So, you’re… you’re really not mad at me?
No. I’m proud of you for speaking your mind. Ryan… [sighs] I’ve been manipulated by people my whole life. Being told what to say, where to stand. It–It’s like being a slave, only worse. I did some reflecting, and I realized that I’ve been doing the same thing to you. But no more. From now on, no more rules. For either of us. We are both emancipated from slavery. We’re free. Sound good?
Yeah? Oh, buddy, I–I don’t care what anyone else thinks but you. Far as I’m concerned, this whole planet is empty. Except for you and me.
[approaches Ashley backstage during the V52 Expo; Ashley turns to look at him] No, keep your eyes forward. Don't let them see us talking.
Sage, Homelander, all of them.
Oh, God, are you on meth?
Remember when we said we'd help each other? The leak wasn't Anika; it was me.
[in a panicked whisper] What the fuck? What the fuck, are you fucking suicidal?!
[whispering to her] Shh… Just… Just chill out, Ashley.
Chill out? You just made me a fucking accomplice, you piece of shit. I took one shit in Homelander's toilet, I'm not joining the fucking Rebel Alliance. I need to tell him.
Hey. You've done a lot more than just take a shit, and we both know that. We made a deal. So you either help me get Sage off my jock, or you go down with me.
[Neuman, Edgar and the Boys find Sameer hiding in a barn after they are attacked by mutated sheep. They also find the dead body of Sameer's lab assistant, Henry.]
SSSameer Shah
Zoe’s not here, is she? Because… [Neuman shakes her head] No?
No, no. She’s okay. She’s okay.
Wait… Oh, my God, is that Zoe’s dad?
Dr. Shah was my top man at Vought R&D before he went behind my back and deflowered my daughter.
Okay, I was twenty–thoroughly deflowered–and this isn’t the time or the place. [to Sameer] What happened?
We gave V to a hamster, so we could test the virus on it.
Oh, a V’d-up hamster was your first mistake, mon ami.
It got loose. Trashed the lab. We ran, but the V had already leaked into the groundwater.
Except for, uh… [holds up a syringe filled with the virus] Except for one dose.
[Butcher anxiously stares at the syringe]
MSMother's Milk
Hey, how transmissible is that?
Not very. Only through bodily fluid. Blood, saliva… semen.
MSMother's Milk
Okay, so we inject it into [motions at Henry's body] your dead buddy over here as bait, and then we put him outside to infect the crazy fucking flying sheep!
This man is in no condition to fuck a sheep.
Bollocks. That’s the only dose. I say we fuckin' leg it!
Butcher’s right, it’s too valuable.
Okay, we run, we don’t all make it.
Darwinism, love. Don’t gotta be the fastest, just not the slowest.
MSMother's Milk
Enough. Not now.
[to Neuman] I won’t be able to outrun them.
Oh, don’t you cry for that cunt! He’s just tryin' to nick Zoe from you. That’s his whole fuckin' plan, innit?
Sorry, Stanny. Just business.
MSMother's Milk
Guys, stop.
I should’ve fucking known.
M.M. could die, okay?! Or Frenchie! I mean, you really don’t care who you just throw to the wolves?
You’re a monster, and I’m not letting you do this.
Or what? You gonna go stark ravin' like you did with Firecracker? I got the head popper and you can’t even get it up!
MSMother's Milk
Enough! Enough! Look, look! [rolls up jacket sleeve] Y’all see this? Hives. And I got 'em because y’all motherfuckers are driving me the fuck crazy! Now, Annie, you can’t just go around fuckin' everybody up. And Neuman, do you really wanna risk Zoe growing up in a group home the way you did? [to Butcher] And you… Look. My little baby girl needs me, and I intend on seeing her. You’re not a monster, Butcher. You are a motherfucker, but you a motherfucker with a heart.
[Hughie and Daphne find his dad, Hugh Sr, after he becomes amnesiac from being injected with Compound V and accidentally kills several hospital patients]
HHugh
You… you left me. You left our little boy.
HHugh
[tearfully] You broke our hearts.
DDaphne
Hugh, please. Hugh… Hugh, please. Please, Hugh!
I'm Hughie, Dad. I'm the one you took to the Vought Store to buy the Tek Knight doll. Remember, I was–I was short eight bucks, even though I saved for weeks. And you said, "Anything for your number one hero." But that's the thing, Dad. He–He never was. You are. You're my hero. And that's why I–I needed you to wake up, so that I could say it, and I–and I know that you heard it. You're my hero, Dad.
Yeah. Yeah, Dad, it’s me. It’s me. It’s Hughie.
[Hugh is shocked when he looks down at his blood-soaked hospital gown]
HHugh
Oh–Oh, God, wha… [tearfully] Oh, God. Wh–Why am I… I–I don’t know what’s going on.
It’s–It’s a long story, but…
Dad? Dad, it’s Hughie. It’s Hughie, remember?
HHugh
I know. I–I know. I just, I–I don’t… There’s–There’s something wrong with me. I–I can’t stop it. [crying] I don’t know what to do.
That’s okay. I think I do.
[Butcher and Kessler drive out to a deserted farm shed, where they have imprisoned Sameer while the rest of the Boys were escaping the Supe sheep. Sameer is chained up and missing his right leg.]
[chuckles] Now, see? That is classic Butcher.
You get away from me! Get away from me!
Alright, take it easy. I ain’t gonna hurt ya. Well, not no more. It was just enough to convince people.
You chopped off my fucking leg!
Yes, I did. I ain’t gonna sugarcoat it. Your football days are over, but don’t you worry. We’ll patch you up right as rain, and you’ll be back to work in no time.
Well, what the fuck do you think? You’re gonna make us some more of that virus.
[A-Train calls M.M. to inform him about The Seven's murder of Cameron Coleman]
MSMother's Milk
Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. Where are you?
Toronto, so we could talk. They killed Cameron Coleman because they thought that he was the fucking leak!
MSMother's Milk
Oh, shit.
Listen, I can’t do this shit anymore, man. I’m done!
MSMother's Milk
Alright, no one ever said this would be easy. Think about your brother, your nephews. They’d be so proud of you, man.
Who cares what my family thinks if I’m already fuckin' dead?!
MSMother's Milk
Calm down. Now walk me through everything, and let’s process this shit together, alright?
[Cut to M.M. talking to Hughie and Annie]
MSMother's Milk
This is so fucked! So before Cameron got beaten to death, Homelander was seen putting Supes together like a…
MSMother's Milk
[nods] Mm-hmm. And then A-Train saw Tek Knight talking to Sage. Looked like they were planning something.
You–You wanna talk to Tek Knight?
MSMother's Milk
Now, he’s having a Federalist Society party tonight at his estate.
I cannot believe that this is about to come out of my mouth, but… we could use Butcher.
MSMother's Milk
Motherfucker’s MIA.
[to Hughie] Hey… Maybe you should sit this out, you know? You’ve just been through so much with your dad–
I’m fine. Focusing on work is exactly what I need to do right now, okay? Just trust me.
Okay. So, how are we supposed to sneak into an alt-right cocktail party?
MSMother's Milk
Thought you’d never ask. [holds up a Vought record file on…]
MSMother's Milk
Come on out, kid.
You guys are gonna laugh.
[Hughie sighs heavily and walks out wearing Webweaver's supersuit. M.M, Annie, and Kimiko are unable to contain their laughter.]
Guys, come on. You–You promised!
[texting to Hughie] You're like a Times Square Elmo.
Okay, you know what? [removes mask] Fuck you guys.
[coughs] How did a junkie like Webweaver score an invite to this anyway?
MSMother's Milk
Don’t know, but A-Train said he’s on the list.
God, why does he wear it so tight? [sniffs] Smells like ass sweat and broken dreams in here.
MSMother's Milk
Good. It’ll hide your scent from Tek Knight. You don’t wanna give him any tells.
Wait, Tek Knight has super smell?
MSMother's Milk
Yeah. Smell, vision, taste, touch. He’s like Sherlock Holmes on meth.
I don’t like this. He’s gonna make Hughie–
MSMother's Milk
How else are we gonna find out what Sage is cooking? [to Hughie] Just gotta work fast, kid. Take these bugs, put ’em all over the party, and lure Tek Knight back here as soon as you can.
MSMother's Milk
We’ll take care of the rest.
Oh, God. Okay, comm check-ins every two minutes. Just say something, okay? Anything.
MSMother's Milk
In Webweaver’s voice, motherfucker.
[to Neuman] What happened to you? You look like you got ass-fucked by the business end of a hammer.
Well, maybe I don’t wanna be at this CPAC nightmare any more than they want me here.
There’s gonna be a little sidebar later on. One percent of the one percent. Sage here is gonna lube them up with cognac and Montecristos, and then convince them to commit a little high treason.
I’m sorry, what the fuck? Why would I expose myself like that?
Because in this room is 38% of the U.S. GDP. And if we have a shot in hell of pulling off the 25th Amendment, we need them.
Do you wanna be el jefe or not?
Good. Now, you’re the virgin at prom. Go get finger-popped.
[...]
[to Sage] I just had abortion mansplained to me by a guy who refuses to be alone with any woman who isn’t his wife… or mistress. I don’t know. I mean, cozying up to these people, you’re fucking asking me to do the impossible here.
[beat] When I was eleven, my grandma was diagnosed with Stage 3 chronic lymphocytic leukemia. God… She had the biggest laugh, but she got so small so fast. She was bed-ridden. The doctors didn’t care about saving some old ex-Black Panther, and they told my parents there was nothing to be done. I stayed up the next three nights and discovered a cure. I presented my research to those satisfied fat crackers, they patted me on the head, said I was adorable and laughed at me. Grandma died screaming in pain. [pause; takes two tequila shots from a server] I could cure cancer, reverse global warming, but what’s the point? Humans are animals. And the lines at Voughtland are too long as it is. [downs tequila shot]
Why are you telling me this?
Because you remember what it’s like being a little girl who no one fucking listens to. And because fuck them all. The only way women like us have ever gotten what we deserved… one hand in their pockets while the other slits their fucking throats. Now… You in or out?
[Neuman thinks for a moment, then downs the tequila shot Sage gave her]
[Tek Knight has taken Hughie to his underground sex dungeon]
Hey, so, did I get the gig? [winces as Tek Knight caresses him] Dammit.
TKTek Knight
Just one last thing. What’s your safe word?
[groans] You know… I’m actually–I’m probably gonna save that for something I–I really can’t handle, but yeah, I’m good.
TKTek Knight
[pause; sees Hughie's fist shaking] You’re trembling.
TKTek Knight
Your body’s riddled by horripilation. Come on. It’s the thing that you love the most. [pause] Say it.
[Tek Knight removes Webweaver's mask from Hughie' face]
TKTek Knight
I know you. You’re Hughie Campbell.
TKTek Knight
This is actually great news. Not only am I gonna get points for catching you, but before I let the big guy know that you’re down here…
[Tek Knight opens a safe and takes out a tray with several sharp instruments]
Wait, wait! Wait a minute! [stutters] Wait a minute, um… You were–Hey, you were my favorite hero as a kid, okay? You don’t wanna do this.
TKTek Knight
Everybody always has the same holes. Over and over again, it gets so fucking boring.
Please! I looked up to you!
TKTek Knight
Sometimes, you just gotta make your own… [picks up a knife] and then fuck them.
[The Deep walks into the Vought boardroom and sees Black Noir II drinking sake with his feet up on table]
Are you fucking nuts?! Put your mask back on! G–Get out of his chair! What are you doing?!
You know what’s funny? I hate sake. But I’m supposed to follow some stupid black ninja bullshit, which makes no goddamn sense, by the way. You ever meet a black ninja?
There’s nobody here. They left us like babies so they could go do important stuff. We don’t matter.
Hey, speak for yourself. I’m doing a ton of important shit.
Need-to-know, bro. Need-to-fucking-know.
[gets up and walks] Fuck it. I’m done with all this shit.
You’re quitting?! What are you gonna do?! Seven’s the biggest gig there is!
Look, I don’t understand Noir, okay? You know there was nothing in his closet but literally, like, seven file boxes of shitty Buster Beaver drawings? Why’d he have that?
Who the fuck knows or cares?
[sighs] I’m going to Missouri tomorrow. I booked Cirque de Vought’s new show, VIVANT! Music of the Bee Gees. Three nights a week in Branson. They’re gonna let me fly. I can fly, did you know that?
Yeah, dude, we all know that. [walks up] Look, why didn’t you just come to me?
Seriously, dude? [sighs] Man, me and the old Noir? We were, like, great bros. Like, real bros. [sighs; takes sake bottle] Give me this. [Black Noir II sits back down] Few years ago, Noir cleared out an entire Indonesian fishing village. Vought Fresh Farms was expanding their palm oil plantation, but the locals were bitching ’cause they needed the river to survive or whatever the fuck. Noir “cancelled” two dozen of ’em. Came back with a raging hard-on for a week. [Black Noir II chuckles] No, dude. See, what you’re not getting is how horny killing made the old Noir. That was his whole thing.
But I don’t really like violence.
[sighs] Look, I know this is hard to imagine, but some people laugh at me. [chuckles] It’s crazy, right?
But you know what I realized? When I crush someone’s nose into the back of their skull or beat ’em so bad that they’ll never walk again? [chuckles] They’re not laughing anymore. They show respect. Violence is power.
I’m starting to get why it gave Noir so much chub.
Where were you last night?
Starlight was at the mansion.
I chased her outside, but the bitch got away.
Tek Knight’s dead. Probably Starlight and her friends did it. [Homelander scoffs] How do you think they knew about the party?
Cameron Coleman wasn’t the leak.
So either Sage was lyin’ to you, or she’s as useless as tits on a mouse. I mean, fuck. I heard about her performance last night, sir. I just want you to know that I would–
So… You’re the one who let Starlight get away. So how do I know that you’re not the leak?
When you found me… my podcast had… I dunno, a couple hundred fans. [chuckles] You know, folks laughed. Now, I’m the fucking anchor at VNN with millions of followers. And they ain’t laughin’ no more.
Please, just let me finish! Now, I have spent… my whole life on the outside, lookin' in. It was you… who threw that door open for me, sir. You brought me in. God, you have given me… everything. You… are everything to me.
[Firecracker unzips her top, exposing her breasts to Homelander]
Uh… What are you doing? I am not sexually attracted to you.
No, this ain’t about sex. No, this? This is about loyalty.
[Homelander recoils when Firecracker squirts breast milk on his face]
There’s a… long regimen of drugs a person can take to make it happen. It enlarges the heart just a tiny little bit.
I’d do anything for you. Anything.
[Butcher wheels in a cart full of chemistry equipment into the warehouse lab where Sameer is tied to a pole]
Well, looky here. Christmas came early, Sameer.
Nicked it off a French bloke. Should be enough to get you started.
Do what you want to me, but I can't–I can’t do this for you.
Listen. One dose strong enough to top Homelander. And then, you can go back to what’s-her-name, and you don’t gotta see me no more. But this first.
You don’t understand. I can’t. It’s what we realized in the lab. To make the virus strong enough to kill Homelander would evolve it into something unstable.
What d'you mean, unstable?
Airborne, highly contagious, super lethal. No one with Compound V in their bloodstream would be safe.
A global fucking pandemic.
We’re not just talking about killing Homelander. We’re talking about killing every Supe on Earth.
[appearing behind Butcher] That’s Annie, Kimiko…
Vicky, Zoe. [shakes his head] I’m sorry. But when they say shit’s fallen into the wrong hands… they mean your hands.
This is beyond our wildest dreams, man. Dude just gave us the silver bullet. We can wipe them all out.
Billy, you cannot go along with this.
Listen, mate. No one ever said nothing about genocide.
Who was it that said, “They all gotta go? Every fucking last one of ’em?”
He’s talking about murder, Billy. Of thousands.
Think how much better the world would be.
And a lot of them are innocent, okay? I know you–
Shut your fucking cake hole, bitch!
[pause] Wait a minute… [stammers] You can see her?
[Kessler is revealed to be a figment of Butcher's imagination, just like Becca. Sameer watches Butcher talking to himself.]
…What the fuck’s that supposed to mean? You’re me?
I mean, out of all the fucking people that your festering fucked-up brain could’ve conjured up, you picked me. The real Joe Kessler? He’s dead in the Panjshir Valley, motherfucker. You never dragged me out. You left me to die.
[Butcher thinks back to his earlier encounters with Kessler. He slowly puts it together in his head that Kessler was never there and he was talking to nobody the entire time. He also realizes that he actually murdered Ezekiel.]
No. No, I’d remember that. I’d fuckin' remember that.
Unless of course you’ve got a big old, fat, V’d-up brain tumor, you cunt. Which is why you're seeing me in the first place. [pause; Butcher looks at Becca] I killed Ezekiel for you. I am inside of you. I am you… which is why when I tell you you wanna do this, I am literally telling you that you fucking wanna do this. So don’t you worry, Billy, my boy. [smiles] Daddy’s home.
We’re making inquiries. It’s a process, we’re eliminating–
[smashes listening device with his fist] I assume you know what that is.
Specifically William Butcher’s bug. They probably heard every single word we said at Tek Knight’s. And likely killed him.
They won’t go public with the information.
Because it would short-circuit everything they really want, which is to quietly take out Neuman once and for all.
[groans] We should slaughter Butcher and his whole fucking team.
Now that is a great idea, sir.
Butcher will be dead in a few months anyway. And this close to go-time, I wouldn’t stir up shit with the CIA.
Yes, yes, yes. Your illustrious fucking plan. We killed Cameron Coleman for no reason.
A speed bump, but ultimately harmless.
Cameron golfed with Mike Lindell, who just pulled fifty million bucks worth of pillow commercials. You call that harmless?
Oh, look at Daisy Duck Dynasty doing math.
You know, Firecracker and I have been talking.
Stimulating, I’m sure. [pause; Homelander glares at her] Sorry.
You have brains, Sage, but I have wisdom. And what happens if those brains of yours get blown out again, leaving you talking like a gibbering idiot? [pause] Firecracker and I will find the leak.
With respect, the last time–
Respect? I don’t hear no fuckin' respect. In fact, I am personally offended by the way you are talking to this great man!
You just focus on the shooter, make sure he’s good to go on the 6th.
[The Boys are discussing A-Train's latest information on Sage when Butcher walks into the office]
MSMother's Milk
Where the fuck you been?
[coughs] Shittin’ a kidney. Alright, listen up. Now, don’t get your knickers in a twist, but…
[Kessler appears at Butcher's side]
You remember Neuman’s dearly departed virus bloke, Dr. Sameer Shah?
I’m serious, Butcher. Don’t.
Well, funny story. Turns out he ain’t that dead. He’s been workin' for me, makin' some more of that virus.
MSMother's Milk
What the fuck?
Wait, all they found was…
Did you cut off his leg?!
Alright, alright. Keep your hair on.
MSMother's Milk
So, basically, you’ve been amputatin’ motherfuckers while working on a secret bioweapon, and we’re the ones that are supposed to chill?
You are pissing away our best shot.
Now, the trouble is, we’ve hit a slight snag. He can’t make it deadly enough to top Homelander without causin' a global pandemic.
Wait… Genocide. You’re talking about Supe genocide. That’s…
Yeah, Butcher, even for you this is…
Which is why I’m fuckin' tellin' you, innit? You think I want that much blood on me hands?
Yeah, you do. You wanna fuckin' swim in it.
[to Kessler] No, I don’t! [pause; to the Boys] No, I do not. So to keep the bug from burnin' through you lot like wildfire, I thought ol’ Sameer could do with a bit of a hand.
A question both insightful and germane, my son. [pause; turns around] Ah, here he is. Speak of the devil.
[The Boys are in shock when they see Frenchie, who Butcher bailed out of jail, walk inside]
MSMother's Milk
How the fuck did you get out?
I had Mallory pull a few strings.
Just to be clear, this was against my will. I’d rather fuck a jar of fishing lures than to be free.
Alright, then. Happy reunions. So, Frenchie will help sort the virus. We’ll use it on Homelander and the VP, and that’s it. No one else.
MSMother's Milk
Listen… You should go on ahead.
MSMother's Milk
Without me. I gotta talk to Monique. It’s–
Oh, come off it. Don’t leave me alone with this lot.
[to M.M.] You’re not going? Why?
MSMother's Milk
Alright, so we gonna make this official? [to Butcher] Take a knee, I’ll knight you with my dick. You’re back in charge of The Boys again, alright? I’m better off doing research anyway.
Yeah, he does. This is good for us.
You can’t. Things are bad already without this fucking asshole back.
Look what I gotta deal with.
MSMother's Milk
Listen, it ain’t a debate, you guys. I passed out during a mission. I ain’t cut out to be a skipper… but he is. So, it’s him. [to Butcher] It’s you. End of story.
