishes that Rick Flag Sr.’s main reason for watching Christopher Smith is that he killed his son. The flashbacks to the moment he found out worked.

Watching Rick Flag’s death in The Suicide Squad again was heartbreaking, and I can’t fault Frank Grillo’s character for wanting revenge for his son’s death. After all, he never saw all the ways Peacemaker changed as a person, becoming a true hero by the end of season 1. Whether Flag can see that side of him should be a major question this season.

Finally, Tim Meadows as Agent Langston Fleury is a delightful addition to season 2. The character is hilarious due to his bird-blindness, which becomes a golden recurring joke. Giving Eagly one of DC’s best action sequences also speaks to Gunn’s strengths, and it’s quite bloody. I can’t wait to see Peacemaker’s alternate universe trip next week.

New episodes of Peacemaker season 2 release every Thursday at 9pm ET on HBO Max.