Episode 8 of *Peacemaker* Season 2 kicks off with a flashback set one month prior. Chris and Harcourt are seated at a restaurant, enjoying a meal, while Emilia vents her frustrations about having just lost her job. Seeking to distract her from her woes, Chris suddenly bursts into song, his voice booming loud enough for the entire restaurant to hear. When that tactic fails to fully lift her spirits, he shifts to Plan B. Chris proceeds to order an absurd number of shots, a quantity so vast it defies counting, for both of them. By night's end, the pair are thoroughly inebriated.
As they stumble out of the restaurant, a lecherous man makes an inappropriate advance on Harcourt, igniting her fury. Before Emilia can unleash her wrath and send the man to the emergency room, Chris steps in, deftly defusing the tension. With the situation under control, they resume their impromptu "date," gazing up at the starry sky and reminiscing about Adrian. Then, Chris spots a rock concert taking place on a boat and insists they must attend.
Fast-forwarding to the present, Chris finds himself behind bars, stubbornly refusing any visitors. Meanwhile, Harcourt is hard at work, delving into the mysteries of the Quantum Unfolding Chamber for Flag. She and the other agents split into teams, each donning hazmat suits that are interconnected. As Fleury regales the group with an embarrassing anecdote about Kewpie, another agent, they stumble upon an unlocked door. Beyond it lies a dimension that appears to be crafted entirely from candy, yet possesses a gravity eerily similar to Earth's.
Suddenly, the grass beneath their feet begins to shimmer and stir, and small, goblin-like creatures emerge en masse. Dozens of them pour forth, launching a ferocious attack on Kewpie, Emilia, and Fleury. One of their teammates desperately tries to reel them back to safety, but a diminutive creature severs the rope connecting them, leaving them vulnerable to the onslaught.The dire situation remains static until Harcourt finally draws her gun and unleashes a hail of bullets, felling several of the tiny beasts. With some of the threat neutralized, the group retreats back to the Chamber, where they finish off the remaining monsters. However, it's already too late for Kewpie; by the time they return, the creatures have savagely devoured his face.
Back at Chris's abode, Economos probes her with questions about their current mission. Flag demands they locate a dimension mirroring their own, yet he clams up when pressed for reasons. Harcourt speculates that it might be tied to overpopulation, but Economos casts doubt on this theory. After all, they've never embarked on a venture that genuinely aimed to benefit humanity.
Meanwhile, Lee pays a visit to Adrian's residence, attempting to persuade him to use his wealth to secure a lawyer for Chris. Adrian stubbornly refuses, insisting that spending "blood money" would invite a curse upon them. But Lee counters, arguing that a true friend would utilize it regardless, and eventually, Adrian relents.
Soon after, a guard informs Chris of his release. Despite his desire to remain, he's left with no choice. So, he returns home, retrieves Eagly, and promptly flees town.
While Chris seeks refuge in a motel, evading everyone's gaze, Emilia continues her exploration of the Chamber. Despite the mounting casualties, Flag seems to revel in the progress, celebrating with Lex's team as they edge closer to their elusive goal.
One fateful day, Harcourt and Bordeaux stumble upon a breathtakingly beautiful place, teeming with nature's bounty. It's the haven they've been tirelessly searching for. Emilia attempts to pry information from Rick about their true intentions, but he remains tight-lipped.
Subsequently, Rick convenes a meeting with the government, unveiling his grand plan for the dimension he dubs "Salvation." He envisions it as a prison, a place from which metahumans will never break free. After the presentation, he invites Bordeaux to join him and the team in celebration, but she declines, opting to return home instead.
Bordeaux reaches out to Emilia, and they arrange to meet at the same burger joint where Emilia had previously dined with Chris. Exhausted from her service to A.R.G.U.S., Bordeaux can hardly fathom that all their sacrifices culminated in the construction of a prison. Their comrades had perished for this cause. So, she implores Harcourt to assist her in pursuing a different path.
Emilia introduces Bordeaux to Ads, recognizing her as a visionary with the potential to devise a solution. As the two women engage in deep conversation, Harcourt retreats to her bathroom and discovers a ticket for the rock cruise she had once embarked on with Chris, a poignant reminder of happier times.
By a twist of fate, he found himself pondering over the very same matter. He was brimming with uncontainable excitement at the prospect, dancing away with unbridled enthusiasm from the moment it began until the very end. His exuberance was so infectious that even Harcourt caught the bug and started dancing alongside him. Before they knew it, they were locked in a kiss. However, in a split second, she pulled away and fled from his embrace.
After recollecting that fleeting moment, she felt a compelling urge to chase after him. Hence, she inquired whether Bordeaux, unlike herself and Economos, possessed Peacemaker clearance. As her interaction with Bordeaux unfolded smoothly, Lee made her way to Keeya's abode to share news of her latest venture. Yet, her true intention was to finally bid farewell. She realized that Key would never feel secure remaining entrenched in the world of espionage. Conversely, Lee felt suffocated by the thought of abandoning that path. Tears streamed down both their faces as they emotionally concluded their relationship for good.
Meanwhile, Harcourt, Economos, and Bordeaux pinpointed Chris's whereabouts at A.R.G.U.S. As soon as they got wind of his location, the entire gang converged at the motel where he was holed up. In a desperate bid to escape, Chris attempted to flee, but Vigilante swiftly tackled him to the ground and subdued him with a taser.
Gathered in his motel room, they delved into discussions about his stint in prison. Chris confessed that he had avoided seeing them because he believed himself to be cursed. He had killed Flag Jr., his own kin, and even felt like he had betrayed himself. However, Ads countered that those were the consequences of not heeding his own voice. All those instances when he had followed someone else's orders or done something he knew was wrong, like venturing into the alternate dimension, had led him astray.
Yet, when he listened to his heart, he was a remarkable individual who made people feel cherished and valued. He had left an indelible mark on all their lives. Even Harcourt acknowledged the deep bond they all shared.
With that realization, Chris agreed to return with them. But he needed a definitive answer first. He posed the question to Harcourt once more, inquiring whether what had transpired between them on the boat held any significance. She responded emphatically that it meant everything.
After that pivotal moment, everything seemed to fall into place perfectly. They established their own agency, dubbed Checkmate, with Bordeaux, Fleury, and Judomaster joining forces. They worked together harmoniously, having a blast in the process. Chris even embarked on another rock cruise adventure with Harcourt.
Alas, the blissful state of affairs didn't last long. One fateful night, hooded figures ambushed and captured him. They transported him to Flag's clandestine facility, where Flag intended to conduct a gruesome experiment. He sought to observe the human body's reaction to prolonged exposure to Salvation, and for that, he chose Peacemaker as his test subject. It was to be his final act of vengeance for the loss of his son.
As the gate slammed shut, Chris found himself stranded and disoriented on an alien planet. The eerie roars of unknown creatures echoed in the background as the screen faded to black, leaving his fate shrouded in mystery.
