Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 1 featured a brief cameo from White Rabbit, a niche DC comics character with a big connection to Batman – and some fans aren’t happy.
James Gunn doesn’t pull many punches in the opening episode of Peacemaker’s new season. He completely retcons the Justice League’s appearance in the Season 1 finale, simply reshooting the scene and replacing them with the Justice Gang.
If you’re invested in the DCU, there’s plenty of Easter eggs to spot and ponder; does the Bludhaven reference mean Nightwing already exists, is Jared Leto’s Joker officially out after those 30 Seconds to Mars jokes, and who is the “jarhead” Harcourt is dating in the other dimension?
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Batman isn’t mentioned at all in Episode 1, but we do get a glimpse of a lesser-known character from his rogues’ gallery.
Who is White Rabbit?
DC
White Rabbit, real name Jaina Hudson, is a Gotham City criminal and Batman foe who was first introduced in The Dark Knight Vol 2 #1 in 2011.
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Raised in a wealthy family by an American diplomat and Bollywood actress, she grows up to assume the mantle of White Rabbit, a mysterious criminal dressed like a bunny who has the ability to duplicate herself into two separate beings, allowing her to be in two places at once.
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Batman has had some notable encounters with her in the comics, like flirting with her non-villainous counterpart at a charity function or spotting her at an Arkham Asylum breakout.
Why Batman fans are unhappy about Peacemaker’s White Rabbit cameo
In Episode 1, White Rabbit is played by Brey Noelle. She’s on-screen for around 10 seconds, crying and storming out of her interview with the Justice Gang.
She’s wearing a comic-accurate costume, complete with the pink-striped and white corset, ears, and knee-high boots. So, what’s the problem?
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For those pushing the agenda for Robert Pattinson’s Batman to join the DCU, it makes it look… less likely, given the grittier, less showy aesthetic of Matt Reeves’ Elseworlds universe. Do you think Pattinson’s caped crusader would face off against a villain like this, considering the Penguin’s last name was changed from Cobblepot to Cobb because it sounded more grounded?
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“Okay, Battinson is definitely not the DCU Batman,” one user wrote with a screenshot of White Rabbit from the new episode. “It took White Rabbit for people to get off the merger train bc they know Reeves would NEVER,” another posted.
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“I really don’t know why it took people so long to realize that their visuals, tones, and thematic approaches are irreconcilable,” a third wrote. “Yeah any ideas or thoughts I had about how it could work for Battison in the DCU after this episode are dead,” another tweeted.
Others aren’t ready to give up hope, citing how projects like Daredevil and Thor: Love and Thunder take place in the same Marvel universe, despite being polar opposites in terms of tone, violence, and character designs.
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“I must remind you that each DCU project’s tone and style will be dependent on the director, that includes costumes,” one user argued. “I just don’t think a random obscure cameo in a Peacemaker episode is a thing to judge the direction of a future Batman film. Cos even if it’s not Robert Pattinson, I really don’t think the DCU version’s villains will look like that,” another wrote.
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“They said she’s from the West Coast, plus her inclusion is mainly to have another random costumed character set up disappointment for Peacemaker,” a third pointed out.
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After the first episode, keep tabs on the Peacemaker Season 2 soundtrack, read more about why it isn’t a multiverse story, and catch yourself up on why Peacemaker killed Rick Flag.