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Speculation regarding the big second season surprise in Peacemaker have been buzzing online since the premiere. Viewers quickly suspected that the other reality that Peacemaker ended up couldn't be as wonderful as he believed. Many expected it would be an alternate Earth, a nightmarish DC Comics world in which the Nazis triumphed in the Second World War leading to America turning into a racist dictatorship.

The Shocking Truth Is Revealed

Exactly what happened. Once the main incarnation of the character Harcourt traveled into Earth-X in episode 6, Harcourt immediately noticed all the clues Peacemaker overlooked—including the glaring absence of racial diversity and an actual painting of the Nazi leader displayed in the ARGUS base. This type of storytelling is not new: Alternate realities in which the Nazis conquered the globe are a classic trope. This includes major series like The Man in the High Castle explored this idea. But, due to our present timeline, Peacemaker still managed to ignite debate among certain groups of the internet.

The response were absurd. It's no surprise Nazis have been among the most popular antagonists in media for decades: They symbolize pure evil.

Why Nazis?

Nazi Germany during World War II existed as dictatorial, oppressive, and violent. They executed countless of innocent people and scapegoated a fabricated enemy from within to help build and maintain control. It's chilling to imagine a world where they won the war, which is why they became an easy antagonist in film and TV since the mid-20th century. They represent among the rare villains who we all agree are unforgivable, allowing action stars and protagonists free rein to unleash their worst.

The Real Issue

Assuming everyone can continue to agree that Nazis from history were monstrous—which I really hope we can—so the anger about Peacemaker season 2 isn't really due to the inclusion of Nazis in fiction, but about the uncomfortable mirror it holds up. Some viewers appear annoyed that their version of patriotism, what they see as patriotic pride, could be misinterpreted as Nazism. The show's creator appears sympathetic with this confusion—it's easy to enjoy the world around you the bigger picture—but lands strongly on a point all of us must face: Ethnic nationalism, however it's dressed up, is a form of bigotry.

The Allure of a Perfect World

When Peacemaker first visits Earth-2, he sees a perfect existence where his father and brother remain alive offering the supportive family unit he's never had, while his love interest of his dreams is in love with him. These improvements to his personal life blind him to the countless obvious signs that he's actually stumbled into a dystopian, Nazified incarnation of America.

Extrapolating a bit further, Gunn posits that it's easier for all of us to ignore bigger issues when they benefit us, or enhance our personal situations. As an example, someone could be fine with an emboldened paramilitary force targeting people due to their race when they believe this will in some way enhance their own life. Just the vague hope of a better job or a house is sufficient to blind us to horrible actions are needed to get there. The U.S. has always been a capitalist society, but financial success does not always have to come at the expense of others' pain.

Put simply: It's easy to overlook the big picture when you're looking at a few appealing trees.

Understanding Gunn's Message

It makes sense that some individuals could think James Gunn is coming after them directly through Peacemaker the new season. He's the series' only writer and frequent helmer, and he has a long history of openly criticizing the former president and the political movement. That previously got Gunn fired from Marvel a few years back after he attracted the ire of several far-right activists, who uncovered some old, deleted posts in a campaign to discredit and cancel the filmmaker.

Gunn's well-advertised views have inspired very frivolous critiques of his projects. His recent Superman movie got attacked as too woke and pro-immigrant. Additionally, another critic became popular by spreading an incorrect theory regarding one character as a gender-bent version of Cyborg—a claim that is not true. Here, however, I don't think Gunn is comparing conservatives with Nazis. That would be oversimplified for Gunn, and Peacemaker season 2 isn't even a narrative of his creation: It's based on on a DC comic decades old.

The Universal Message

Instead, Gunn is simply using a tried-and-true genre device to deliver a theme of valuing equality and empathy above personal gain. This idea relevant for all people, irrespective of political beliefs, so it's a shame that the people who need to hear it the most are too busy trying to whip up even more rage online to heed the message.