Writer/director James Gunn put Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad because of his goofy helmet. Gunn’s standalone follow-up to David Ayer’s Suicide Squad introduces Christopher Smith, aka Peacemaker, who Cena has described as a “douchey Captain America.” Alongside fellow newcomer, Bloodsport (Idris Elba), whose father also trained him "how to kill from the moment he was born," Peacemaker joins Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian) and King Shark (Sylvester Stallone) on Amanda Waller’s (Viola Davis) Task Force X in The Suicide Squad.
As stated in the film, Peacemaker cherishes peace with all his heart and doesn’t care "how many men, women, or children he has to kill to get it." Because of this (and many other reasons), Bloodsport and Peacemaker clash throughout The Suicide Squad. At one point, Bloodsport makes fun of Peacemaker’s helmet, calling it a toilet seat, to which Peacemaker proudly declares, “it's not a toilet seat, it's a beacon of freedom!”—a statement that perhaps best encapsulates both the character’s ego and twisted take on liberty—which is reflected in said helmet during the climactic fight with Rick Flag. While Peacemaker’s helmet in The Suicide Squad isn’t equipped with a laser-ray or ultrasonic beam like in the comics, its style/shape is comic-book accurate.
During the TCA’s panel for HBO Max’s Peacemaker spin-off series, Gunn talked about his personal introduction to Peacemaker. According to Decider’s Meghan O’Keefe on Twitter, Gunn cited comic writer and editor Paul Kupperberg. However, he also admitted to initially only have a cursory knowledge of the character and basically putting Peacemaker in The Suicide Squad because of being drawn to his goofy helmet. Take a look at the tweet below:
Cena’s toilet-seat-wearing Peacemaker has proven a standout of The Suicide Squad, something Gunn likely saw coming. After Warner Bros./DC Films hired Gunn to helm the film, producer Peter Safran and DC reportedly asked the writer/director which Task Force X character would work best in a spin-off series. Gunn replied Peacemaker, citing Cena’s untapped potential on screen. That being said, when Gunn announced the eight-episode Peacemaker spinoff set for a January 2022 premiere, it wasn’t clear whether the series would take place in the past or present.
At the end of The Suicide Squad, Bloodsport seemingly kills Peacemaker. However, it’s revealed in the film’s post-credits scene that Peacemaker survived the mission to Corto Maltese and will now work with John Economos (Steve Agee), Vigilante (Freddie Stroma), and Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) to “save the f---ing world.” The comedy-drama will also star Danielle Brooks and Chukwudi Iwuji, take place in the present, explore the origins of Peacemaker’s helmet via flashbacks, and include a lot of action. The show is expected to be the first of many post-The Suicide Squad DCEU projects for Gunn as he wraps up his tenure in the MCU with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Source: Meghan O’Keefe
