Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 1 recap: multiverses and dead doppelgänger

Peacemaker Season 2 is finally here! The acclaimed DC HBO Max series streamed the first episode of the second season on August 21, 2025. The episode is important, it sets up not just the rest of the season, but also because it clarifies what's canon and what's not. Until now, people were confused about the Justice League cameo in the Peacemaker Season 1 finale.

Titled The Ties That Grind, Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 1 follows John Cena's Chris and Jennifer Holland's Emilia Harcourt as they are hit the hardest following the season 1 finale, in which Danielle Brooks's Leota Adebayo outed her mother, Amanda Waller's Task Force X atrocities to the press. The synopsis of The Ties That Grind reads:

"While Peacemaker attempts to join the Justice Gang, Harcourt struggles to find work, and Economos takes on a challenging new assignment."

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Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 1 recap:

Here's what happens in the first episode of Peacemaker Season 2:

The recap retcon

James Gunn has been promising for months that Peacemaker Season 2 will explain the canon of the entire DCU. Considering Cena's Christopher Smith met the DCEU Justice League in the season 1 finale, fans have been wondering how the second season will fit into the DCU, considering season 1 took place in the DCEU, established by Zack Snyder.

The Ties That Grind now clears up the confusion with a long recap showing what is and isn't canon. The butterfly invasion is clear, but there are modifications. There are some adlibs about the Green Lantern (Guy Gardner) and Leota Adebayo mentioning the Justice Gang instead of the Justice League.

Chris discovers an alternate universe

After the recap, the episode cuts to Chris in his bed. Eagly wakes him up as a request to let him go outside, but it's snowing outside. Thus, Chris takes Eagly inside the QUC. There, Chris stumbles upon his alternate self's door and walks into his room. There, he encounters his father, prompting him to run back to the storage area, and the episode cuts to the new intro.

After that, the Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 1 jumps to the present, which is six months after the opening scene. Chris attends an interview to join the Justice Gang. However, he is upset with Maxwell Lord's remarks and leaves the interview angry. Meanwhile, we learn that Leota has separated from her wife, and Emilia isn't having a great time either.

Emilia Harcourt is supposedly black booked

Harcourt has supposedly been black booked by Amanda Waller. While Emilia wasn't the one who outed Waller, the latter probably can't take out her anger on her own daughter. Thus, she has taken her anger out on Harcourt, who has been rejected by several intelligence agencies, making her nearly broke. This sets the stage for her character arc for the rest of the season.

Chris discovers a better life

Chris organizes an adult-themed party for both women (Peacemaker is bi-s*xual) and men. Chris, who is high, goes back to the QUC and enters his alternate self's room again. There, he meets his grown brother Keith, who is alive in this universe. To the surprise of everyone, Keith is played by David Denman, who played Roy Anderson, Pam Beesly's ex-fiancé, in The Office.

Chris further learns that the Auggie of this universe is also a loving and caring father, very different from the first season. But not everything is hunky dory.

He also encounters his alternate self

After he wishes goodnight to his father and brother, Chris encounters his alternate self. The alternate Chris believes that the intruder is a shape shifter, and the Christopher we have been following since the first season, instead of trying to de-escalate the situation, tries running. The alternate Peacemaker follows our Chris into the QUC, where the former is killed by the latter.

This incident sets up a temptation arc for Chris for the rest of Peacemaker Season 2.

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Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 1 is currently available to stream on HBO Max. What did you think of this episode?