DC Studios broke new ground by introducing a character with superpowers who did not first appear in DC Comics. Comic book movie characters who have not been in previous comics are nothing new. Marvel viewers now recognize multiple fan-favorite heroes who only appeared in the MCU and other media before showing up in the comics. As DC Studios pushes forward with its own universe, this blue brand franchise will take the same route with new characters.
Warning - The rest of this article contains spoilers for Peacemaker Season 2, Episode 3.
Peacemaker Season 2 includes Michael Rooker as Red St. Wild in the cast. Rooker is in the midst of playing his fourth character in the DCU (The Suicide Squad's Savant, Creature Commandos' Sam Fitzgibbon, and Superman's Superman Robot #1) after previously working with James Gunn as Yondu Udonta in Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. This time, Rooker makes history by playing a villain with no history in any previous media.
As shown in Peacemaker Season 2, Episode 4, Red St. Wild reveals his superpowers for the first time in his quest to hunt down and kill Eagly, Peacemaker's pet eagle. After suffering a blow to the head, he uses his blood for a blood ritual in the woods as blue fire flares up around him. Using spiritual or magical means, he can pinpoint Eagly's location by seeing the eagle in his mind and tracking the bird's exact location.
This marks the first time DC Studios introduced a character not previously seen in the comics with superpowers. While the DCEU also used this tactic with the villains from 2023's Shazam! Fury of the Gods, James Gunn's new franchise made Rooker's Red St. Wild the first villain with that status.
Peacemaker Season 2 marks the second streaming series in James Gunn's new DC Universe and the first live-action project on HBO Max. Starring John Cena, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Danielle Brooks, and Freddie Stroma, Peacemaker hopes to reinvent himself as a hero while dealing with alternate realities and running from a new adversary who wants revenge. New episodes of Peacemaker Season 2 debut on HBO Max on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET.
What To Expect From Michael Rooker's Original DCU Character
As one of half a dozen major villains taking the spotlight in Peacemaker Season 2, Michael Rooker's Red St. Wild should have plenty of opportunities for memorable moments. Particularly since Red is a character with no comic history, Rooker and Gunn have an open slate ahead of them to do basically whatever they want with his role.
While Rick Flag Sr.'s primary goal is to kill Peacemaker, Red will be a key figure in that quest, known as the world's foremost bird hunter. Seeing his ferocity in hunting down Eagly and how close he got to taking out Peacemaker's trusty sidekick, he establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with in only two episodes.
Fans last left off with him at the end of Episode 4 as he tracked Eagly to Peacemaker's newest hideout, meaning he will likely be gunning hard for the bird of prey early in Episode 5.
Described by James Gunn as Eagly's version of Lex Luthor, Red is not expected to go down easily, even after John Economos used his size and stealth to knock Red out. Bringing a new kind of fury and his smarts, Eagly is in for a rough battle as he tries to avoid Red's incoming attack.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
