Let me start this article by saying that I don’t mind James Gunn making the decision to kill Rick Flag in The Suicide Squad. Gunn was very open about the fact that a lot of characters were going to die in his movie. After all, the tagline for the 2021 DC film was “don’t get attached”. Still, I am a fangirl at heart and really loved Rick Flag in the 2016 Suicide Squad movie. He had a great arc and his last fight was badass – still, I held a small grudge against Peacemaker for being the reason Rick won’t ever be in another sequel.
Spoilers for the Peacemaker Series
However, I really think the Peacemaker series makes up for this. This really won’t be a review, as I already reviewed the first three episodes. I did want to strictly focus on how Rick Flag’s death not only kicks off this story of development for Peacemaker, but the series almost wouldn’t be possible without Flag’s death. Spoilers ahead for those who haven’t seen Peacemaker.
Now, it’s only been three episodes, so I’m not saying that this show is going to go into full redemption arc mode here. However, we do see early on Peacemaker sulking over the decision he made in The Suicide Squad. We see that Flag’s last words stick with him. Not only is he feeling a bit like a joke himself, but we see that that simple line is making him question his own actions. It’s not enough for Peacemaker to simply wonder if he’s all he cracks himself out to be, but we see that when it comes time for him to do exactly what’s bragged in the past for doing, he’s unable to complete the task.
Peacemaker…What a Joke
I believe this really rests on Flag’s line to him. “Peacemaker…what a joke”. It’s a simple enough line, but the weight it carries is evident in the first three episodes. If Flag had never said this to Peacemaker, would he regret killing Flag so much? Would he be questioning his own morals? Peacemaker was very confident in The Suicide Squad that he’d kill men, women, and children if it meant achieving peace. Yet, when it comes time for him to put his money where his mouth is, he can’t. I don’t know if we can exactly surmise that he’s always been all talk. I think the movie and others in the show make it apparent that Peacemaker has done exactly this in the past. Yet, now; he can’t. All because of Rick Flag.
Let’s Appreciate Rick Flag For a Moment
Knowing how much of a weight Flag’s had, as well as the legacy this means for his character, makes his death justified in the movie. I’m sure I was probably one of the only ones who focused on Flag in the first Suicide Squad movie. Everyone else was rightfully focused on Harley Quinn and Deadshot. For me, however; I really enjoyed the potential of Joel Kinnaman’s character. I think people really got to see it with The Suicide Squad, but Gunn made sure to show Flag’s heart stabbed into. Ensuring that none of us could question whether or not he died. He’s dead, but his death is incredibly impactful.
I look forward to see if there’s any additional references to Flag’s death in the Peacemaker series, but I think overall, the show was made possible by Flag’s dying words. What do you think? Let me know!
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A girl with too many fandoms to count.
