James Gunn delivers Peacemaker’s strongest episode yet with Ignorance is Chris. This gripping hour dives into Chris Smith and Harcourt’s evolving bond, Rick Flag Sr.’s relentless vendetta, and a shocking finale that makes the new universe feel even darker than the one Team Peacemaker left behind.
Ignorance is Chris Overview
Ignorance is Chris balances sharp character drama with escalating tension, putting relationships and vendettas at the heart of the story while incorporating sharp comedy to balance the drama.
Chris Smith and Emilia Harcourt find themselves drawn into a challenging yet necessary dialogue, one that tests both their trust and their sense of purpose. At the same time, Rick Flag Sr. makes his boldest move yet, pushing his vendetta into dangerous territory and setting the stage for an explosive fallout.
While Chris and Emilia attempt to work through their issues, the other members of Team Peacemaker begin to explore the new universe. Adebayo and Adrian are the most eager to explore. Adrian wants to meet his alternate self. Adebayo intends to take a walk around. Economos is the most hesitant and wants to stay behind. All three are in for rude awakenings.
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Adrian initially hits it off with his alternate self, but finds out his doppelganger hates Peacemaker. Adebayo finds a white supremacist-run world. Economos meets an unwelcoming Auggie Smith.
The pacing is deliberate, allowing emotional beats to land before ramping up toward a tense and shocking finale. By the end, the episode makes it clear that this “new universe” Team Peacemaker inhabits is even darker than the one they left behind. Gunn leaves viewers with a mix of excitement and dread.
Peacemaker is streaming on HBO Max.
Heart-to-Heart
At the center of “Ignorance is Chris” lies the long-awaited conversation between Chris Smith and Emilia Harcourt. Up until now, Harcourt has sidestepped and deflected whenever her feelings surfaced. Chris has prodded at those walls before, but this time he pushes much harder.
The conversation begins with tension lingering from the previous episode. Chris still feels betrayed by Harcourt’s chokehold, but she explains it was the only way to keep him alive. From there, the dialogue cuts deeper. Chris admits outright that he’s in love with her. Harcourt acknowledges she already knew, but doesn’t let him off easy. He assumes her distance comes from his killing of Rick Flag Jr., yet Harcourt confesses her issues are more personal.
She admits that she despised him when they first started working together, but no longer does. Her real struggle lies within herself. Harcourt feels broken, numb to the world, resorting to reckless bar fights to feel something. Chris reaffirms his love regardless, but she points out the trap he’s setting: if she says she loves him, he returns to her; if she doesn’t, he stays stranded in this universe. Either way, she’s burdened with an impossible choice.
Adding another layer, Harcourt pieces together unsettling context clues about the racist ideology driving this alternate world, grounding the episode’s darker themes.
The performances elevate the writing. Jennifer Holland captures Harcourt’s brittle strength and buried pain, while John Cena continues expanding Chris beyond his bluster. Together, they deliver the show’s most emotionally charged moment.
Flag’s Deal
Back in Peacemaker’s home universe, Rick Flag Sr. is pulling every string he can to track down Chris Smith. His obsession has crossed the line from determination to desperation.
When A.R.G.U.S. agent Langston Fleury (Tim Meadows) informs him that Team Peacemaker has gone dark, Flag frames the situation as a matter of national security. The justification rings hollow. After all, how does one man vanishing into another universe destabilize the United States? The answer is obvious: this isn’t about patriotism. It’s about Flag’s grief and his refusal to let go. Still, he’s savvy enough to disguise his personal vendetta as a matter of government interest, blurring the line between vengeance and duty.
With his options dwindling, Flag turns to an unlikely ally: Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), imprisoned at Belle Reve. Picking up threads from Superman (2025) and Lex’s fascination with pocket universes, the meeting feels less like a negotiation and more like a devil’s bargain. Luthor bristles at being confined alongside the very metahumans he despises, his ego wounded as much as his freedom. Flag offers him a way out: transfer to a lower-security prison in exchange for his expertise in dimensions.
The scene is taut with tension. Hoult’s Lex oozes disdain and intellectual superiority, reminding Flag he’s never truly powerless. Not once does it feel like Flag controls the conversation. His grief may fuel his resolve, but in cutting this deal, it’s clear Flag is surrendering far more than he’s getting in return.
Ignorance is Chris Final Thoughts
Ignorance is Chris is Peacemaker’s best episode to date. Gunn balances humor, heartbreak and high-stakes tension with precision, letting quieter character moments carry as much weight as the show’s big swings.
The Chris–Harcourt conversation gives the series its emotional backbone. It’s raw, vulnerable and messy in a way that feels true to who they are, while also exposing how much unresolved pain both carry. Cena and Holland elevate the material, turning what could have been a simple confession into a layered exploration.
On the other side, Rick Flag Sr.’s descent into obsession brings the necessary dramatic counterweight. His willingness to manipulate national security and cut deals with Lex Luthor exposes just how far he’s fallen. Hoult steals his scene as Lex, reminding viewers that even behind bars, he’s a dangerous variable who tilts the balance of power with a single smirk.
What makes the episode so effective is its ability to juggle these intimate beats alongside shocking revelations about the new universe. Adrian’s disillusionment with his alternate self, Adebayo’s horrifying discovery and Economos’ reunion with Auggie expand the worldbuilding without feeling like filler. Each subplot reinforces the sense that this universe is darker, crueler, and far less forgiving than the one Team Peacemaker left behind.
By the time the credits roll, viewers are left with both excitement and unease. Gunn makes it clear that the story is only getting bigger and bleaker, but never loses sight of the messy, broken people at its core. If this is the new bar for Peacemaker, the rest of the season has a lot to live up to.
