One of the most anticipated superhero shows of 2022 is Peacemaker on HBO Max. Created by James Gunn, the show is a spin-off of 2021's The Suicide Squad starring John Cena's Christopher Smith, a.k.a., Peacemaker. Peacemaker will be the first DC television show to officially be part of the DC Extended Universe along with the films.
The eight-episode season will follow Peacemaker, a mercenary who believes in achieving peace at any cost, teaming up with a group of misfits to "kill bad people." The tone, based on the first full-length trailer for the show, will be quirky, fun, and comedic, while also being action-packed. Gunn has also confirmed that, like in The Suicide Squad and Guardians of the Galaxy, the show's soundtrack will be an important aspect of Peacemaker.
Along with Cena, Steve Agee and Jennifer Holland will return as their characters from The Suicide Squad, playing tech guy John Economos and NSA agent Emilia Hardcourt respectively. The show also stars Chukwudi Iwuji as Clemson Murn, Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo, and Freddie Stroma as Adrian Chase, also known as Vigilante. The latter is the only one of the newcomers to originate in the comics. So with that in mind, who is Vigilante?
There are multiple characters in DC comics who go by the alias "Vigilante." One of the most notable of these characters is Adrian Chase, who will be seen in Peacemaker. Chase was born to a wealthy family but chose to make his own way as a district attorney in New York City. His life changes when his wife and children are murdered by the mobsters he had been pursuing as an attorney. In his grief, Chase joins up with a group that is dedicated to battling the same types of evils he had encountered in New York.
With this group, Chase became a master of armed and hand-to-hand combat and an amazing marksman. He also gained the ability to heal quickly and regenerate his body after various injuries, although he was still capable of dying. Chase then set off on his own, becoming masked anti-hero Vigilante. He made it his mission to find vengeance for not only those who hurt him and his loved ones, but towards anyone who suffered at the hands of the kind of rich and powerful people who hurt him.
At first, Vigilante makes a point not to kill his enemies. Despite this, he spends a lot of time tormented by his own actions, struggling with whether he was doing the right thing and with bringing pain to others, even retiring for a time. However, after going through more traumatic experiences--including a doppelganger who twisted his intentions and the deaths of friends--Vigilante begins to turn to more vicious tactics. Over time he becomes increasingly mentally and emotionally unstable.
It's still unclear how closely HBO Max's Vigilante will resemble his comic book counterpart. Physically he looks the part, wearing a very comic book accurate costume and mask. Based on the trailer, the character seems far goofier and more light-hearted than the perpetually tortured comic book version of Vigilante. This fits with the overall tone of the trailer and seemingly the tone of the show itself. However, if anything like Gunn's other superhero projects, there will be time to explore real trauma and emotion even within a mostly comedic show.
Peacemaker's Vigilante does have the fighting skills of his comic book counterpart. Throughout the trailer, he can be be seen shooting small targets, fighting people in close contact, and masterfully wielding swords. Despite his goofiness, he is a formidable opponent. He also openly refers to himself as a killer, saying to Peacemaker: "That's 'cause we're born killers. What separates us from other killers, is we only kill bad people. Usually. Unless there's a mistake." While this is said very flippantly, the character could use humor to mask his struggles with what he does.
Adrian Chase's Vigilante and Peacemaker are primarily adversaries in the comics. Vigilante spends a portion of his primary plotline seeking vengeance on Peacemaker for the death of a friend. Again, this does not seem to be the case in the television series. Vigilante and Peacemaker are fighting for the same side, and seem to have a friendly rapport. It's possible they may have a friendly rivalry played for laughs on the show, rather than being serious opponents. It's also possible that Vigilante turns against Peacemaker later in the series. This early on, there are endless possibilities.
Adrian Chase has been seen in a live-action television series once before. He appeared in several episodes of the hit show Arrow, played by actor Josh Segarra. Interestingly enough, he was not Vigilante in this appearance, although a version of Vigilante did appear on the show. This already sets him very much apart from HBO Max's Vigilante. It will be interesting to see how Peacemaker interprets the classic character.
Peacemaker premieres on HBO Max January 13, 2022.