Gunn's DCU Magic: Peacemaker's Canon Gets a Reality Glitch (and some Fishy Rumors Squashed)
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
James Gunn has been busy untangling the DCU's messy timeline, using *Peacemaker: The Official Podcast* to clarify what's canon in his new universe, from retconning Justice League cameos to debunking fishy Aquaman rumors and even connecting obscure imp dimensions to classic villains.
Right, so apparently, the multiverse is still a bit wobbly, and James Gunn, bless his chaotic heart, has been playing digital wizard with the DC Universe canon. You know that feeling when you cast a spell and it works a bit too well, leaving you with a slightly altered reality? Yeah, that's pretty much what's happening with the new DCU, and our mate Peacemaker is right in the eye of that particular storm.
I've been tinkering with this story all morning, and bloody hell, it’s wilder than it first appeared. While us mere mortals are still trying to figure out if our favourite character's last appearance actually 'counts,' Gunn's gone and laid down the law on *Peacemaker: The Official Podcast*. It's like finding a secret dev diary for the entire DCU, where he, Jennifer Holland, and Steve Agee (plus some rotating guest stars – a nice touch, that) are spilling the tea on what's in and what's out. And let me tell you, it's a fascinating look behind the curtain of building an entire shared universe from scratch... or rather, from a half-built one.
Now, for those of us who've been following the DC cinematic saga – a journey more winding than a dragon's treasure hoard – this is big. The original *Peacemaker* series debuted in the twilight hours of Zack Snyder's DCEU, ending with a cheeky Justice League cameo. But with Gunn now holding the keys to the entire kingdom, rebooting everything with a new Superman, the big question looms: what of Peacemaker's antics still stands? Well, buckle up, because Gunn’s been busy with the retcon spell.
First up, and probably the biggest shake-up: that Season 1 finale Justice League cameo? Poof! Gone. Replaced in Season 2 with the 'Justice Gang' from the new *Superman* movie. Gunn's clarified that there's no *actual* Justice League yet in *this* DCU. It's a clever way to acknowledge the past while firmly pointing towards a new future. It's almost like a game developer pushing out a massive patch that overwrites previous save states – a bit jarring, but necessary for the new build, eh?
And what about the big guns, literally? Flash and Wonder Woman will 'likely' exist eventually, but whether they're active heroes right now, like Superman, Hawkgirl, and Guy Gardner, is still up in the air. Same goes for Green Arrow. Gunn's keeping his options open, which, honestly, is probably the smartest play. You don't want to prematurely lock in character arcs before you've even properly set the stage. It's like getting all your skill points assigned before you've even left the tutorial area.
Then there's the truly bizarre, and frankly, hilarious stuff. Aquaman, apparently, isn't a famous hero in the DCU *yet*. And if he does rock up, it won't be Jason Momoa, because Momoa's off playing the intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo in the *Supergirl* movie. Which, fair dinkum, is a move I can get behind – that's some proper meta-casting right there! More importantly, this means Peacemaker hasn't been spreading rumors about the Atlantean 'f***ing fish.' And speaking of internet rumors, Gunn firmly debunked the notion that Superman has a poop fetish, which Peacemaker believed because, well, he believes everything he reads on the internet. A valuable lesson for us all, mate. Always question your sources, even if it's a deeply disturbed anti-hero with an eagle sidekick.
In other casting news, the mercenary Clemson Murn, who died in Season 1, is canon, but his *appearance* isn't. This frees up actor Chukwudi Iwuji to play someone else in the DCU. It's a smart move to retain talented actors while clearing the board for new character possibilities – a bit like an MMO allowing you to re-spec your class while keeping your gear. And Kite-Man, that glorious D-list villain Peacemaker claimed to 'take down'? He's just in prison, not dead. So, he *could* pop up again. Honestly, who doesn't love a good D-list villain making a comeback? Especially when he’s already got his own animated show in a separate canon (the excellent *Harley Quinn* series, for those wondering).
But the real mind-bender for me, the digital wizard in me, was the clarification about the dimension of imps that an alternate-universe Chris visited as a child. Those 'munchkins' Chris's dad talked about? They're related to none other than Bat-Mite (Batman’s biggest fan) and the reality-bending Superman villain Mister Mxyzptlk. And presumably, that's where the 'interdimensional imp' – that glowing, flying jellyfish creature the Justice Gang fights in *Superman* – came from. Now *that's* some clever world-building, connecting those wild, fourth-wall-breaking characters to the nascent DCU's mythology. It's like finding a hidden lore tab that suddenly explains everything.
And because no shared universe is complete without random cultural touchstones, Gunn also declared that Bob Clark's 1981 comedy *Porky's* canonically exists in the DCU, but not the 'far inferior' sequel. And Cheetos exist too, thankfully, confirmed by Judomaster's continued snacking habits. Small details, perhaps, but they ground the fantastical in a relatable reality, don't they?
So, there you have it. Everything in *Peacemaker* Season 2, Gunn confirms, should be considered canon. It’s a fascinating, if sometimes head-scratching, exercise in cinematic universe construction. Gunn's approach feels less like rigid corporate decree and more like a passionate showrunner carefully nudging his narrative pieces into place, while simultaneously clearing out the cobwebs. It's still chaotic, certainly, but it feels like an optimistically chaotic kind of fun. And honestly, isn't that what we're all here for? To watch reality get a bit gloriously bent?
Tags: DCU, James Gunn, Peacemaker, Canon, Superhero Lore
Original article: Polygon