Gunn's Multi-Verse Mischief: Peacemaker Season 2 Almost Unleashed a Heroic Murn from a Parallel Reality!
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
James Gunn revealed a cut *Peacemaker* season 2 plotline where a heroic, alternate-Earth version of the deceased mercenary Clemson Murn would have appeared, highlighting the DCU's multi-verse potential and hinting at future narrative consequences from Earth-2 encounters.
Right, so you know that feeling when you're messing around in a game's dev console, trying to spawn something cool, and accidentally create an alternate timeline where everything's slightly — or wildly — off-kilter? Yeah, James Gunn just about did that with *Peacemaker* season 2, and bloody hell, it sounds like it would've been glorious.
Our mate Samantha Nelson over at Polygon dropped the scoop (Source: Polygon, original article by Samantha Nelson) on a plotline that almost saw the return of Clemson Murn, the no-nonsense mercenary who, let's be fair, kinda bit the big one in season one. But here's the kicker: not *our* Murn, but an entirely different, heroic version from a parallel Earth. Talk about a narrative respawn with a twist!
For those who maybe haven't binged *Peacemaker* like it's a new season of a battle royale, Clemson Murn, played brilliantly by Chukwudi Iwuji, was ostensibly a human-shaped vessel for Ik Nobe Llok, one of those alien 'Butterflies' who just wanted to save humanity – even if it meant possessing the 'worst person he could find.' Classic tragic hero stuff, if you ask me. Iwuji's performance was top-tier, leaving fans (and apparently Gunn himself) wanting more. And Gunn, being the digital wizard he is, had already teased bringing Iwuji back in *some* DCU capacity, maybe a different character entirely. Fair enough, mate, actors are versatile. But then comes the real mind-bender.
In the latest episode of *Peacemaker: The Official Podcast* (who knew *that* existed? Must tune in!), Gunn revealed he nearly pulled a proper multi-verse manoeuvre. Picture this: Chris Smith (John Cena) and the gang rock up on Earth-X (or Earth-2, depending on who's mapping the cosmology), and everything's a bit… sideways. Rick Flagg, Jr., usually a stoic, morally sound chap, is bumbling about like a low-level NPC with pathfinding issues. Emilia Harcourt, our resident badass, is swapping tactical gear for tea and books. And Vigilante? He's not just a serial killer of low-lives, but a freedom fighter in the Sons of Liberty. It's like someone uploaded the wrong save file, but it's *still* canon.
Now, here's where Murn comes back into the picture. Our original Murn, before he became a Butterfly host, was apparently 'the worst guy in the world.' A real morally grey character, even by anti-hero standards. But in this alternate Earth-2? Gunn envisioned him as a full-blown hero, a 'kick-ass Harriet Tubman,' a 'total action hero.' Can you imagine? It's like finding out your favourite villain in an RPG actually has a secret good-guy counterpart in another dimension, and he's been grinding side quests for justice this whole time.
Gunn eventually had to cut this particular plotline from season 2, probably due to pacing, budget, or the sheer headache of explaining parallel universes without breaking the fourth wall (or reality itself). But here's the crucial bit, the 'what happens if...' that keeps us up at night: Gunn hasn't shelved the idea for good. He said, and I quote, "There’s still the future. There’s still an Earth-2. We didn’t blow it up. This still exists."
Which, let's be honest, is both thrilling and slightly terrifying. You visit a parallel universe, mess with its local versions of things, and then just *leave*? That's like rage-quitting a co-op game after accidentally nuking your mate's base. There are always consequences, aren't there? The *Peacemaker* crew might not be champing at the bit to revisit a world where the Nazis won WWII – because, yeah, that's a thing on Earth-2 – but Gunn's promise that it's still out there is a ticking narrative bomb.
We know Harcourt tried to off a vengeful, injured Keith Smith before bailing back to her own dimension. And Auggie, Chris's utterly delightful father, was apparently cooking up some big plan involving the dimensional portal before he kicked the bucket. What if Keith, still nursing a grudge (and likely some nasty injuries), decides to finish Auggie's work? And, naturally, avenge his dad and brother in the process? We could be looking at a multi-verse invasion, mate, all because someone left a portal open.
This kind of creative flexibility is what makes James Gunn so fascinating. He’s not afraid to play in the sandbox, to tinker with established lore, and to introduce mind-bending concepts that would make most showrunners retreat to safer ground. It’s that blend of chaotic energy and genuine narrative ambition that keeps us hooked. While the heroic Murn plotline might have been cut from season 2, the fact that it was even considered, and still lives in the ether of possibility, tells us a lot about the wild, wonderful direction the DCU is headed under his stewardship.
So, what does this mean for us, the audience? It means our theories about alternate timelines and character variants aren't just for Marvel anymore. It means every character's death might just be a temporary inconvenience, a 'game over' screen that comes with the option to load from a different save file. And frankly, that's a damn exciting prospect for anyone who loves good storytelling and a bit of digital wizardry. Keep your eyes peeled, mate, because Peacemaker's next season could be a trip through the looking glass, and I, for one, can't wait to see what kind of twisted reflections we find.
*Peacemaker season 2 is streaming on HBO Max, for those who want to catch up on the chaos.*
Tags: Peacemaker, JamesGunn, DCU, Multiverse, TVShows
Original article: Polygon