So apparently James Gunn’s infectiously goofy "Peacemaker" dance from the HBO Max show has landed in hot water. The emote, recently added to *Fortnite*, has now been swiftly disabled and removed. The reason? Upon closer inspection, some viewers and online sleuths noticed that a specific part of the choreography, when viewed from above or in a certain frame, could be misinterpreted as tracing the shape of a swastika.
Yeah, you read that right.
Let’s be real for a second. Having seen the dance in the show, the intent is clearly the opposite of anything hateful. It’s supposed to be cringey, awkward, and utterly ridiculous—a perfect reflection of John Cena's character. The idea that this was a deliberate, covert Nazi salute seems… far-fetched, to say the least. This feels more like an unfortunate and bizarre visual coincidence born from a quirky dance move.
But here’s the thing: intent isn't always the point. Perception is.
Epic Games made the right call. In today's climate, and in a game played by millions of all ages worldwide, you simply cannot have even a shadow of a doubt linking an in-game item to a symbol of pure evil. The risk of it being misused, memed in harmful ways, or simply causing genuine hurt and offense is far too high. It’s a necessary, pre-emptive move. Better safe and slightly ridiculous than sorry and controversial.
This whole situation is a perfect 2025 culture moment. It highlights the hyper-visual, meme-driven world we live in, where every frame can be isolated, analyzed, and virally condemned. It also shows that creators and platforms now have to operate with a new level of spatial awareness—literally. You don't just choreograph a dance for the front view; you have to consider the top-down, the freeze-frame, the GIF-able moment.
The "Do the Peacemaker" dance is, for now, benched. It’s a weird, slightly surreal end for a dance that was designed to be weird and surreal. But it also serves as a reminder: in the digital age, context is everything, and sometimes, peace(ful hips) requires a tactical retreat.
