Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Superman and Peacemaker season 2James Gunn recently revealed a key overarching plot for every DCU movie and television show. Beginning in earnest with Superman, the DCU is well on its way to becoming a vast cinematic universe with plenty more movies and television series on the way. Thanks to Peacemaker season 2, Gunn has confirmed the predominant power struggle that will be seen project to project.

In Brandon Davis’ interview with James Gunn following Peacemaker season 2, episode 6, Gunn revealed the DCU’s three main power structures, their parallels to real life, and how they’ve already begun “vying for power” in projects like Superman and Peacemaker season 2 (comments begin 10 minutes in):

According to Gunn, the DCU has three main power structures: Governments, Corporations, and Metahumans. Here’s how we’ve seen all three in conflict thus far, and how we’ll likely see them clash in the DCU’s future.

Metahumans Are A Growing Power Structure In The DCU (Superman Was Just The Start)

Despite having existed for 300 years, Gunn has confirmed that the events of Superman were a major shift in the balance of power, tipping the scales in metahumans’ favor.

The fact that members of the Justice Gang (and Metamorpho) publicly interfered in geopolitical affairs, as seen in Superman’s ending, was a big deal, and the same is just as true the first time Superman interfered in Boravia’s attempt to invade the nation of Jarhanpur just before the events of the DCU’s first movie.

In the interview with Brandon Davis, Gunn confirmed Superman was the start of more metahumans starting to do a lot more…of whatever they want. Subsequently, it’s a shift that has naturally generated reactions from the other two big power structures: governments and corporations.

Government Agencies Like ARGUS Are Another Key DCU Power Structure

At the end of Superman, ARGUS director Rick Flag Sr. is shown having greater concern over the metahumans’ unilateral decision-making and the government’s inability to really stop them (like with the Boravian invasion of Jarhanpur).

After all, the US government had to rely on LuthorCorp to arrest Superman. Peacemaker season 2 has also been showing the effects and aftermath of Superman, confirming the public’s growing unrest as ARGUS struggles to keep metahuman criminals contained in facilities like Belle Reve and Arkham Asylum.

While Peacemaker season 2 is not yet fully released, it’s clear that Rick Flag is determined to maintain government control, seeking to use dangerous science like Peacemaker’s Quantum Unfolding Chamber and further working with Lex Luthor (despite his incarceration).

It’s going to be fascinating to see what Flag’s full plans are, though perhaps it involves making greater use of metahuman operatives (like Amanda Waller’s previous Task Forces).

DCU Corporations Are Trying To Influence Both Metas and Governments

Lastly, the third major power structure in the DCU is the corporations. Serving as a real-world parallel with the idea that mega corporations in the modern era can be just as powerful and influential as governments, the DCU has already debuted huge companies like LuthorCorp, LordTech, and Stagg Industries.

There’s already ample evidence of corporations making full use of their power over both the government and metahumans. LuthorCorp had metahuman operatives with The Engineer and Ultraman, both of whom were given their power/created by Lex Luthor to serve on PlanetWatch, a “peacekeeping” force contracted to the US government to deal with extraterrestrials like Superman.

There are also companies like LordTech, which is fully financing the team of metahumans known as the Justice Gang. Debuting in Superman, Peacemaker season 2 premiered with LordTech CEO Maxwell Lord seeking to expand the Justice Gang’s roster with even more metas.

As a result, it’s clear corporations in the DCU are going to be just as much of a force to be reckoned with as governments and metahumans going forward, primarily due to their resources and immense influence.

James Gunn’s Superman is now available to stream on HBO Max.