As is tradition, fans have been combing through the first official trailer for The Suicide Squad for Easter eggs, and they may have come across a serious one. The trailer reveals that Harley Quinn is wielding a new melee weapon in the film, trading in her trademark bat for a spear. But her new weapon may not be an ordinary one, as it could actually be the Spear of Destiny.
In DC Comics, the Spear is a biblical weapon that changed hands many times before ending up in the possession of Adolph Hitler during World War II. He used the Spear to keep American superheroes, including the Golden Age Superman and the Justice Society, from intervening in the conflict by creating a "Sphere of Influence," an area that if any hero entered, they would fall under the tyrant's control. The U.S. Government, which came into possession of the spear after World War II, entrusted Superman to use the Spear against the Spectre. However, a magical ritual Hitler performed on the Spear tainted it to the point where Superman was nearly corrupted into becoming a world conqueror just by holding it.
If Harley's wielding the Spear of Destiny in The Suicide Squad, it could easily tie into the film's villain, Starro the Conqueror. It could be the object that's used to summon the villainous starfish to Corto Maltese, or is the only thing strong enough to defeat him. It's also not out of the realm of possibility for director James Gunn to use such a powerful artifact as a gag, especially if Harley is wielding it.
However, the Spear could also be used to connect The Suicide Squad to the upcoming DC Extended Universe film Black Adam. The weapon's connections to the Justice Society in the comics could see it make an appearance in Black Adam, especially since the film has become as much about introducing the iconic team and setting up a possible spin-off as it is Dwayne Johnson's title character.
Even if it's just referenced visually in Black Adam, the spear could provide some cohesion between that film and The Suicide Squad, leaving the door open for a crossover between the franchises down the line. After all, it was rumored for some time that Johnson's villain would make an appearnce in the Suicide Squad sequel, potentially serving as a threat Task Force X had to take out.
DC could also use the Spear of Destiny to further cement the existence of its Multiverse. The weapon played a major role in Season 2 of The CW's Legends of Tomorrow, where it had reality-warping powers. A link between the Arrowverse and DCEU was already established during the "Crisis On Infinite Earths" crossover when Ezra Miller's cinematic Flash met his TV counterpart, so it's not a stretch to say that DC may continue this trend.
Of course, that's assuming DC has any interest in connecting its properties. Recent comments from WarnerMedia Studios CEO Ann Sarnoff suggest that the parent company has a new strategy for its upcoming slate of superhero films and TV shows that will change continuity. But even if it doesn't end up connecting multiple universes, the Spear of Destiny could still play an important role in The Suicide Squad.
Written and directed by James Gunn, The Suicide Squad stars Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag, Michael Rooker as Savant, Flula Borg as Javelin, David Dastmalchian as Polka-Dot Man, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2, Idris Elba as Bloodsport, Mayling NG as Mongal, Peter Capaldi as The Thinker, Alice Braga as Solsoria, Sylvester Stallone as King Shark, Pete Davidson as Blackguard, Nathan Fillion as TDK, Sean Gunn as Weasel, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, John Cena as Peacemaker, with Steve Agee, Taika Waititi and Storm Reid. The film arrives in theaters and on HBO Max Aug. 6.