‘Peacemaker’ hilariously roasts Batman’s no-kill rule

Warning: the article contains light spoilers for Peacemaker episode four.

Peacemaker isn’t afraid to get his hands a little bloody to help fulfill his modus operandi of securing “peace” no matter how many men, women, and children he has to mow down to get it.

In the latest episode of the HBO Max series starring John Cena as the titular antihero, the expendable government operative has called out one of DC’s most popular characters for his pacifist crime fighting ways.

The scene in question unfolds when the nosy neighbor (Mel Tuck) of Peacemaker’s father, Robert Patrick’s Auggie Smith, challenges the protagonist as to whether he can even be considered a superhero, given the lack of a “coterie of supervillains,” like Batman’s Joker, Riddler and Mad Hatter — all of whom presumably exist for real in this world due to Peacemaker also being set in the DC shared cinematic universe.

“So, maybe you’re not a superhero after all,” the neighbor says.

At this remark, Peacemaker replies, “My coterie of supervillains is six-feet-f*cking-under!”

When the neighbor points out this is further evidence Peacemaker isn’t a superhero, since “Batman doesn’t kill people,” the titular antihero proceeds to call the Dark Knight a “p*ssy.”

Peacemaker continues with the insults, calling the caped crusader a “jackass” who merely wrestles with murderers like clowns and throws them in prison, only for them to “break out of prison and then murder more people.”

“Riddle me this: how many people you think Batman’s indirectly murdered by being too much of a candy-ass not to kill these fools who clearly need to be smoked once and for all, you wrinkly, Shar Pei-looking, dementia-infested f**k?!” Peacemaker asks the old man.

It’s pretty hilarious to see a debate that often circulates among the DC fanbase played out in an actual DC show, and it’s just the kind of meta-humor we’d expect from showrunner James Gunn.