'Peacemaker' season 2 may be heading for a shocking reveal if this fan theory is true — and I think it is

(Image credit: HBO Max)

"Peacemaker" season 2 has been a hit for HBO Max so far. The first episode was a big one: We got a major season 1 retcon, the return of the Justice Gang from "Superman" and even a drug-fueled orgy. Of course, if you've seen the season premiere, you know it also featured a John Cena vs. John Cena showdown that ended with only one Cena standing.

The season 2 premiere also introduced alternate dimensions in a major way to "Peacemaker."

In season 1, we learned that Chris Smith aka Peacemaker's (Cena) dad, Augie (Robert Patrick), was the white supremacist villain White Dragon and that he was packing some futuristic, maybe even otherworldly tech. Chris killed his dad in season 1, inheriting that same tech, which turns out to be a quantum unfolding chamber that allows the user to travel between 100 distinct universes. Chris doesn't do that, though — he just uses it to take Eagly to the bathroom when it's too cold outside.

That is, he used to only deploy it for that purpose. But in episode 1 of season 2, he decided to actually enter one of the 99 other dimensions he had access to, and he has since found it to be the "best dimension ever." Sure, he's killed that dimension's Chris Smith, which isn't great, but his brother is alive in this alternate universe, as is his dad. In fact, all three of them are part of a superhero team known as the Top Trio, and Auggie doesn't appear to be a raging racist anymore!

... Or is he? It turns out that Peacemaker's new favorite dimension appears to have a major difference from his original world, beyond just some suddenly living family members, and it has fans honing in on a dark theory about this new version of Earth. Having now explored this theory myself, it's one I'm now totally sold on.

'Peacemaker' season 2 seems to be on Earth-X

If you're unfamiliar with Earth-X, it's an alternate version of Earth first introduced in the DC Comic "Justice League of America" issue No. 107 (1973), and it's a world where Nazi Germany won World War II. In terms of its existence on film and television, it's most well-known for being a key part of the Arrowverse event "Crisis on Earth X" that saw a dark version of Stephen Amell's Green Arrow leading Earth-X as its Führer.

Now, we clearly haven't seen swastika banners billowing in the background in Peacemaker's new dimension. There's no Gestapo, no goosestepping in the streets. But there's also not a single person of color in the entire universe.

Somehow, I missed this on my first watchthrough, but sure enough, there are no people of color whatsoever in this alternate version of Earth. Reddit users are running with the theory that this version of Earth is, in fact, Earth-X, and all non-white people are either in camps or eliminated because the Axis powers won. One Redditor even went as far as to say the reason the Kardashians aren't famous in this dimension is because Robert Kardashian never defended O.J. Simpson, so the family never became public figures.

Setting aside the Kardashian theory, which is brilliant, the more I think about this idea, the more I buy into it. What's more likely: Auggie is suddenly not a racist and James Gunn forgot to hire a single Black or brown person to be a background actor? Or is Auggie simply a hero in this universe because on this Earth, being a white supremacist is a good thing?

Robert Patrick and John Cena in Peacemaker on HBO Max — (Image credit: HBO Max)

Something major is coming in Peacemaker's final episodes. James Gunn only shared the first five with a "select few" (myself included) and hasn't even shared the final three with his publicist. That makes it clear that a twist is coming that Gunn wants nobody to know in advance. Plus, logically, there's no way that Chris was going to just live happily ever after as Peacemaker on this new Earth, whether it's secretly a Nazi world or not.

But I'm totally sold on this theory that this new dimension in "Peacemaker" season 2 is Earth-X, that Auggie isn't suddenly an "ally," and that James Gunn could be setting up the entire show as a way to kill some Nazis. After all, in "Peacemaker" season 1, Chris killed his white supremacist father, and in "Creature Commandos" Gunn had G.I. Robot annihilate an entire room of Neo-Nazis, much to the enjoyment of viewers everywhere. So why not play the hits and do it again in the "Peacemaker" season 2 finale?

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

Malcolm McMillan

Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.

Here's what he's been watching lately:

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.