SPOILER ALERT: This article contains significant plot details from Season 2, Episode 6 of “Peacemaker,” available on HBO Max.
Director James Gunn recently spoke with GQ magazine, indicating he received backlash from “a handful of racists” following the shocking Nazi twist in Season 2 Episode 6 of “Peacemaker.” This season unfolds primarily on Earth X, an alternate universe where the Axis powers emerged victorious in World War II. Therefore, Gunn’s reimagined DC Universe now includes a world governed by Nazis. The events of the second season occur after Gunn’s “Superman,” in which Nicholas Hoult’s Lex Luthor makes a recent appearance.
“With ‘Peacemaker,’ I truly have the creative freedom to do as I please—though I generally approach all my projects this way since I’m my own boss,” Gunn shared with GQ. “We really push boundaries with ‘Peacemaker’ and explore areas that many might avoid. We’ve encountered considerable resistance from various entities within the system, particularly regarding this episode, but we decided to embrace the risk and tell the story we intended without holding back.”
“I’ve received comments from some racists calling me polarizing, and I’m totally fine with that. If it means that some racists are pushed aside, then so be it,” Gunn remarked. “Audience reactions to this episode have been overwhelmingly positive, which is thrilling. We navigate a highly sensitive theme, addressing racism within the storyline while injecting humor. This delicate subject matter demands thoughtful handling, and I believe we managed to approach it respectfully.”
In a post-episode discussion with Variety, Gunn relayed that he organized private screenings of “Peacemaker” Season 2 to observe if viewers would catch hints alluding to the significant Nazi revelation. A key detail is that Earth X is exclusively inhabited by white individuals.
“To my surprise, nobody noticed any of this during the screenings. This included viewers of color, by the way—it wasn’t an exclusively white audience,” Gunn noted.
However, some astute internet users did catch onto the fact that Earth X lacked diversity, as Gunn elaborated: “It’s quite challenging when a single viewer among millions online points out the stark contrast between the background extras in the DC Universe and those in this alternate world. Many viewers don’t necessarily engage in online conversations about the show. While I did receive a lot of shocked comments, many others anticipated this twist.”
New episodes of “Peacemaker” are available every Thursday on HBO Max.
