Peacemaker is turning less funny and darker with each episode. Episode 4 gave me a lot to process, and Murn’s reveal as a Butterfly left me dumbfounded. But then again, that’s what we should expect from James Gunn, who’s been throwing curveballs at us right from the get-go.
This reveal changes many things while also putting a few things into perspective when we look at them in hindsight. I know the questions around this are going to plague you all until next week, but the most critical question right now is, “Is Murn the main villain of the Peacemaker series?”
Murn is revealed as a Butterfly at the end of Episode 4 when he sticks out the purple tongue/tentacle and drinks the yellow gooey liquid, which could be honey. But it’s also possible that Murn is not the main villain but a mere pawn in the large scheme.
Yes! Read that again if you want, because it took me a few minutes to process the scene myself. If Murn himself is a Butterfly and in charge of the Project Butterfly mission, what’s he up to, and why would he kill his own kind?
Sadly, none of this is explained in Episode 4, and we just have to wait until next week to find out. However, there were hints dropped to us that Murn could be a Butterfly in the previous episode. Furthermore, a few points tick my brain and put many things into perspective when you look at them in hindsight. Let’s dive into them.
Hints That Teased Murn as a Butterfly
- When Murn tells Economus that he’s never shared his feelings and it’s his first time doing so, Economus says that it’s practically impossible. But perhaps that was a hint in our face telling us that Murn is a Butterfly and only behaves human-like in front of the world.
- While Murn is in the van as Harcourt and Peacemaker are out there trying to kill Senator Goff, there’s a dilemma the two face—is the entire family a Butterfly or only Senator Goff. The moment Murn gets to know the family is sticking out their purple tongue/tentacle, he knows they are Butterflies. While most people on the mission don’t exactly know what a Butterfly is, Murn knew exactly what they were because he himself is one.
- Murn always dodged the topic of Project Butterfly every time Peacemaker asked him. In fact, even the team doesn’t seem to know much about it. While this made us suspicious, it was also a hint that he didn’t tell anyone because he himself was a Butterfly.
While these are some of the hints that were dropped, I feel more hints are pointing to other characters’ involvement. I have a small theory (as always).
Theory about Adebayo’s Involvement
I think Adebayo knows more than she lets on. I don’t think she is a Butterfly, but she is not as innocent as she seems, and might know more about the Project itself, unlike other team members. Here are a few things that point to this:
- Amanda Waller herself called Adebayo her “eyes and ears” on the mission, which means she already might know more than the others.
- Adebayo says she’s never shot anyone, which may or may not be true, but her shooting Judomaster, just before he’s about to reveal what the Butterflies actually are, seems like an unusual coincidence.
- Amanda also said she was a natural spy. That perhaps makes sense because she gained Peacemaker’s trust almost immediately. She even manipulated Vigilante into killing his father and made Murn believe she was closest to Peacemaker.
Now, when you put all these things together, you do not arrive at anything definitive, but I think there’s more to her arc than just being a naive, innocent rookie. In fact, it’s a classic trope we see in many films and series, that the naive one turns out to be the smartest of the lot.
Conclusion
While we might not know if any of this is true yet, the upcoming episode should give us more insight into the different characters and also answer the question running on everyone’s mind—What the actual f**k is Project Butterfly?
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.
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