James Gunn’s DC Universe is still in its early stages, but the superhero franchise has already made a surprising move; it has just established a key Marvel superhero as canon. And that superhero is none other than Spider-Man! In James Gunn, we believe!
Following the box office triumph of Superman, the DCU continues with Peacemaker Season 2, which follows Christopher Smith (John Cena), a jingoistic mercenary, as he explores a parallel universe.
Episode 6 of Peacemaker Season 2 shows Chris’s friends entering the alternate dimension to find him after he replaced his dead doppelgänger and abandoned his old life.
Though the group finally tracks him down, they quickly go their separate ways. Vigilante (Freddie Stroma) sets off to find his own alternate self, ignoring Leota Adebayo’s warnings. Contrary to her fears, the encounter with Vigilante’s doppelgänger doesn’t cause any trouble.
Gunn doesn’t miss a beat in this scene. He recreates the iconic “Spider-Man pointing” meme with Vigilante!
What makes this moment so enjoyable is Freddie Stroma’s heartwarming and energetic double performance as the masked sociopath.
And yes, this officially makes Spider-Man canon in the DCU. But before you get your hopes up, it just means that Spider-Man exists in this universe as a fictional character.
This scene shows that Spider-Man is a well-known figure in the DCU. What we don’t know is whether this version of Spidey shares the same origin story as the one from Marvel Comics.
The “Spider-Man pointing” meme has exploded in popularity over the past decade. Both Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse referenced it, and the live-action Peter Parkers, Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield, and Tobey Maguire, famously recreated it in a promotional shoot for Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Now, we know what you’re thinking: Will Spider-Man or any other MCU character ever cross over into the DCU? Honestly, it’s tough to say. Since Spider-Man is treated as a fictional character in this universe, the chances of a full-blown DCU–MCU crossover are pretty slim.
Then again, both superhero universes have explored parallel worlds and alternate dimensions through their own versions of the Multiverse. Fans will just have to wait and see if Marvel and DC ever pull the trigger on the ultimate crossover event. Stay tuned for more updates!
Indian viewers can stream all episodes of Peacemaker Season 2 on JioHotstar!