Peacemaker might be the most queer show in the history of superhero media.
The series has been the epitome of queer representation with various characters from the LGBTQ community part of the narrative since its inception, but it’s not yet done.
In one of the best episodes of Season 2, the show subtly reveals that Judomaster/Rip (Nhut Le) is gay, a moment that likely went unnoticed by many.
Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 7 “Like a Keith in the Night,” finds the entire team in another dimension, and they have just learned that things are really twisted here.
In this alternate universe that Chris (John Cena) stumbled upon, the Nazis won World War II, so everything is incredibly white and straight.
Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) sticks out like a sore thumb in this racist utopia, and when the racists start chasing her, Rip is the one to save her.
Rip and Chris’ team have not always been on the best of terms. Who are we kidding? They hate each other’s guts.
However, the enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that cliche stuff. Rip electrocutes a swimming pool full of racists, then seeks shelter with Adebayo in a house.
Rip catches Adebayo up on this dimension, where Nazis won World War II, and things are weirdly named. For example, Scrabble is spelled Scrobble, while Cheetos are spelled Cheetohs.
Rip: I’ve been reading all the history books in the bookshelf. You don’t want to be a minority here. Or gay. Or Buddhist. Or anything I am, really.
The above statement is quite specific since Judomaster is a minority of Vietnamese descent. That means he’s gay too.
The show does not make a big deal out of it, which is why it would be easy to miss. With Rip, that brings the total number of queer characters to four out of the six main ones in the season.
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Photo: Courtesy of HBO Max“One of the reasons I love this show is the way James [Gunn] writes for his queer characters. Chris Smith is bisexual, Leota Adebayo is a lesbian, and who knows about Vigilante (Freddie Stroma)? Judomaster reveals that he’s gay in episode seven in a very understated way,” Le said in an interview while reacting to that revelation, adding,
“It almost feels like an afterthought, and I really appreciate that. Being queer doesn’t have to define your whole personhood. It’s just a page in your book, not your entire story.
Being specifically in the superhero/comic genre, there’s a lot of that macho masculinity involved, but if you look back even to its inception, comics have always been queer coded. Muscular bodies in skintight flamboyant costumes, come on…”
Le, who is also gay, appreciated the diversity represented by the character in both the superhero universe and the queer community.
“I see Judomaster as a positive queer role model in the way that here’s another option. People like to categorize you — even members of our community — [but] you don’t have to abide by that.
“Who’s to say a queer, short, Vietnamese, superhero can’t exist? He’s an angry, annoying prick, who also happens to be a snack munching, total bad*ss, demon twink in green. And I’m so honored to be able to play him!”
Here’s to more chaos from Rip!
Peacemaker Season 2 streams on Fridays on HBO Max.