Warning: Contains spoilers for Peacemaker episode 4.
In Peacemaker episode 4, one conversation serves to retcon the DCEU’s take on Batman’s no-kill rule. Batman is famous for two crucial rules in his code: he doesn’t use guns and he doesn’t kill people. Zack Snyder’s entries to the DCEU put these rules aside, but James Gunn has made it clear that he’s bringing the second one back for Peacemaker.
When Ben Affleck put on the cape and cowl for Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice during his entrance into the DCEU, some viewers were surprised to see him kill multiple people in the movie. Bruce Wayne’s kill count in his first DCEU appearance is hard to calculate, but he mows down several characters with machine guns mounted to his Batwing and Batmobile, breaks the neck of another, and blows up some characters by using a flamethrower. When asked about the decision, Zack Snyder made it clear that he didn’t feel it was realistic for someone like Batman to never actually kill anyone in his crime-fighting.
When Peacemaker returns to his father’s house in Peacemaker episode 4, “The Choad Less Traveled,” his neighbor questions him about whether he had a rogues' gallery like Batman and Peacemaker explains that his supervillains are all dead. The neighbor then announces that Batman doesn’t kill people. While Peacemaker raises the question of how many people have died because Batman kept letting his homicidal supervillains escape, this makes it clear that in this timeline Batman doesn’t kill people. Of course, this could be down to some spectacular PR on Bruce Wayne’s part, but it seems unlikely that in the modern-day people would not learn about it if Batman killed as many people as Affleck’s does. Given the larger narrative of Peacemaker, it makes sense that James Gunn would want to retcon Batman’s no-kill rule back into the timeline and serves to make Peacemaker and his journey better. As a killer, there are some notable similarities between the Ben Affleck Batman and John Cena’s Peacemaker, as both are fighting their way through any opposition, no matter the cost, for what they believe is right. By making Batman return to his no-kill rule, it allows him to be used as a contrast for Peacemaker and as a symbol of what he can aspire to in his mission to be a better person.
While this might be a direct retcon of the Zack Snyder Batman take, it is also possible that James Gunn’s TV show takes place in a different timeline to the main DCEU. A couple of clues in Peacemaker have suggested that the TV show and its predecessor, The Suicide Squad, might either take place in another reality or after Flashpoint, despite Viola Davis appearing as Amanda Waller. The most notable clue came in the first episode when a version of the Wayne Foundation logo is shown that does not match the one from the DCEU.
While Batman is well known for his no-kill rule, there have been times before the DCEU when he killed. When Batman first appeared in DC comics, his no-kill rule had not been established and it was not until Robin joined his team that he reduced his use of lethal force. There have been times when Batman has killed others unintentionally or simply allowed them to die at the hands of others. However, with a few exceptions like The Killing Joke, most Batman kills in more recent lore come from alternate universe version of Bruce Wayne or someone else, such as Jean-Paul Valley, carrying his mantle. For the most part though, Peacemaker represents a return to what has come to define Batman for many fans.
Peacemaker releases new episodes Thursdays on HBO Max.
