One of the breakout characters from James Gunn’s hit DC series Peacemaker (2022) is Vigilante, played by Freddie Stroma. Equal parts hilarious, terrifying, and strangely endearing, Vigilante became an instant fan-favorite. But the question many fans ask is: Does Vigilante die in Peacemaker?
The answer depends on what universe you’re looking at. In the TV series, Vigilante doesn’t die—at least not in Season 1. But in the comics, the most famous Vigilante, Adrian Chase, has a very tragic ending. His story ends with death, in one of the darkest finales DC ever published in the 1980s.
This article breaks down everything you need to know—TV show canon vs. comic book canon, the different Vigilantes across DC history, and what these stories say about vigilantism as a theme. Let’s dive deep.
Vigilante in Peacemaker (TV): Alive Against All Odds
Who is Vigilante in the TV show?
In HBO Max’s Peacemaker, Vigilante (Adrian Chase) is introduced as the overeager, socially awkward “best friend” of Christopher Smith, aka Peacemaker (John Cena). He’s loyal to a fault, bloodthirsty without hesitation, and completely oblivious to normal social behavior.
Freddie Stroma plays him with an uncanny mix of wide-eyed innocence and cold-blooded ruthlessness. He’ll happily join in on a killing spree, then casually suggest they grab lunch afterwards.
Does Vigilante die in Peacemaker Season 1?
No. Vigilante survives every single scrape in Season 1—even when it looks like the end for him. James Gunn uses him as a walking punchline for the absurd resilience of comic-book violence. Here are a few key near-death moments:
- Prison Fight
Vigilante deliberately gets himself arrested so he can murder Peacemaker’s white supremacist father, Auggie Smith. Instead, he takes on a yard full of Aryan Brotherhood thugs. He’s beaten badly but walks away with only bruises. - Torture Scene
Captured by the Butterflies, Vigilante is brutally tortured. He loses a pinky toe but still manages to joke about it, later hobbling into battle like nothing happened. - Final Battle
Vigilante is shot multiple times in the climactic fight. For a moment, it looks like he might die. But then—in classic Gunn fashion—he regains consciousness, staggers up, and jogs away bleeding, a darkly comedic subversion of the “noble sacrifice” trope.
The takeaway? Vigilante is almost unkillable in spirit, even if his body constantly gets wrecked.
Why Vigilante Survives in the TV Series
James Gunn had clear narrative reasons for keeping Vigilante alive in Peacemaker Season 1:
- Comic Relief: Vigilante provides much of the show’s humor. His awkward interactions, childish worldview, and absurd loyalty are crucial to the series’ comedic tone. Killing him off would strip away a major part of the show’s personality.
- Foil to Peacemaker: Vigilante is Peacemaker’s mirror. Where Christopher struggles with guilt and morality, Adrian is blissfully unconcerned about right or wrong. Keeping him alive allows this contrast to continue shaping Peacemaker’s character growth.
- Franchise Value: Vigilante became one of the show’s breakout characters. Fans loved him, memes exploded across social media, and Warner Bros. saw he had staying power. Eliminating him early would waste that momentum.
Vigilante in the Comics: A Much Darker Fate
Now, here’s where things shift dramatically.
The Adrian Chase of the comics—introduced in New Teen Titans Annual #2 (1983)—is nothing like the goofy friend we see on TV. He’s a tragic antihero whose life spirals into despair, ending in one of the most shocking deaths in DC history.
Adrian Chase’s Comic Origin
Adrian Chase was a New York City district attorney whose family was murdered by the mob. Devastated and enraged, he abandoned the law and became the Vigilante—an identity that allowed him to take justice into his own hands.
At first, Chase had strict rules. He wouldn’t kill unless necessary. He believed he was doing what the courts couldn’t. But over time, those lines blurred. The more he killed, the more he questioned himself, and the more unstable he became.
The Downward Spiral
Throughout his solo comic (Vigilante, 1983–1988), Adrian Chase’s story gets progressively darker:
- Early Issues: Chase wrestles with guilt over taking lives. He promises himself he’ll be different from the criminals he hunts.
- Middle Run: He breaks his code repeatedly. He grows reckless, alienates allies, and questions whether he can still call himself a hero.
- Near the End, Chase accidentally kills a police captain—something he can’t forgive himself for.
By issue #50, Chase is consumed by guilt and self-loathing.
Adrian Chase’s Death
In Vigilante #50 (1988), Adrian Chase ends his own life.
The scene is stark and uncompromising. Unlike many comic-book “deaths,” this one isn’t reversed, retconned, or left ambiguous. Chase’s suicide is presented as the inevitable consequence of his choices—a tragic finale to a story about the corrupting nature of violence.
This cemented Adrian Chase as one of the most tragic figures in DC’s 1980s lineup.
Other Vigilantes in Comics (and Their Fates)
Because “Vigilante” is a legacy mantle, other characters have taken up the role after Adrian Chase. Some lived, some died:
- Alan Welles: A judge who became a Vigilante after Chase. He grew increasingly violent and was eventually killed, reinforcing the cursed nature of the identity.
- Dave Winston: Adrian Chase’s bailiff, who tried to redeem the name but was killed early in his run.
- Pat Trayce: A detective who became a Vigilante in the 1990s. Unlike Chase, her story wasn’t defined by death.
- Modern Incarnations: DC has revived Vigilante in various forms (including mysterious masked versions in the 2000s), but none have had the same tragic weight as Chase’s original arc.
Vigilante in the Arrowverse: Another Twist
In The CW’s Arrow, the name “Adrian Chase” was used, but he wasn’t Vigilante. Instead, Chase was Prometheus, a major villain. The Arrowverse’s Vigilante was Vincent Sobel, a former cop, who ultimately died at the hands of Black Siren.
This further shows how adaptable the Vigilante identity is across media.
Comparing Comics Adrian Chase to TV Adrian Chase
- Tone:
- Comics Adrian = dark, brooding, guilt-ridden.
- TV Adrian = goofy, sociopathic, oddly cheerful.
- Arc:
- Comics Adrian = downward spiral into self-destruction.
- TV Adrian = constant survival against absurd odds.
- Purpose:
- Comics = critique of vigilantism.
- TV = satirical counterpoint to Peacemaker’s struggle.
Fan Reactions: Death vs Survival
When Adrian Chase died in 1988, it shocked readers. Superhero comics rarely dealt with suicide so directly, and it sparked debates about whether DC had gone too far or whether it was a necessary moral conclusion.
In contrast, Freddie Stroma’s TV Vigilante became a fan-favorite because he didn’t die. Fans loved his resilience and absurd humor. Instead of tragedy, the show leaned into entertainment, proving how malleable the character could be.
Will Vigilante Die in Peacemaker Season 2?
As of August 2025, Peacemaker Season 2 is set to premiere soon. Promotional material promises a darker tone. Could James Gunn eventually mirror Adrian Chase’s comic-book death?
It’s possible. Gunn is known for balancing humor with emotional gut-punches. Killing Vigilante in a future season could force Peacemaker to face deeper questions about friendship, morality, and violence.
But it’s also possible Gunn will keep him alive, since his comedic chemistry is invaluable. For now, the only certainty is that Vigilante survived Season 1—and that keeps fans eager for what’s next.
Conclusion
So, does Vigilante die in Peacemaker?
- In the TV series (Season 1): No. He survives, battered but unbroken.
- In the comics: Yes. Adrian Chase, the original Vigilante, dies by suicide in Vigilante #50 (1988), making his story one of the darkest in DC’s catalog.
The difference shows how the same character can be reshaped for different eras: from the grim deconstruction of the 1980s to the satirical dark comedy of the 2020s.
No matter which version you prefer, Vigilante stands as one of DC’s most fascinating figures—a symbol of how justice, violence, and morality can twist a person in very different directions.
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