Is Peacemaker Season 2 setting up Mister Mxyzptlk as the DCU’s next big villain?

The DC Universe is moving fast after Superman relaunched the franchise with a new tone of hope, courage, and humor. Yet, as the DCU grows, so do its teases for future villains. While Lex Luthor remains Superman’s primary antagonist, the closing moments of Superman and the premiere of Peacemaker season 2 both quietly introduced something stranger and possibly more dangerous than anything the Man of Steel has faced so far.

The question is whether James Gunn is setting the stage for Mister Mxyzptlk, the notorious imp from the Fifth Dimension, to become the DCU’s next big villain.

The Mister Mxyzptlk teases hidden in Peacemaker Season 2

Superman may be the face of the DC Universe, but his rogues’ gallery is too expansive for just one film. In his solo movie, a bizarre Easter egg caught fans’ attention: during a quiet moment with Lois Lane, Superman casually notes that the Justice Gang is fighting “just an inter-dimensional imp” outside their window.

The moment passes without much weight, but it’s an unmistakable nod to Mister Mxyzptlk, a classic comic foe who has plagued Superman for decades with his reality-warping powers.

Peacemaker season 2 doubles down on this tease right out of the gate. In the first episode, Chris Smith stumbles into a pocket universe where Auggie, and Keith are still alive. The three reminisce about strange encounters from Chris’s childhood, including a story about imps invading their home.

Auggie laughs about the chaos they caused, while Keith recalls finding a dead imp lodged inside his truck engine.

At first, the banter plays as absurd family humor, but to DC fans, it’s another breadcrumb pointing toward the Fifth Dimension.

Why does this matter? Mister Mxyzptlk is not a throwaway gag character. In the comics, he is essentially a godlike being who can bend reality for fun.

Unlike traditional villains who want to kill Superman, Mxyzptlk delights in tormenting him through tricks, illusions, and challenges.

The only way to beat him is to outsmart him, traditionally by getting him to say or spell his name backwards, which forces him to retreat to his own dimension for 90 days.

This mischievous weakness makes him unique among Superman’s enemies, and his blend of comedy and chaos feels tailor-made for James Gunn’s style.

Furthermore, Peacemaker has already canonized another Fifth Dimension imp, namely Bat-Mite. In Season 1, John Economos jokes that Bat-Mite, described as a tiny Batman super-fan from another dimension, actually exists.

With Bat-Mite and now mysterious “imps” referenced again, Gunn seems to be laying the groundwork for a larger Fifth Dimension storyline.

This could position Mister Mxyzptlk as not just a Superman villain, but a trickster force across the DCU, potentially interfering with multiple heroes.

The idea of Peacemaker season 2 planting these seeds fits with Gunn’s approach. Instead of rushing into major crossovers, he’s sprinkling small details that fans can latch onto.

If Mister Mxyzptlk does make the jump to live-action in the DCU, these early teases will look like the clever setup they were always meant to be.

What to know about Peacemaker Season 2?

Peacemaker season 2 picks up after the events of Gunn’s Superman film, with Christopher Smith trying to move forward from his violent past while stumbling into even stranger threats.

Produced by DC Studios, the season features John Cena returning as the title character, alongside Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, Jennifer Holland, Steve Agee, Robert Patrick, Frank Grillo, and more.

Gunn wrote and directed all eight episodes, bringing his signature blend of irreverent humor and grounded character work.

With Superman setting the tone of the new DCU, Peacemaker season 2 provides the chaotic, offbeat counterpoint—while also quietly hinting at just how wild the next generation of villains, possibly including Mister Mxyzptlk, could be.

The latest season is set to consist of eight episodes, with a new episode dropping weekly on Thursdays exclusively on HBO Max in the United States.

Stay tuned with us for further updates.