Why did Rick Flag Jr. and Harcourt keep their relationship hidden in Peacemaker Season 2? Details explored

The third episode of Peacemaker Season 2 shocked viewers with a flashback that revealed Emilia Harcourt and Rick Flag Jr. sharing an intimate relationship before his death in The Suicide Squad (2021). This wasn’t a casual reveal; it explained years of tension, hostility, and unspoken pain that shaped Harcourt’s behavior toward Chris Smith. The fact that the relationship was kept secret raises important questions about loyalty, betrayal, and why Harcourt has always seemed guarded.

In the flashback, Rick admits he was ready to leave June Moone, better known as Enchantress, to be with Harcourt.

That single line explains why the affair never became public. It was messy, complicated, and carried risks for both of them. Harcourt, who had often described Rick as her only friend, suddenly appears in a new light, someone caught between personal affection and professional restraint. For her, silence became survival.

James Gunn and Jennifer Holland later confirmed that this backstory was not improvised but planned since Season 1. Harcourt’s cutting remarks toward Peacemaker, her constant distance, and her refusal to let anyone get close are all tied back to the hidden bond with Flag. Peacemaker Season 2 finally unpacks it, exposing raw wounds that Chris cannot ignore.

The secret romance that explains Harcourt’s pain in Peacemaker Season 2

One of the clearest reasons Rick Flag Jr. and Harcourt chose to keep their relationship secret was Rick’s ongoing tie to June Moone. Even though his connection with Enchantress had been unstable, it was still technically active when he and Harcourt became involved. Any public knowledge of their bond would have exposed Rick as unfaithful and cast Harcourt in the role of someone who broke a teammate’s trust. In a squad where personal dynamics already determined survival, that kind of tension would have been dangerous.

Another factor was Harcourt’s professional identity. She had built her reputation by being emotionally distant and refusing to blur the line between personal and professional. To admit that she had been romantically tied to the leader of Task Force X would have undermined her image as someone who followed orders without favoritism. Hiding the relationship allowed her to maintain authority and respect in a male-dominated environment where vulnerabilities were often exploited.

The secrecy also tied directly to how Amanda Waller operated. Waller deliberately assembled teams with conflicting personalities, and a known romance between Harcourt and Rick would have been a liability. If Waller discovered it, she could have used their closeness as leverage. Keeping it hidden may have been the only way for them to protect themselves from Waller’s manipulations.

Harcourt’s silence after Rick’s death highlights another layer of secrecy: shame. By the time Chris killed Rick during the Corto Maltese mission, Harcourt had no chance to clarify what Rick meant to her. Speaking up afterward would have forced her to relive that betrayal while also exposing private choices that she never wanted others to judge. For her, burying the truth was easier than reopening wounds.

The alternate universe scenes in Peacemaker Season 2 add even more weight to their decision. Viewers see a version of Rick who openly dates Harcourt, but even then, he reacts with jealousy when Peacemaker enters the picture. That depiction shows that their bond was fragile and not built for open scrutiny. In both timelines, their relationship works only in secrecy because of jealousy, mistrust, and circumstances stacked against them.

By keeping their intimacy private, Harcourt and Rick ensured that their connection remained theirs alone. The cost of that silence, however, was that when Rick died, Harcourt was left isolated with grief she could not share, and Chris became the living reminder of everything she lost.

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