James Gunn Has Already Retconned His First DCU Release

Spoiler alert! This article contains spoilers for Creature Commandos episode 1.

James Gunn’s Creature Commandos has officially kicked off the new DCU, but it seems the series has already retconned a major detail from The Suicide Squad. Creature Commandos depicts the eponymous team of monstrous soldiers teaming up under the direction of Amanda Waller. In doing so, the series established the DCU’s new canon, which has undermined one element from The Suicide Squad.

The Suicide Squad established itself as a chaotic, unpredictable, and darkly comedic entry into the DCEU timeline. One of its more bizarre additions was Weasel, played in motion capture by Sean Gunn. A feral, seemingly harmless yet lethal creature, Weasel was thought to have drowned during the film’s opening sequence, only to reveal in the post-credits scene that he had survived and wandered off into the jungle of Corto Maltese.

Creature Commandos Brings Weasel Back To Belle Reve After The Suicide Squad’s Ending

The last audiences saw Weasel in The Suicide Squad, he had wandered off into the dense jungle of Corto Maltese, seemingly free to wreak havoc wherever his instincts led him. This surprising twist gave the character a darkly comedic send-off, reinforcing the film’s unpredictable nature. Yet, when Creature Commandos begins, Weasel is inexplicably back in Belle Reve prison, seemingly ready for duty under Amanda Waller’s command.

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This change raises a host of questions. How did Weasel get back to Belle Reve? Did Waller’s agents recapture him, or did he somehow find his own way back? The series doesn’t provide an immediate explanation, instead treating his presence as business as usual. For those familiar with The Suicide Squad, this abrupt return feels like a direct contradiction, turning what was a humorous post-credits twist into a retcon that reshapes the character’s trajectory.

Why Bringing Weasel Back To Where He Started In The Suicide Squad Makes Sense

Weasel in Creature Commandos crouching down

While it initially seems like a glaring inconsistency, there’s a logic to Weasel’s return to Belle Reve that aligns with his bizarre character. In the context of The Suicide Squad, Weasel was portrayed as an unpredictable creature driven entirely by animalistic instincts. Given this portrayal, it’s plausible that Weasel could have inadvertently returned to Belle Reve on his own. If the prison was the only stable environment he knew, his survival instincts may have led him to seek it out once again.

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Alternatively, word of Weasel’s escape might have reached Amanda Waller, whose extensive resources and surveillance capabilities would make recapturing him a relatively simple task. Weasel’s distinct appearance and destructive tendencies would hardly allow him to blend into the background, making him an easy target for Task Force X’s handlers to track down and reclaim.

Bringing Weasel back to Belle Reve also underscores his role as a chaotic, comic-relief character. His story arc isn’t necessarily meant to be grounded in logic or realism but in absurdity and humor. In this sense, his inexplicable return is perfectly fitting for the tone of Creature Commandos and Gunn’s overall vision for the DCU. By embracing Weasel’s peculiar nature and prioritizing comedic and narrative potential over strict continuity, Gunn sets a precedent for how the DCU may approach its interconnected stories.

Creature Commandos (2024) Official Poster

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Creature Commandos

This animated series follows a covert team of monstrous inmates recruited for perilous missions deemed unsuitable for humans. United by secrecy and necessity, the Creature Commandos tackle extraordinary threats, serving as the ultimate option when traditional forces fall short.

Cast: Indira Varma , Frank Grillo , Zoe Chao , David Harbour , Sean Gunn , Alan Tudyk , Anya Chalotra , Maria Bakalova , Viola Davis , Steve Agee , Benjamin Byron Davis
Character(s): The Bride , Rick Flag Sr. , Nina Mazursky , Frankenstein , GI Robot , Weasel , Dr. Phosphorus , Circe , Princess Ilana , Amanda Waller , Economos , Rupert Thorne
Release Date: December 5, 2024
Seasons: 1
Franchise(s): DC

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The Suicide Squad

James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad acts as a soft reboot for David Ayer’s 2016 Suicide Squad. Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) is again recruiting a group of superheroes for a dangerous mission, this time pairing Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) with Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior), Savant (Michael Rooker), King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), Blackguard (Pete Davidson), and Javelin (Flula Borg).

Release Date: August 5, 2021
Studio(s): Warner Bros. Pictures
Distributor(s): Warner Bros. Pictures
Runtime: 132 minutes
Budget: 185million
Main Genre: Superhero