Despite not having any action, episode 6 of Peacemaker season 2 is among the most entertaining. It's masterfully cringeworthy in the best ways, and that's thanks to Adrian's chaotic character, also known as Vigilante. While I'm still annoyed by him, and I figure that's the point, he has a charm that keeps the tone from getting too boring. But surprisingly, he may actually become an integral piece of the puzzle to this twisted universe.
Episode 6 starts by establishing that Chris and alternate Harcourt are dating again. What happened to Rick Flag, Jr? No idea. He wasn't in this episode at all, but Harcourt is having lunch with Chris and his family, Auggie and Keith. Things get complicated when Chris and alternate Harcourt split, but home universe Harcourt arrives at ARGUS HQ. She's detained for being covered in cocaine. Thanks to Adrian, because of course.
Speaking of Adrian, he couldn't resist meeting his alternate reality doppelgänger. Their union went about as great as you could've imagined. What's worse than one Adrian? Two Adrians. And boy, don't they love each other as much as they love Peacemaker. Scratch that, only one of them loves Peacemaker. Alternate Adrian/Vigilante absolutely abhors Peacemaker and everything he stands for. I wonder what that could be? The following big reveal might have something to do with it.
I wish I had brought this up in previous reviews, but I had a second theory brewing in the back of my mind, but I just paid it no mind. It was extremely subtle yet obvious details. Why weren't there any black people or people of color in this alternate universe? Well, it's because presumably the Nazis won WW2. Chris happened to check the "American" flag and found not stars, but a swastika.
The second Leota stepped outside, people looked at her as if they saw an invasive species. They chase her down the neighborhood like wild game. Minorities aren't just low-class in this reality, but are treated like unwelcomed pests. What could've happened to the rest? They could be held in camps, or worse, what the White Dragon always wanted, extinction.
This doesn't surprise me because the White Dragon is viewed as a hero in this world, so it makes sense. I only wish I had called it because it seemed like this alternate world would have Peacemaker make a difficult choice to leave or not. However, after this revelation, I can't imagine wanting to stay in a world where your dad is still a genocidal racist. I'm not sure if his love is worth that. But I get it. Your dad's love and approval would be hard to let go.
So, back to Adrian, the alternate one. He came out as being part of the Sons of Liberty, the "terrorist" organization in this alternate reality. You might consider freedom fighters. With this added context of the whole white supremacist stuff, the Sons of Liberty might be fighting for equality. Huh. Who knew a group called that would want such a thing? We don't know exactly for sure yet. I'm not so fast to trust a group that'd bomb public areas full of women and children.
We should also mention Lex Luther's intriguing cameo as Rick Flag, Sr. visited him in prison. Lex was approached with an offer. Help find the portal door and get transferred to a prison with no meta-humans. Above all, Rick told him it's a chance at redemption, which is the most valuable reward out of this deal. Lex accepted, of course. And this is probably the start of Lex metamorphing (pardon the pun) into a slightly better man who would team up with Superman to face a greater threat in Man of Tomorrow. That's far in the future, though. I also found it humorous that Lex only now starts to swear thanks to Peacemaker being rated-m. Who else would be cursing up a storm if they weren't in a mainline PG-13 release?
Peacemaker season 2 episode 6, directed and written by James Gunn, effectively heightens the stakes and switches gears for the characters. The major highlight is the slowly healing relationship between Chris and home universe Harcourt. She pretty much admits to being self-destructive and undesirable to normal people, but also alludes to having feelings for Chris (like we suspected), but won't fully admit it. Whether she feels undeserving of love, feels guilty about Rick Flag, Jr., fears attachment, or all of the above, it's almost enough to convince Chris to return home. As if learning about his dream reality's dark secrets wouldn't have been a deal-breaker enough.
Episode Verdict: A+
New episodes of Peacemaker release every Thursday night on HBO Max.