Fans of Peacemaker have been thrilled to see familiar faces from season one return in the new season, even though their characters died. The show’s clever use of an alternate dimension, known as Earth-2, has allowed characters like Auggie Smith and Larry Fitzgibbon to reappear. In a recent revelation, showrunner James Gunn shared that another key character from the first season was originally planned for a major comeback in this new storyline.
The Cut Storyline for Murn
On the official podcast for the show, James Gunn confirmed that he initially wrote a significant plot for Clemson Murn. In season one, Murn was the leader of the Peacemaker team who was secretly a Butterfly, an alien inhabiting a human body. He was killed during the mission.
Gunn revealed that in Peacemaker Season 2, the alternate version of Murn was designed to be a heroic freedom fighter. He was part of the Sons of Liberty, a resistance group fighting against the oppressive regime on Earth-2. This would have been a complete reversal of his original character.
“I did at one point write a big plotline for Murn where he was a Son of Liberty. He was a hero,” Gunn said. “Whereas the Murn on our planet was the worst guy in the world before he became a Butterfly, Murn on their planet was the sort of kick-ass Harriet Tubman, like a total action hero.”
This version of Murn would have provided a deeper look into the lives of people of color on Earth-2, a dimension where the Nazi regime won World War II and racial minorities are persecuted.
Why the Murn Storyline Was Removed
While the idea was exciting, Gunn ultimately decided to cut the Murn storyline from the season. The main reason was that Murn was too important a character to be a simple cameo. Giving him a proper role would have risked overshadowing the main characters and their personal journeys.
Gunn emphasized that the door is not closed forever, stating, “There’s still the future. There’s still an Earth-2. We didn’t blow it up. It still exists.” This means the heroic version of Murn could still appear in a future DCU project.
Peacemaker’s Connection to the Wider DCU
This season of Peacemaker has established itself as a key part of the expanding DC Universe. The series is set after the events of the 2025 Superman movie and has featured crossover characters like Lex Luthor and members of the Justice Gang.
James Gunn has explicitly called Peacemaker Season 2 a prequel to the upcoming Man of Tomorrow movie, scheduled for a 2025 release. He stated that the show “directly” builds up to the events of that film. The season finale is also expected to offer a glimpse into the long-term plans for the DCU.
Fan Reactions to Season 2’s Twists
The recent episodes of Peacemaker, which revealed the true nature of Earth-2 as a Nazi-controlled world, have generated significant discussion online. Fans have taken to social media to praise the season’s emotional depth and John Cena’s performance.
One fan commented on a popular entertainment site, “Cena’s acting this episode was phenomenal. This season being more character driven rather than action driven really done wonders for him.” Another viewer noted, “This episode is a 9 or 10 for me. Probably the best episode of the series.“
James Gunn also addressed the bold narrative choice of a Nazi reality, mentioning that he received some negative feedback but stood by the creative decision.
“I have a few racists that have called me polarizing, but I’m okay with being polarizing and letting racists fall to the wayside,” Gunn stated. “People have loved this episode the most, so it’s exciting.”
The final episode of Peacemaker Season 2 is now available for streaming on HBO Max.
Also Read: Peacemaker Season 2: Blue Dragon Twist Changes Everything About Peacemaker’s Father
