Old School. Biblically Independent.
By Mike Redmond | TV | September 13, 2025
After last week’s episode gave us Peacemaker’s first full voyage into the seemingly “best dimension ever” — and all the dark theories contained within — Episode 4, “Need I Say Door,” contents itself with moving a few pieces around while letting Judomaster (Nhut Le) and Red St. Wild (Michael Rooker) cut loose. Like Eagly’s diet, the episode is empty calories. A nice snack, but not a meal.
The episode does solve one mystery though: How did Auggie Smith (Robert Patrick) get his hands on the Quantum Unfolding Chamber? The cold open finally reveals that origin story, and naturally, it’s a brutal tale of child abuse and murder. While hunting with his young boys, Auggie fires at what he thinks is an animal in the distance. His target turns out to be a strange, alien-like creature carrying a metal object that looks a lot like Peacemaker’s helmet. When Auggie clocks that the creature was headed for an open portal to the QUC, he shoots it point-blank in the head as Chris yells, “Don’t!” That earns him a pop in the mouth before Auggie collects his prize, and cue the dancing.
Back in the present, Peacemaker (John Cena) crashes in his bed after returning from the alternate dimension. Only now does he realize that his house is riddled with bullets from the breach in Episode 2 that ended with Langston Fleury (Tim Meadows) and his team getting wrecked by Eagly. Peacemaker has no idea any of that happened, or that ARGUS is about to drop in for Round 2. Only this time, they’re loaded for bear. Sasha Bordeaux (Sol Rodríguez) and Judomaster are along for the ride, and Red St. Wild is on hand to do some eagle poaching.
However, Economos (Steve Agee) is also with the ARGUS group, and he drops Peacemaker a warning to GTFO. Knowing that ARGUS is after the door, Peacemaker rummages through a closet to find the device the creature was carrying from that fateful day in the wood. Eagly, however, needs some coaxing to leave, and finally, some cold cuts do the trick. The two make a run for it before the team arrives, but Judomaster is faster than that. He catches up with Peacemaker in the woods, and the two beat the sh*t out of each other. Because it’s his show, Peacemaker gets the upper hand and texts Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) to pick his ass up.
While Judomaster and John Cena were pummeling on each other, Red St. Wild had Eagly in his sights before Economos decides he’s not going to watch a bird get freaking murdered. He shoves St. Wild from behind, but a little too hard, and the old coot slams his head into a log. When St. Wild finally comes to, Economos sells him a tall tale about a second eagle hitting him from behind, which he doesn’t buy at first. Eagles are solitary creatures, except for a very, very special eagle. A bird of prophecy whose death will finally atone for how America treated the country’s indigenous people. Yup. That’s a wildly problematic tale that Economos doesn’t buy from “Captain Cultural Appropriation” over here, but St. Wild is now pot-committed to this quest.
Like the true, ride or die friend that she is — IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO MAYBE HOLD ONTO — Adebayo scoops up Peacemaker where he reveals the origin of the QUC and notes that there’s no way his dad could’ve built it himself because he didn’t pass the 10th grade. That prompts Adebayo to ask who’s been making Peacemaker’s helmets, which earns the response, “It’s complicated.” Oh?
The two of them make it to Grandpa Smith’s hunting cabin where Peacemaker uses the creature device to open up a new portal, effectively closing the portal at his house before ARGUS can find it. He knows how to do this because Auggie made Peacemaker use the device the first time in case it blew up or did God knows what. Father of the Year, folks. While they wait for Vigilante (Freddie Stroma), ANOTHER DIEHARD FRIEND WINK WINK, Peacemaker comes clean to Adebayo about everything regarding the “best dimension.” Nothing is off the table. He even confesses to killing the Alternate Chris, all of which she mostly takes in stride. Her main worry isn’t that Chris has found an alternate reality, but that the QUC might be doing something to his brain and creating some sort of f*cked up wish world in his head. Despite her concern, Peacemaker is determined to go back. He rationalizes this by saying he doesn’t want to leave the Alternate Harcourt hanging, but it’s clear: He wants the other Peacemaker’s life for his own. Minus the awful clothes.
Speaking of Harcourt, she’s still getting in bar fights and spitting out blood in her crappy apartment. But tonight, she has a visitor: Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo). With the door missing from Peacemaker’s house, Flag knows they need to bring him in, and he knows who can get the job done. He doesn’t pull any punches with Harcourt, who he clearly interacted with while she was with his son. Flag lets her know that Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) black-balled Harcourt on her way out the door. He gives her a chance to make that go away if she can deliver Peacemaker.
Ever the dutiful soldier, Harcourt accepts. She baits Peacemaker into a rendezvous at a public park where the ARGUS team will be waiting for him. Abrupt fade to black.
Mike Drops
— While this episode flew by way too quick, I will give it props for the palpable feeling of dread that Peacemaker was going to bring Adebayo into the alternate dimension to disastrous results. If it is the Nazi-ridden Earth X, things would have gone south real quick. Deep south.
— That said, this episode also made it clear that Peacemaker has a true found family in Adebayo, Vigilante, Economos, and Harcourt. His bond with Ads is especially real, and I’m not a betting man, but I’d put money on him realizing the “best dimension ever” ain’t so great when he finds that world’s version of her.
— James Gunn is absolutely crazy for whatever he’s doing with Red St. Wild. Just flooring it with that guy and not looking back.
— Tim Meadows was fine this episode, which I didn’t know was a thing that could happen. Just fine? That can’t be right. I should probably watch it again.
— I immediately knew this was going to be a thing, and the internet did not disappoint. Welcome to my old wheelhouse.
Sasha Bordeaux please stare at me harder 🤤 pic.twitter.com/TXtpfxPHpo
— Starlight 💫 (@x0Starlight) September 12, 2025
