Peacemaker’s Big Finale Reveal Could Tease an Upcoming Crisis for the DCU

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The season finale of *Peacemaker* revealed a character and idea well-known to DC Comics fans, hinting that multiple large-scale crises might be coming to James Gunn’s DC Universe. Because of the multiverse-opening technology introduced in Season 1, the possibility of a massive, universe-threatening event is now very real. Beyond that, we also see the government preparing for conflict with people who have superpowers, and there’s a suggestion that the powerful villain Darkseid could be arriving soon.

The Multiverse Implications of the QUC Could Lead to the DC Universe’s Crisis

As a big fan of the DC universe, I have to say the QUC, which seemed like a fun little Easter egg in the first season of *Peacemaker*, is turning out to be a really important piece of the puzzle. Especially after what Lex Luthor did in *Superman* with that pocket dimension, anything involving alternate realities is seriously scary. The season finale blew my mind – it turns out Rick Flag wasn’t just trying to save the world, he was secretly using the multiverse as a hidden prison! It’s a concept that’s always been huge in the comics, and it looks like it’s going to play a big role going forward.

Before the major storyline *Final Crisis*, the limited series *Salvation Run* presented a concept similar to the plan seen in *Peacemaker*. However, the *Salvation Run* comics established Salvation as an actual planet within the main DC Universe, not an alternate reality. Supervillains were exiled to the uninhabited planet Cygnus-4019 and left to fight for control. Things became complicated when Darkseid’s army arrived and began using the planet for training. In the *Peacemaker* series and the broader DC Universe, Salvation exists in a different reality, potentially even on another Earth. When characters start exploring the multiverse, a large-scale crisis involving powerful beings like Monitors and Anti-Monitors usually follows.

The *Crisis on Infinite Earths* storyline was designed to simplify DC Comics’ complicated history. It allowed DC to refresh its long-running heroes and their stories, keeping some past details while changing others. Because the DC Universe is relatively new, it doesn’t yet suffer from the continuity issues that plagued the older DC Extended Universe.

Just like the DC Animated Movie Universe and the ‘Tomorrowverse,’ the Arrowverse also presented its own take on these characters and stories. A major event within the new DC Universe (DCU) could potentially bring together characters from the previous DCEU, the Arrowverse, and other versions. However, this kind of crossover is probably still a ways off, likely happening towards the end of the ten-year plan James Gunn and Peter Safran have outlined, which they’re calling ‘Gods and Monsters’.

Lanterns Could Set Up the Next Phase of the Crisis Coming to the DCU

The season finale of *Peacemaker* hinted at something bigger to come, and looking back, it seems connected to a larger plan involving ‘Salvation’ and sending metahumans to another dimension. Because the comic book storyline ‘Salvation Run’ led directly into ‘Final Crisis,’ the upcoming series *Lanterns* might be more closely tied to *Peacemaker* Season 2 than fans realize. James Gunn has explained that *Lanterns*, focusing on John Stewart and Hal Jordan, will portray the Green Lantern Corps as interstellar law enforcement, with the two heroes investigating a murder – a plot that mirrors the beginning of *Final Crisis*.

The limited series began with the shocking death of Orion, Darkseid’s son, who fell to Earth. Green Lanterns Stewart and Jordan were called in by the Green Lantern Corps to investigate. Because *Final Crisis* has a long history in DC Comics, the upcoming show won’t be a direct copy. It would be a shame if the New Gods were first introduced to the DC Universe through Orion’s death, as he’s a key character created by Jack Kirby. However, *Lanterns* might still feature a murder that moves the story forward in a similar way. Getting the Green Lanterns involved suggests the victim’s death will have far-reaching consequences across the cosmos.

The *Final Crisis* comic series progressed very quickly, relying on related comics to provide details and connect the major events, such as the deaths of Orion and Martian Manhunter. When adapting *Salvation Run* and *Final Crisis* now, DC seems to be taking a more gradual and deliberate approach.

The creators are gradually setting up the elements for this story, but James Gunn and his team might take the DC Universe version in a different direction than what fans expect from the comics. Shows like *Peacemaker* and *Lanterns* could be key to building towards this large-scale conflict. Instead of being the culmination of a war between heroes and villains, it might actually be a massive introduction to something even bigger.

Will the DCU’s Salvation Story Introduce Darkseid and Apokolips Like the Comics?

Jack Kirby, a famous comic book artist, invented the New Gods for DC Comics, and among them is Darkseid, widely considered Superman’s most powerful enemy. Darkseid recently appeared in a live-action film – *Zack Snyder’s Justice League* – hinting at future storylines that may never be fully explored.

Despite James Gunn sharing many of his plans for the DC Universe, he hasn’t mentioned Darkseid, Apokolips, or the New Gods. However, because these villains were central to the story in *Salvation Run*, Apokolips could become a future crisis for the DCU. If Rick Flag, Sr. and his team succeed in driving metahumans to Salvation, it would leave Earth vulnerable to the so-called “God of Evil.”

The Justice League hasn’t come together yet in the DC Universe, but Darkseid could be the catalyst that finally unites them. The recent mention of Starro – the team’s original foe in the comics – in *Peacemaker* Season 2 suggests a new direction for this formation. Rather than an alien invasion from distant galaxies, Darkseid and his forces – like Desaad and Granny Goodness – could pose a threat across multiple universes.

At the end of *Peacemaker* Season 2, Chris Smith heard terrifying roars far off in the distance. These sounds likely came from creatures like parademons, or other beings from the planet Apokolips. This could mean a major battle against villains created by Jack Kirby is coming, potentially leading to the formation of the Justice League and the new DC Universe. There’s even a chance characters from the older DC Extended Universe might appear in this new universe as well.

Right now, a conflict with Darkseid and Apokolips feels more relevant to the DC Universe’s story than a huge, universe-spanning crisis. Those larger crises are useful for resetting things and making big changes to the story, but with humans and metahumans potentially heading towards war, introducing classic DC villains like Darkseid feels like a natural next step.

Seeing how quickly Darkseid and his forces defeat humanity – even with all of the DC Universe’s advanced technology – is a powerful way for characters like Flag or Luthor to understand that their hatred of heroes is misplaced.

The complete Peacemaker series is streaming on HBO Max.

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2025-10-14 01:07