The Peacemaker Season 2 finale had some shocking moments, including a finale that saw the titular hero very far from home. However, it also introduced a new covert organization straight out of DC Comics called Checkmate. While this organization in the comics took different forms over its existence, it appears the group in the DCU will be a private non-government alternative to Rick Flag Sr. and his government agency, ARGUS, in check, ensuring he doesn’t get out of line. While they were too late to save Peacemaker, there is a good chance some big names will end up part of this group in the DCU, as the comic book storylines featured powerful people working within the organization.
Checkmate in the Peacemaker finale had non-superpowered members like Adebayo, Fleury, Economos, and Harcourt. Of all the new members of Checkmate, Vigilante (Freddie Stroma) and Bordeaux (Sol Rodriguez) are the most notable for their work with the organization in the comics. Judomaster is the other with powers, but he isn’t from the comic book group. Mr. Terrific has also been a member, and he was already introduced in the DCU. However, here are some very powerful DC Comics heroes and villains who could join the DCU as part of the covert team.
Question has been part of several DC Comics teams, which is surprising for someone who is an untrusting conspiracy theorist. He is one of the rare people who have been part of the Justice League and the Suicide Squad. However, he has also been part of Checkmate in the comics. This happened in the mainstream DC Universe during the 2021 run of the series.
During his time with Checkmate, the group was battling the immense and dangerous Leviathan organization, which was mobilizing worldwide. He is a powerful intellect, as he is one of the few people who discovered that Bruce Wayne is Batman through his own investigative skills. However, in a fight, he is often at a disadvantage, meaning he is a strong member with his brain, but not his brawn.
Roy Harper has been known in DC Comics as Speedy and Arsenal, and he has been a member of the Teen Titans, Young Justice, and the Outsiders before he moved on to a role with Checkmate. However, the interesting thing about Arsenal was that he was a double agent for both Checkmate and Leviathan, and he worked only for Leviathan to help bring them down.
As Green Arrow’s former sidekick, he is primarily a lesser version of Oliver Queen, but he has come a long way since he was Speedy. He has similar trick arrows to Green Arrow, and he is a master shot, pretty close to the level of his mentor.
Huntress was in the DCEU, making her debut in Birds of Prey. Harley Quinn is possibly in the DCU, although she has yet to make her debut since James Gunn took over the line. However, there is no word on whether Huntress (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead) will remain the same in Gunn’s DCU. Gunn will likely make changes to the character if she does join the DCU.
In the mainstream DC Universe, Huntress is Helena Bertinelli, a member of the Birds of Prey and the Director of Spyral, an international espionage agency. However, in the pre-Flashpoint DC, she was a member of Checkmate, serving as the Queen, and was a double agent for Batman. A member of the Bat Family, Huntress has no powers, but she is a skilled fighter and assassin, and is a master at espionage.
Green Arrow was in an interesting position when he was a member of Checkmate. This was when the group was fighting Leviathan, and they had to help stop the evil organization from destroying the Justice League. What made Green Arrow an interesting part of this was that he was the Justice League’s current leader when it happened.
When Amanda Waller said they could secure financing to remain free of government control, she added that the only stipulation was that they would answer to Green Arrow. While Oliver Queen has no real powers, he is the greatest archer in DC Comics and is also one of the most persistent heroes in comics.
Several people have served as Rocket Red, all of them part of the Rocket Red Brigade, a Russian military unit that protected the country from metahuman threats. They are also extremely powerful, equipped with armor designed by the Green Lantern Corps member Kilowog. Other than the Rocket Red Brigade, members have been part of Justice League International.
The Rocket Red who was in Checkmate was Maks Chazov from the pre-Flashpoint continuity. He made his comic book debut in Checkmate Vol. 2 #22, and this was the issue where he was named the new White Queen’s Knight. His power comes from his armor, which allows him to fly and shoot missiles from his gloves.
Fire is the first person mentioned here who is an actual metahuman with powers. She was part of Checkmate in the pre-Flashpoint world and joined the team on her own after she and her close ally, Ice, were members of Justice League International. This is because Ice had died, and this shook up Fire and led her to quit for a while. However, she returned with Checkmate as the Black King’s Knight.
By this time, Fire had grown despondent and agreed to work as an assassin for Checkmate, something she grew to regret. Her powers are immense, with the ability to saturate herself with Pyroplasm, a green fire she can use to immolate her victims. This makes her one of Checkmate’s deadliest members.
Vixen is another former Justice League International member who later joined Checkmate. However, she also worked with them after working with the Suicide Squad, where Amanda Waller promised to help Mari McCabe control her animal instincts when she takes on the abilities and nature of specific animals. Her time with Checkmate was short, since she was drafted in to help them right before she joined the Birds of Prey.
As for her powers, Vixen weilds the Tantu Totem, which is a talisman that helps her tap into the Earth and mimic the abilities of any animal that she can think of. However, it was later discovered that she has this power on her own, and the totem only helps her channel it more effectively. As mentioned, she develops animal-like behaviors when she taps into the Earth, and this can cause her to lose control.
Unlike most Checkmate members, Count Vertigo has primarily been a villain when not working with teams like the Suicide Squad and Checkmate. He was initially a villain who fought Green Arrow, but it wasn’t until he was arrested and began working with the Suicide Squad that he occasionally worked on the side of good.
Count Vertigo joined Checkmate during the “One Year Later” storyline while working as the White Queen’s Knight when his former Suicide Squad boss, Amanda Waller, was in the role. As for his powers, he creates what is known as the Vertigo Effect, which can disrupt his enemies’ balance, and it also affects the aim of archers and gunmen, making him an indispensable member of Checkmate.
Deathstroke is one of the most despicable villains to ever work with Checkmate. However, Deathstroke was only a side member of the team and worked with them as a double agent. This happened when Checkmate was sent to find the comatose body of Slade Wilson, and when they discovered him, he ended up revived and began a rampage.
This was when Arsenal revealed he was a double agent working against the Brotherhood of Evil, and that he was there to stop the villains from stealing nuclear warheads from Russia. It also turned out Deathstroke was also working with Checkmate via the CIA to help end Chesire’s threat. As for his powers, Deathstroke has one of the best accelerated healing factors in DC Comics, as well as enhanced strength and skills thanks to his military enhancements.
Martian Manhunter was both a part of and an enemy of Checkmate. He worked, at one time, undercover to try to ruin Checkmarte’s plans and missions because he wanted to convince the President of the United States to shut them down. What is most ironic about it is that he was also responsible for uncovering the truth that Amanda Waller was partially responsible for sending supervillains to the planet Salvation.
This was in the “Salvation Run” storyline, which might be what James Gunn is headed for in the DCU, introducing both Checkmate and Salvation in the Peacemaker Season 2 finale. Of course, Martian Manhunter is a Martian and has shape-shifting abilities. He can also turn invisible. However, his main power is telepathy, and his strength and durability are equal to Superman’s, making him easily the most powerful hero to ever work with Checkmate.
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