Episode 3 of Peacemaker season 2 begins with our primary dimension's Rick Flag Jr. and Harcourt waking up in bed.
Three years ago, before the events of The Suicide Squad, they were in an "affair." Rick Flag wouldn't consider it an affair because he's in some sort of pact with a powerful witch (presumed to be Enchantress) against his will. Right, fair point.
The dangers of breaking this deal would rip a hole through the Earth, Rick jokes. However, he expresses that ripping a catastrophic hole through the Earth just to be with Harcourt would be worth it. But alas, he eventually gets his heart shanked by Peacemaker.
If you've watched Superman, you'll know inter-dimensional portals ripping scars in spacetime were a massive threat. It's become an issue that ARGUS does not want to risk happening again, which is why Rick Flag Sr. is leveraging this threat to raid Peacemaker's home base and seize his portal door.
However, I think it's interesting that Chris Smith is "enchanted" by the portal door to enter the alternate, better reality. A technology that, if it malfunctions or if he neglects it, could cause another Metropolis incident. I have reason to believe Rick Flag Jr.'s line may have foreshadowed Chris's arc. He may face a choice. In which world does he remain, and which to sacrifice? That might be a reach, but I'm calling it now just in case.
What happens in episode 3
Chris continues spending more time in the alternate dimension. He somehow scores an afternoon outing with alternate Harcourt, whom his alternate self used to have a relationship with, but screwed up. What's more damning is that this dimension's Rick Flag Jr. is still alive and in a relationship with Harcourt. Chris is distraught when he finds out, more so traumatized that he's seeing the man he killed, and regrets to this day.
During Chris and Harcourt's not date, a terrorist group swarms a public building and plants bombs, threatening to level the whole block. Peacemaker, without his armor or helmet, sneaks into the building, and Rambos his way through the rogue militia one by one, and in scores.
This is the most action we're getting out of this episode, but the production team had way too much fun with some of the stunts. It's over-the-top, bloody, and downright badass. Chris uses guns, printers, and pencils to get the job done.
In the primary dimension, Leota talks to Harcourt about her relationship with Chris. She eggs Harcourt on and on about how great Chris is, admits how much he's improved, and that Harcourt is almost just as much of a mess as the rest of the team.
Still, Harcourt is set on classifying her connection to Chris as strictly friendly. Who knows if she's afraid to admit feelings to Chris, feels guilty about moving on from Rick Flag, or both? Perhaps she doesn't see the point in getting attached to someone who may die on the job again.
A character I've grown sympathetic to is John Economos. Many of the main cast are punished for doing good deeds, but John gets the most annoying treatment I've ever seen on this show. From having to work with the wannabe womanizer Agent Langston Fleury, to a genocidal eagle-killer, otherwise known as Red St. Wild, and everyone's favorite hot-cheeto-eating pocket-sized martial artist, "Rip" Jagger, or Judomaster.
John is surrounded by weirdos all hellbent on getting to Chris, and he can only do so much to delay their next breach operation.
"Another Rick Up My Sleeve" feels like a short episode. The events and happenings breeze by so quickly, jumping from one important plot point to the next. Before I knew it, the credits were rolling. So far, though, it's one of my favorites.
It's a strange change of pace to see Chris so happy, but also heartwarming when he talks to his big brother as an adult. Like, a down-to-earth, heart-to-heart, man-to-man talk. It is brotherly, wholesome, yet incredibly bittersweet. Chris mauls over the inevitability that he'll have to leave this dimension for good, despite how much he likes it here. The question is, why keep coming back? Is this a form of therapy to reconcile with the mistakes he's made?
Apart from my theory before, I think this would be a healthy direction for Chris's character arc; he acknowledges that the alternate reality is more of a treatment than a replacement. He knows he can't stay, but can't help but go there to feel better when things aren't working out in the home dimension.
Is this ethically and morally questionable to "adopt the identity" of the doppelganger you killed to fulfill your fantasies for fun or psychological treatment? Maybe. But it is very fascinating. I hope there's a huge payoff to the complexity that's brewing here.
Episode verdict: A+
New episodes of Peacemaker season 2 release every Thursday night on HBO Max.