We’ve loved Eagly, Peacemaker’s loyal pet eagle, since season one. While he had some standout moments in the first season, it’s not until Peacemaker season two’s second episode that he really gets his star moment. This occurs when he makes mincemeat out of a group of highly trained A.R.G.U.S. operatives encroaching on his master’s house. Just one prickly bird managed to send a ton of folks to the hospital, with nothing but his talons, his beak, and a pair of wings. Oh, and a lot of loyalty and love for his owner, Christopher Smith, the Peacemaker (John Cena). So how did we get to the point where we get this Eagly bloodbath in episode two?
Thanks to the fact that Christopher Smith killed the son of A.R.G.U.S. director Rick Flag (Frank Grillo) in The Suicide Squad, he’s had his agents watching him under surveillance for months. When they discover he has a Quantum Unfolding Chamber to 99 other dimensions in his home, agent Langston Fleury (Tim Meadows) sends a detail of soldiers to scrub his home when he’s out partying with his friends.
He sends four well-trained agents to his house, all of whom he gives demeaning nicknames. The baby-faced guy becomes “Cupie Doll,” the bigger dude is “Encino Man,” and the one woman is insultingly called “Titties.” But they don’t account for Peacemaker’s loyal feathered friend Eagly. And let’s just say, Peacemaker’s favorite American Bald Eagle took no prisoners.
When and his agents break in and almost open the door to the CUF, Eagly emerges out of the shadows and attacks. Although they shoot at him, he evades the bullets and flies straight at them, clawing and pecking at their face. Eagly knocks out “Cupie” first, and he falls to the floor unconscious. He flies outside and attacks one of the agents, “Encino Man,” and literally bites the eye out of his socket. He then thrusts his beak into another agent’s neck, and yanks the weapon out of Langston Fleury’s hands. Eagly doesn’t go so far as to use lethal force. However, he leaves one agent in the ICU, another with a lost eye, and another yet needing reconstructive facial surgery. After his valiant defense of his master’s home, Eagly struts around to the tune of “Dirty Money” by Ida Maria.
It’s the kind of hilarious “animal on human” violence that James Gunn clearly loves. After all, in Superman, Gunn had Krypto thrash Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor pretty soundly. Not to mention, much of the Fortress of Solitude. It’s clear Gunn has a powerful affinity for unruly pets. This is probably inspired by his own rescue dog, Ozu, at least in part. But would Eagly and Krypto get along? Someone asked Gunn that question recently, and he replied by saying “Probably not. I mean, I don’t think Krypto might try to play or something, but I don’t think Eagly would be too fond of Krypto whatsoever. I wouldn’t let Eagly around my dog for sure. Eagly doesn’t really like anyone except for Chris.” Meanwhile, we await in fear of Gunn ever unleashing Streaky the Supercat on an unsuspecting DCU.
Peacemaker season two premieres new episodes every Thursday on HBO Max.