It's Cow or Never

"**It's Cow or Never**" is the eight episode of the HBO Max series based on the DC Comics character Peacemaker. It aired on February 17, 2022. It also served as the season finale.

## Synopsis

*With Peacemaker and Adebayo at odds, can the team kill the cow once and for all – or will their fracture give the aliens the opening they need to complete its teleportation?*

## Plot

Leota attempts to apologize to Chris, but he just isn’t interested in apologies, so he and Vigilante proceed to make fart noises while Leota expresses her sincere remorse.

Vigilante goes onto rank his besties, and we learn that Peacemaker and Eagly are numbers one and two, respectively, while Leota sits at number five.

When the gang arrives outside the ranch, Leota calls Amanda Waller for further assistance. Her mother stresses the importance of working quickly as the butterflies prepare to teleport the cow off the planet. Waller dubs Harcourt the leader while Economos and Leota stay behind if the team needs backup.

Peacemaker lays out his helmets and explains to Leota what each one does. Leota believes they should plant the helmet that emits a sonic boom on top of the barn and activate it, thereby destroying the butterflies and cow inside.

Chris tries to assign Eagly the task of planting said helmet on the barn’s roof, but, instead, Peacemaker’s Best friend misunderstands and drops it further in the woods.

The group then splits up to find the sonic boom helmet. Chris encounters a vision of Auggie taunting him and taking up residence in his head. Peacemaker unflinchingly reaches for a weapon, unafraid to kill his racist, abusive father again. Harcourt however bears witness to Peacemaker’s interaction with a ghost.

After killing one of the butterflies standing guard some distance outside the barn, the group persuades Economos to disguise himself with a police uniform and deposit the helmet inside the barn. Economos reluctantly leaves the safety of the forest to execute the task at hand.

Butterfly Fitz stops Economos before the latter enters the barn, asking him why he’s going inside. Economos shows him the duffel bag (the helmet’s inside it), and that’s all Butterfly Fitz needs to see to grant Economos access.

Economos descends the wooden stairs to the lower level, wherein the butterflies hold the cow captive. The alien creatures then secure the cow with harnesses as they prepare to teleport it. Economos, flustered, tosses the duffel bag with the helmet on the staircase and flees.

Butterfly Fitz stops Economos again once the latter emerges from the barn. Fitz then asks Economos about his beard and why his human husk dye it so strangely. Economos goes onto explain why he dyes his beard and Peacemaker looks remorseful out in the woods while listening to Economos.

Suddenly, one of the butterflies finds the duffel bag, and not long after, a horde of butterflies, including Butterfly Song descend upon Economos.

After a brief slip-up, Leota activates the helmet inside the bag, causing the barn to explode and even taking a few butterflies down in the process. Leota sets off a few more sonic booms until the helmet loses its charge.

Butterfly Song, heartbroken over the thought of losing the cow, climbs through the debris to get to it. Peacemaker, Harcourt and Vigilante arm themselves for a showdown with the butterflies.

Harcourt urges Peacemaker to find the cow while she and Vigilante fend off the butterflies topside. Unfortunately, he slips on debris and falls to the barn’s lower level, with said debris burying him. Outside, Vigilante succumbs to a slew of bullets after killing Butterfly Fitz and collapsing on the ground. Harcourt also suffers a few shots and falls, with blood dripping out of her mouth.

Leota watches Harcourt fall and decides to barrel headfirst into the action. Economos follows suit, but he trips over a wooden fence and injures his leg severely.

Leota then notices a butterfly attempting to gain access to Harcour but she quickly pulls the alien out in time. Harcourt then tells Leota to assist Chris with the cow situation. Leota puts on Peacemaker’s helmet that morphs the wearer into a human torpedo.

She locates Chris under a massive pile of debris, but instead of saving Peacemaker, it’s Butterfly Song on the other side.

Peacemaker and Song duke it out while Leota activates the human torpedo helmet. However, in her bid to help her friend, Leota flies uncontrollably into the wall, falling unconscious. Butterfly Song reveals she doesn’t want to fight Chris and instead she wants him to help her.

Elsewhere, Butterfly Locke tends to the cow while Butterfly Song explains what Judomaster attempted to tell Peacemaker. That the butterflies left their homeworld because it was dying and that Earth proved better suited to their needs.

However, the butterflies learned that humans didn’t care for their planet. They didn’t listen to reason and science and refused to make even the smallest sacrifice because it was an “inconvenience”. So, the butterflies thought it best to take control of humans to save the Earth. But Murn disagreed with their methods because he didn’t believe they should overtake human bodies, even if it meant protecting the planet. Butterfly Song thanks Peacemaker for his kindness and asks him to help fulfill their mission.

Instead, Chris activates the human torpedo helmet, which Leota is still wearing. Suddenly, she flies into the cow, killing it. Peacemaker then promptly shoots Butterfly Locke and Butterfly Song.

Later, Chris and Leota emerge from the barn wreckage to find Vigilante alive and Economos sitting with Harcourt. It looks like Harcourt might be dead, but Chris cradles her in his arms, and the gang takes her to a hospital.

The Justice League arrive in too late to be of any help now and Peacemaker chastises the team for their lateness, revealing that the fight is over. He also criticizes Aquaman for forking fish. Aquaman complains about that rumor, but The Flash counters that it’s all true. Chris then throws out that Green Arrow also attends brony conventions.

While at the hospital, the staff wheels Harcourt and Economos away. Vigilante collapses on the ground after asserting he doesn’t need medical attention. Leota and Chris get some much-needed one-on-one time, wherein the pair make amends, and Leota vows to do the right thing. Before she leaves, Chris informs her that, after Eagly, she’s his bestie.

Some time later, Leota goes on camera to reveal Project Butterfly to the world and publically exonerate Peacemaker and Vigilante of their crimes. She then informs the reporters of how much the heroes assisted the mission and that Peacemaker didn’t write that diary.

Vigilante watches while in the hospital and promptly escapes. Leota also blows Waller’s cover and reveals Belle Reve’s system, and Waller reacts to her daughter throwing her under the bus.

Next, Peacemaker visits Harcourt, who’s now conscious. Elewhere, Leota returns home to Keeya and the pair smooch.

Economos returns to work at Belle Reve, and on his desk is a framed picture of the 11th Street Kids, and upon seeing it, he smiles warmly at it.

Judomaster finally makes it to Coverdale Ranch, only to find everyone dead. He sobs while munching on his Cheetos.

Vigilante and Chris go back to doing what they do best, which is blowing stuff up. Whereas, Harcourt makes progress with her physical therapy.

Later, Peacemaker finds Goff, who escaped Song’s body, flying outside his window. He gives her what’s left of the amber goo for sustenance as Eagly drops a dead animal at his feet. The ghost of Auggie sits next to Chris on the porch.

## Cast and characters

### Starring

* John Cena as Christopher Smith/Peacemaker
* Danielle Brooks as Leota Adebayo
* Freddie Stroma as Adrian Chase/Vigilante
* Chukwudi Iwuji as Clemson Murn
* Jennifer Holland as Emilia Harcourt
* Steve Agee as John Economos
* Robert Patrick as August "Auggie" Smith/White Dragon

### Guest starring

* Elizabeth Ludlow as Keeya
* Lochlyn Munro as Larry Fitzgibbon
* Annie Chang as Detective Sophie Song
* Christopher Heyerdahl as Captain Caspar Locke
* Nhut Le as Judomaster

### Co-starring

* Dee Bradley Baker voices Eagly
* Quinn Bennett as Young Chris
* Rochelle Greenwood as Peggy
* Kevin O'Grady as Johnson
* Neil Webb as Cool Steve
* Liam Hughes as Keith
* Lissa Neptuno as Dr. Alandy
* Troy Anthony Young as Terrified Man
* Cynthia Oroz Guzman as Nurse
* Bzhaun Rhoden as Young Man
* Zak Santiago as Prison Guard

### Uncredited

* Viola Davis as Amanda Waller
* Ezra Miller as Barry Allen/ Flash
* Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry/ Aquaman
* Brad Abramenko as Superman
* Kimberly Von Ilberg as Wonder Woman
* Matt Turner as Batman
* Unknown as Cyborg

## Gallery

### Promotional Videos

Peacemaker 1x08 Promo (HD) Season Finale - John Cena Suicide Squad spinoffMeet Peacemaker's Best Friend Eagly Peacemaker - HBO MaxPeacemaker's Jennifer Holland Intro Dance Behind The Scenes - Peacemaker -ShortsPeacemaker -Shorts - Opening Credits Behind The ScenesPeacemaker -Shorts - Peacemaker Intro BTSPeacemaker Behind The Scenes Set Tour - Peacemaker - HBO MaxJohn Cena Plays Make It Last and Talks DC’s Peacemaker - The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonPodly- The Peacemaker Podcast - Ep. 8 with James Gunn - HBO Max-2

## References

1. ↑ Why That Big Cameo In Peacemaker Episode 1 Is So Important - Slashfilm
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 ‘They Let Me Do Whatever I Want’: James Gunn on the ‘Peacemaker’ Finale - Rollingstone
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Superman and Wonder Woman’s Stunt Doubles In Peacemaker Series Revealed The BTS Photos - Maxblizz
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Peacemaker: Batman and Cyborg Were 'Scrubbed' Out of Finale, Actor Claims - TV Line