#The Suicide Squad Spin-Off May Be James Gunn’s Vulgar, Violent Masterpiece

Peacemaker, real name Chris Smith, played by Cena, isn’t the most likable character in “The Suicide Squad.” He’s kind of a jerk, to put it mildly, and “Peacemaker” picks up right where “The Suicide Squad” left off. Chris wakes up in a hospital, is set free, and then gets his home invaded by a team of black ops agents working for Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) who inform him that he only stays free if he works with them. Executive producer Matt Miller described “Peacemaker” as “like ‘The Office’ as a superhero show,” and that’s not a terrible assessment. “Peacemaker” follows this rag-tag crew of pencil pushers and special operatives as they try to work together to stop an alien invasion in a secret “Project Butterfly.” 

There are two driving conflicts in “Peacemaker”: the team learning to work together and trust one another, and Chris learning to be a decent person. These end up going hand-in-hand, as the team inspire Peacemaker to be better, and they offer plenty of help along the way. The team, comprised of steely badass Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland), former mercenary Clemson Murn (Chukwudi Iwuji), “The Suicide Squad” alum John Economos (Steve Agee), absolute newbie Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks), and fellow costumed hero and idiot Vigilante (Freddie Stroma), each have their own personal battles as well. Gunn loves his gangs of misfits, and the crew of “Peacemaker” are no exception. The cast have fantastic chemistry and they end up creating a group of characters you root for in spite of everything. 

While the bromance between Vigilante and Peacemaker is a lot of fun, the friendship that forms between Adebayo and Chris is the one that ends up being the series’ beating heart. These two characters can teach each other so much, and make us laugh a lot along the way. In the very first episode, Peacemaker repeatedly says and does things that are inappropriate, and Adebayo calls him on them all. She challenges his notions about the world and forces him to grow up a bit, all the while realizing that she misjudged him a bit, too. If “The Suicide Squad” started Gunn’s exploration into second chances and redemption, “Peacemaker” takes it a big step further.