Peacemaker's Season 2 finale unexpectedly referenced Super Mario Bros. by confirming that one character from that world exists in DCU canon. The final episode of the DCU series' sophomore run on HBO Max had a lot of storylines to juggle, such as ARGUS' exploration of the Quantum Unfolding Chamber (QUC), Christopher Smith's jail time, and the 11th Street Kids' venture into a new organization. Amid the high-stakes stories that Peacemaker Season 2 needs to set up (such as the introduction of a planet called Salvation), the John Cena-led series still managed to place some fun Easter eggs and special cameos that made the finale worthwhile.
Peacemaker Season 2 brought Foxy Shazam into the fold to perform their song, "Oh Lord," in the finale, which coincided with the show's beautiful montage sequence of the 11th Street Kids forming the new Checkmate organization. Aside from that major cameo, the finale also revealed that a particular video game character exists within the confines of the DCU.
At the 20:30 mark of Peacemaker Season 2, Episode 8, "Full Nelson," Adrian Chase (Freddie Stroma) is seen playing Princess Peach: Showtime! on his Nintendo Switch, confirming that Princess Peach exists in DCU canon.
The game was mentioned by Adrian while Leota Adebayo tried to check on him after Christopher Smith was sent to jail:
Adrian Chase: "Yeah, just getting really far [on] Princess Peach: Showtime!, and it’s not easy just because it’s about a girl."
In Nintendo lore, Princess Peach is the head of state of the Mushroom Kingdom and the romantic interest of Super Mario. The character was created by Shigeru Miyamoto and has appeared in the majority of Super Mario video games.
Developed by Good-Feel, Princess Peach: Showtime! is the first action-adventure game that features Princess Peach as the main protagonist since 2005's Super Princess Peach.
This is a fun reference from Peacemaker that some fans may overlook. Interestingly, in Peacemaker Season 2, Episode 6, the show confirmed that Spider-Man exists in DC canon after Vigilante met his doppelganger in Earth-X.
Directed by James Gunn, Peacemaker Season 2’s wild finale sets up what lies ahead for the DCU, such as the inclusion of a new planet/dimension called Salvation and the introduction of a brand-new organization called Checkmate. The finale premiered on HBO Max on October 9, 2025.
Will the DCU Continue With Fun References to Other Franchises?
While the DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn is going all out to ensure that the DCU is off to a great start, he is also clearly having fun by incorporating these fun references and real-life bands into his universe.
Gunn, who is known for his wacky humor and fun team dynamics in his movies, has proven that he always finds a way to find the right balance in blending special cameos and references to the overall story.
What makes it fun and interesting is the fact that these references, such as this Princess Peach nod, came out in an unexpected manner in the Peacemaker Season 2 finale, sparking genuine excitement among dedicated Nintendo fans.
The Princess Peach namedrop and the Spider-Man reference could lay the groundwork for more fun references and Easter eggs for future DCU projects, and this could even slowly build into a possible endgame involving a Marvel and DC crossover in the future, especially after Gunn publicly said that he isn't ruling out such an event happening down the line.
