Planet Salvation Discovered in the DCU — Can Peacemaker Survive?

Note: This post contains spoilers for Peacemaker season 2.

The finale of Peacemaker season 2 is now streaming on HBO Max, and new details have been revealed about the DCU’s newly discovered Planet Salvation. “Salvation is a distant planet filled with killer beasts and deadly technology. In the comics, Rick Flag and Amanda Waller use Checkmate to imprison metahuman villains by sending them to Salvation forever, where they’re forced to behave or die.“

According to Peacemaker showrunner and DC Studios co-head James Gunn (via Peacemaker: The Official Podcast with James Gunn), Salvation Run was the inspiration behind the Peacemaker season 2 finale and will play a role in the DCU moving forward.

Gunn said, “Well, that’s where we’re sort of beginning our part of the larger story in the DCU.”

Will Peacemaker survive on Planet Salvation?

At the end of the Peacemaker season 2 finale, Chris is kidnapped and trapped on Salvation by Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo), leaving fans shocked and questioning his fate in the DCU. Many villains die on the hostile planet, while only the strongest and most resourceful manage to survive. Since Peacemaker is a main character in Gunn’s DCU, he is likely to make it through — but he’ll face brutal challenges and undergo significant character growth in the future.

Gunn on how Peacemaker’s Season 2 finale leads into Man of Tomorrow:

“Where Chris is at the end, what’s happening between the government and the metahumans, Rick and Lex’s new partnership, and all their decisions… it’s all part of the future, MOT, and more.”

Premise of Salvation Run (2007–2008): The U.S. government decides that instead of imprisoning supervillains on Earth, they will banish them to another planet using teleportation technology. This planet is believed to be uninhabited and suitable for life — but it turns out to be a hostile alien world filled with deadly creatures and harsh environments.

In Season 2, Christopher Smith/Peacemaker (John Cena) discovers an alternate world where life is everything he wishes it could be. But this discovery also forces him to face his traumatic past and take the future into his own hands.

The cast of Peacemaker Season 2 includes Cena as Christopher Smith/Peacemaker, Freddie Stroma as Adrian Chase/Vigilante, Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo, Jennifer Holland as Agent Emilia Harcourt, Steve Agee as John Economos, and Grillo as General Rick Flag, Sr. Recurring roles feature Robert Patrick as Auggie Smith/White Dragon, Nhut Le as Rip Jagger/Judomaster, Dee Bradley Baker as the voice of Eagly, Sol Rodríguez as Sasha Bordeaux, Tim Meadows as Agent Langston Fleury, Elizabeth Faith Ludlow as Keeya Adebayo, Brey Noelle as Jaina Hudson/White Rabbit, Michael Rooker as Red St. Wild, Terence Rosemore as Otis Berg, Reinaldo Faberlle as Mexicali, Brandon Stanley as Ponyboy, Anissa Matlock as Titties, Dorian Kingi as Encino Man, Michael Ian Black as Cleavis Thornwaite, David Denman in a to-be-confirmed role, and Taylor St. Clair as Mrs. Chase. Guest stars include Merced as Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, Fillion as Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, and Sean Gunn as Maxwell Lord.

Gunn wrote all eight episodes of Peacemaker and directed three, including the first. Gunn, Peter Safran, and Cena serve as executive producers. Greg Mottola, Peter Sollett, and Althea Jones also direct. Based on characters from DC, Peacemaker is produced by Gunn’s Troll Court Entertainment and The Safran Company in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Peacemaker Season 2 is now streaming on HBO Max.