In Peacemaker Season 2’s finale, titled “Full Nelson,” Frank Grillo’s Rick Flag Sr. makes a bold move by capturing John Cena’s Chris Smith (Peacemaker) and sending him through a portal to a dimension called “Salvation.” He does so for revenge after Smith killed his son earlier in The Suicide Squad (2021).
Watching the finale, we can’t help but think that the man we saw on screen didn’t feel like the Rick Flag we have come to know. His arc, which once stood as a moral counterpoint to Amanda Waller’s corruption, spiraled into something completely different. Instead of keeping Waller’s abuse of power in check, he began wielding that same power for his own agenda.
However, that isn’t the most unsettling thing he did. Watching him laugh and celebrate with Lex’s crew while his own people were trapped and dying across dimensions was deeply jarring. It almost felt like James Gunn was signaling that the real Rick Flag is gone, replaced by something or someone else entirely.
Ever since his encounter with Lex, Rick’s demeanor has changed drastically. His memory lapse, such as forgetting that he once asked Harcourt to call him by his first name, didn’t feel like a throwaway moment. If anything, it seems like Lex might be behind this. Lex has cloned people before, and it would not be a stretch to think that he has done it again. If this theory holds up, this would be the third time this year that James Gunn might have slipped in yet another clone storyline.
Whether this is a creative risk or a deliberate parallel to the recurring theme of identity in the DC universe, one thing is for sure: this version of Rick Flag isn’t who we think he is.
Rick Flag in Peacemaker Season 2 is a Far Cry From Creature Commandos
In Creature Commandos, Rick Flag Sr. is introduced more nobly, a leader under Amanda Waller, a soldier, someone bound by duty. In the series and in Superman, Flag was always on the right side, and we saw the same when Peacemaker Season 2 became.
But by the finale, he seems to have done a whole 180. From initially being distrustful of Lex Luthor, he now seems to have become him. His personality is harsher, more vengeful, and more aggressive, especially toward Chris.
While in the series, he was still tied to ideals, but now, he has become morally grey and even antagonistic. From imprisoning metahumans to sending Chris to a prison dimension and allying with Luthor in a broader plan, his actions feel more authoritarian, less aligned with his Creature Commandos self.
Thus, it isn’t hard to think that the Flag we saw in the finale isn’t him at all, but a clone, or else this is another one of Luthor’s sinister plans achieved through manipulation.
Rick Flag Might Be the Villain of Man of Tomorrow
These sudden changes in Rick Flag’s character could either mean he is an imposter or we are slowly getting the villain he was always supposed to be. Having sent Chris to a prison dimension clearly places him on a villainous path.
While it might be a stretch, this could imply that Flag might be heading for a bigger role in James Gunn’s Superman follow-up, Man of Tomorrow. Flag already has a dislike for metahumans; this could mean he might be one of the bad guys in the upcoming film.
Given that Man of Tomorrow will feature the unlikely team-up of Lex Luthor and Superman against a greater threat, Flag might be one of the threats facing them. This is more likely given his newfound power within ARGUS and his willingness to send Peacemaker to a dangerous dimension.
Either way, if Man of Tomorrow needs a morally complex human antagonist, Flag Sr. is now positioned to fill that role. Well, what are your thoughts on the subject? Let us know in the comments below!
Peacemaker Season 2 is now streaming on HBO Max.
