Who is Vigilante in Peacemaker?

If you’re a DC person, Peacemaker returning for his own spin-off show is not the only exciting news in the market for you. Another character, who has been an integral part of the universe of DC Comics for years, going by the name Vigilante, is also here to give Christopher Smith some company.

Peacemaker is set after the events of The Suicide Squad when Christopher Smith returns to join another task force to be a part of Operation Project Butterfly. However, while Smith was away, our anti-hero Vigilante was waiting for him back home.

In Peacemaker, Adrian Chase goes by the title “Vigilante”. He is marked by his awkward and mysterious behavior. He is often accompanying Peacemaker and his task force. He is a popular character in DC Comics, a version of whom was also seen in Season 5 of CW’s The Arrow.

Who Is Vigilante in Peacemaker?

In Peacemaker, Vigilante was introduced through a series of voicemails he had left Christopher Smith while he was stuck in prison. Adrian Chase is a vigilante who uses the title Vigilante. Quirky, isn’t it?

Well, quirkiness is the defining trait of Vigilante, atleast in the series. Once in a while, he actually suits up and takes upon himself his own mission of fighting crimes as Vigilante. Moreover, he seems to be deriving the most pleasure from killing people who are guilty of minor crimes.

Another interesting aspect is that Vigilante idolizes Peacemaker and seems eager to partner with him. He accompanies Peacemaker and his task force in the first three episodes as well. His actions led to Peacemaker and him being captured, and himself being tortured for information.

Peacemaker and Vigilante share an interesting friendship, although it is clearly more from Vigilante’s side than from Smith’s side. Smith treats him more like an annoying younger brother he cannot get rid of.

How Is Vigilante in the Comics?

Vigilante in DC Comics is quite different from how he is portrayed in the series. There are actually multiple characters in the comics who go by the title “Vigilante”. The most prominent out of them is Adrian Chase himself.

He first appeared in an issue of New Teen Titans in 1982 and is an attorney working outside New York City. His wife and children are murdered by mobsters whom he had been pursuing for a case. In order to take revenge for this, he joins a group dedicated to battling the same type of criminals who took away his family.

In the comics, Adrian Chase does his best to not kill any criminals by himself but ends up going too far in his efforts to dispense justice. In this aspect, he is quite similar to Peacemaker.

He is also a great marksman and a master of armed and hand-to-hand combat. Many versions in the comics also depict him with regenerative abilities.

In the comics, Chase is like a revolutionary figure who finds happiness in punishing criminals and bringing revenge for those who suffered at the hands of the rich and powerful, like himself.

Is the Vigilante in Arrowverse the Same as the Vigilante In Peacemaker?

As I explained earlier, Vigilante is just a title and there are multiple characters in the DC Comics who go by this title. Out of the many characters, Adrian Chase is arguably the most well-known one.

Though the character seems to have appeared in both Arrowverse and Peacemaker, the two Vigilantes are not the same.

In the Arrowverse, Vigilante was split into two characters. Adrian Chase actually became an alias used by the evil Prometheus and Vigilante was an original character named Vincent Sobel.

Vincent Sobel is a cop who lacked the moral depth and complexity of the Vigilante in the comics. In Season 6, we found out that Vincent Sobel was the deceased partner and romantic interest of Black Canary aka Dinah Drake.

So, Sobel also used the title of Vigilante in Arrowverse, while the same title was used by Adrian Chase in Peacemaker. Technically, there is no direct relation between the two timelines or universes, except that they both fall under DC.

Since Vigilante as a title is associated heavily with Adrian Chase, fans expected the Vigilante in Arrow to be none other than Chase himself, back when his identity was not revealed. But needless to say, the Arrowverse’s portrayal of DC’s beloved anti-hero faced a lot of criticism.

So, Vigilante’s appearance in Peacemaker was an eagerly anticipated one. However, he too has garnered mixed responses. Many thought he was nothing more than a wannabe Deadpool in Peacemaker.

The problem with both portrayals was the lack of character layers. The most striking thing about Vigilante as a character in DC Comics is the moral ambiguity associated with his decisions. He is a grey character with various layers to his portrayal which neither of the two shows could capture.

The character of Vigilante clearly has much more to offer than he has been allowed to so far on the screen. Here’s wishing the brilliantly written comic anti-hero gets a better portrayal in the upcoming shows or films of the DC Universe.

About Peacemaker

Peacemaker is a DC Extended Universe series that will delve into the past of the titular character, who’ll make his cinematic debut in James Gunn’s DCEU film, The Suicide Squad (2021). The character will be portrayed by John Cena, who will reprise his role in the HBO Max series.

Other cast members include Steve Agee, Danielle Brooks, Robert Patrick, Chris Conrad, and Chukwudi Iwuji among many others.

James Gunn will also helm the HBO Max series for its second season.