Peacemaker Season 2 episode 3 review—Another Rick Up My Sleeve—Terrorists, twisted loyalties, and the addiction of other worlds

Peacemaker throws us headfirst into its shortest chapter of the season, but one that crackles with multiversal chaos. In 38 minutes, the show manages to pack in terrorists, "resurrections," and a dangerously seductive parallel reality.

Chris finds himself in a dimension where he doesn’t need the helmet, the armor, or even the mask of shame he carries in his own world. There, Emilia Harcourt treats him differently, Rick Flag Jr. still breathes, and the Sons of Themyscira crash into the story as a violent reminder that no reality is ever flawless.

The motto for this ride is Best Dimension Ever?, and the question mark is the catch, because what feels like triumph for Peacemaker quickly morphs into dependence. He’s drawn to that universe like a junkie to his fix, basking in applause that erases the scars of his real life.

But the cracks show. Arrogance seeps in, trust twists into uncertainty, and we’re left wondering if he’s saving the day or just losing himself to the high of another world.

The fragile bliss of an alternate Chris

In this dimension, Peacemaker walks unmasked, adored as a hero without the baggage of his brutal past. The applause rings loud, the victories feel clean, and his friendship with Emilia Harcourt carries a spark that his own world refuses to ignite.

But the bliss is brittle. He leans too far into the fantasy, letting arrogance flare in ways that mirror the worst instincts he tries to bury. Even here, perfection has splinters.

Rick Flag Jr. alive, and the shadow of his father

The shock of seeing Rick Flag Jr. alive hits like a comic-book twist pulled from a back issue no one expected to resurface. For Chris, it’s intoxicating, a chance to rewrite the guilt that poisons him in his timeline.

Yet back home, Rick Flag Sr. sharpens his knives. As head of ARGUS, he’s still hunting Peacemaker, and the multiverse only deepens his vendetta. The father’s pursuit, fueled by the son’s death, keeps pressing the weight of consequence against every escape.

Sons of Themyscira bring fire to the fantasy

The alternate world cracks open when the Sons of Themyscira storm into the episode. These terrorists, pulled from the Creature Commandos orbit, bring chaos and danger into what Chris thought was his sanctuary.

Their attack reminds us that every dimension comes with its own devils and that even paradise is threaded with menace. For Peacemaker, it’s both a test of his strength and a distortion of his supposed triumph. He ends up saving the day, though, as expected.

Addiction to applause

Every return to that other dimension looks less like heroism and more like relapse. Chris clings to the version of himself that can stand tall, maskless, and flawless, but the cost is mounting.

In his own reality, he’s being hunted, cornered, and forced into isolation, so the pull of the alternate world becomes a drug, seductive and poisonous, and the episode makes us question whether he’s truly saving lives or only feeding the addiction of being loved.

Peacemaker and the canon machine of the DCU

What this episode nails is how Peacemaker positions itself as a living hinge for James Gunn’s DCU. By pulling in the Sons of Themyscira and tying Rick Flag Sr. back to his Creature Commandos history, the series shows that alternate worlds aren’t just playgrounds for Chris’s broken psyche.

Trending

They’re also engines of canon, building bridges between animation and live action, between forgotten side missions and headline arcs. The multiverse here is less about infinite possibilities and more about stitching every shard into one combustible whole.

Rating with a touch of flair: 4 out of 5 shattered helmets tossed between dimensions.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback