[M.M. is packing a suitcase at his apartment when A-Train suddenly shows up and takes his boarding pass]
Printed-out boarding pass? Damn. What are you, 87?
MSMother's Milk
The fuck are you doing here?
You took the words right outta my mouth. See, I ran by that shithole earlier. I saw Butcher, Hughie and Starlight going in. But one motherfucker was conspicuously absent. [pause; M.M. takes the boarding pass from A-Train] So… this is it? You think I don’t wanna just peace out to Belize, sip a daiquiri, smash the local talent?
MSMother's Milk
Get on Priceline then, motherfucker.
Hey. This shit ain’t over.
MSMother's Milk
It’s over for me. I’ve given enough. Maybe I deserve to be fucking happy.
You know, when I carried your ass to the ER, there was a kid there. His eyes were like… “Holy shit.” Looking at me… like I was a hero. There were no screaming fans, no cameras. Nobody even knew… except for this one kid. That felt better than anything that I’d ever done at Vought. Because for once… I didn’t hate myself. [pause] That’s on you.
MSMother's Milk
A-Train, you don’t get it, do you, man? This fight that we’re in? This never fucking ends. It killed my father. It killed his father, and look at what it’s doing to me. It’s tearing me the fuck apart. Just like it did them. You know, I look in the mirror… and I don’t even see myself no more. I got nothing left except my family.
You think Homelander and Vought… and all of this shit ain’t coming to Belize? This whole fucking world? Where’s your family gonna go then?
Fuck, I’m gonna miss New York bodegas.
Listen, we need to talk. You can still stop all this, alright? Just stop.
You must be pretty desperate if you’re throwing a Hail Mary like this. Jesus.
Five minutes, alright? Just five minutes where we cut the bullshit and we talk–just you and me–about how fucked all this is!
What it is, is politics. You know how it goes, strange bedfellows.
Yeah, but it’s not like you’re palling around with Mitt Romney! You’re working with Homelander! He’s gonna kill the President. That sounds fucking insane coming out of my mouth! [pause; Neuman just shrugs] Wow. When Homelander chucks all the Starlighters into internment camps, you’re just–You’re cool with that, too? [pause] You didn’t know about the camps. Why do you think that you were at Tek Knight’s? That’s what his prisons are for.
I still have all the dirt on you. What you said at Tek Knight’s. Everything.
No. Because when we drop it, then you’ll kill us all. Like you said, mutually assured destruction. But it doesn’t have to be that way. And if you’re even, like, one percent of the person that I knew, then I don’t think you really wanna do this. You can still step back. Vic, it’s not too late.
[beat] Thanks for coming by. [pause; Hughie starts walking out] I’m sorry… to hear about your dad.
Homelander… Are you alright?
How could he do this to me?
I’m so sorry. You know, some folks are just… Well, they’re born uppity.
He cut out his tracking chip. And his family’s gone, too.
[Sister Sage enters the conference room]
You sent Deep and Noir after Butcher? We talked about this.
Smartest person in the world, and you didn’t know A-Train was the leak?
And you let us kill Webweaver for nothing.
Oh, shit. You killed Webweaver? Did you think he was the leak? He was a junkie who’d confess to nailing Christ on the cross if it got him home for his next fix.
[sighs] I was very clear. No more secrets.
But A-Train only leaked exactly the information I wanted Butcher and his team to know. He was the perfect misinformation delivery system. Until now. This was all part of the plan.
Mm-hmm. Okay. Get the fuck out of here. You’re done. Go back to your little litter box in Detroit and die alone.
[stammers] You promised. You promised me you would listen to me.
You’re lucky I’m not sending you home in a bucket. [beat] Go.
Fine. [looks at Firecracker] Surround yourself with people like her. Then, you can systematically eliminate anyone who gets in your way. But there’s one person you will never, ever defeat. Good luck without me.
[Sage leaves a Queen Maeve notebook on the conference room table on her way out]
[The Deep runs into Sister Sage while in the hallway with Black Noir II]
Hey, you. Hey, so we’ve had a day. [Sage ignores hims and keeps walking] Wait, what’s the rush?
Wait, but you can’t leave. I love you. We have something special, don’t we?
Wait, is she lobotomizing herself to fuck you, too?
What do you mean, “lobotomizing herself”?
[Sage angrily walks off]
Stop, stop, stop! This song isn't cool. Well, honestly, none of this is cool.
Go to fucking commercial!
No, don't go to commercial. Keep rolling, please. Your family isn’t your enemy. Your family is all you’ve got. [pause] I’ve been thinking about my mom a lot lately. She died. But she loved Christmas… and s’mores with Reese’s. And Terms of Endearment… and she loved her husband, Billy, but she wouldn’t love this. She wouldn’t want me doing it. My mom always told me to tell the truth, which is why… I’m sorry.
[Cut to Butcher watching Ryan on TV at a bar]
And that… is why I got faith in the kid, [points at Ryan on the TV] you little fuckin' beauty. [downs bourbon shot]
[Butcher is recovering in the hospital and sees Kessler standing by his bedside]
You know, if you need any help…
Really? Seems to me you're shitting in a bedpan and days away from being planted. And what do you have to show for it? I mean, Singer–He’s as good as dead. Homelander, he won. And you… you gave away the virus–the one fuckin' weapon that could’ve stopped him! But we are gonna turn that frown upside down, my friend. You know why? ‘Cause you still have me.
You ain’t even fuckin' real.
Well, now, that’s an interesting philosophical question. See, what is real are the fucking V’d up tumors that are mushrooming inside your guts and noggin. Super cancer! What is real is that piece of you that wants to burn every fucking Supe on Earth. How is it you think you ripped Ezekiel into fun-sized little chunks? I’m the one that gave you the juice that you needed, and I can do it again. All you have to do… is hold up your end of the bargain.
Bargain? What fuckin' bargain?
We go all the way. I mean, come on, champ. What’s a little genocide between friends?
Just fuck off and let me die in peace, would you?
[Kessler disappears when Mallory walks into Butcher's hospital room]
Since you’re here… [takes out a cigarette] be a doll and fetch us a pint, would ya? [Mallory rolls her eyes at him] Come on, don’t be a cunt. I’m fuckin' dyin' here.
Your dying’s been pretty high on my wish list lately.
I appreciate what you’re doin' here for me.
Not one bit of this is for you.
Alright, then. Give us me phone. We got work to do.
[Homelander and Neuman are on Firecracker's talk show]
Welcome to the show, folks. We got a real happy surprise for y’all today. Homelander and Vice President-elect, Victoria Neuman. Bless both your hearts for bein' here.
I’m more than happy to find time for my friend, Homelander.
Yeah, let’s cut the BS. Dakota Bob says he’s gonna pass nutbag anti-Supe laws in his first hundred days.
[Homelander stares menacingly at Neuman for a few moments]
…staunch ally of the super-abled community, I really think that it’s important to…
[laughs] Ally, Victoria? Really? We’re here to tell the truth. So just… tell the truth.
The truth is that the real issue here is lack of representation. And I wanna make sure that you–
Fine, you don’t wanna do it? I’ll do it. Victoria here is a superhero.
[chuckles] Thanks for the compliment. But, like, I think the truth is we all wanna be heroes. But I’m not literally a su–
[Homelander lasers Neuman in the face. Ashley and her Vought assistants are utterly shocked to see Neuman completely unharmed.]
It’s all true. Ms. Neuman here has been operating as a secret dagger in the heart of the deep state, standing up to the forces of darkness that wanna sodomize our democracy and our toddlers. But it is time for the great awakening. Where we go one, we go Vought, y’all. We’re gonna take a quick break…
[Cut to Butcher and Mallory watching the interview from the hospital]
Cunt’s out of the bag, innit? Now it gets interesting.
[...]
[to Homelander] Hey! Hey, I worked my whole life to keep that secret!
Well, secrets rot your soul. You’re unburdened. You should thank me.
Fuck Sage. She’s long gone. Listen to me. Listen to me. We are gonna change the world, Vicky. For our kids and their kids. The first super-abled President. And you’re a gal.
Because I have to get re-elected in four years.
Article Two of the Constitution.
New world, new rules. Now, shut the fuck up and listen! Our fates are connected now. Singer’s as good as dead, and I am the only fucking friend you’ve got left! The train has left the station, gorgeous. And you’re on it.
You’ll have to arrest half your company! Half the country!
[pause] What, you think I didn’t think of that? Of course I thought of that!
Um, the response on socials has been mixed.
I need you to make a list of anyone within the company that has damaging information on me or The Seven… but mostly me. Anyone with any fucking leverage whatsoever.
I need this fucking list yesterday.
[Hughie gets a call on his cell phone. He hesitates when he sees that the caller is Neuman before answering.]
Sorry, is–is this a joke?
No. No, you’re just saying that ’cause the assassination failed.
No, I’m saying it ’cause it’ll never fucking end. Homelander’s unhinged, he’s not even listening to Sage anymore. If I become President, I’m just gonna be a puppet, and if I fight back, he’ll… I’ll resign without a fight. You just need to get the CIA off my ass and get me and Zoe out, okay?
Fuck all the way off. You’re like the asshole who cried wolf. I mean, the shit that you have done–
Oh, what? Like how you got Sameer to cook up some more of the virus to kill me? Oh, and yeah, cut off his fucking leg?!
Ah… Glad you two connected. Okay, so the leg thing wasn’t me, and you didn’t exactly leave us with a ton of options.
Look, the point is, you hit me, I hit you back and it never fucking ends. WarGames, Hughie. The only way to win is not to play. I thought I wanted this. Not for Zoe or… Edgar, but for me. You know, I just… I wanted to feel safe, and not like that scared fucking kid at Red River. [tearfully] But I don’t feel safe, and I’m really fucking scared. And I’m not getting Zoe killed over this. This is the only way.
Vicky, I don’t know how to trust you.
I’ll tell you where Zoe is.
Yeah, but if I get her, it’ll draw too much attention. And that’s how you know you can trust me–because I am trusting my daughter with you. Please, Hughie. You’re literally the only person on Earth I can turn to right now.
[sees Mallory whispering to Butcher] You know I can hear you. Marvin said there was an attempt on Singer’s life. He survived.
We know. There’s just some things you don’t gotta worry about. That’s all.
They’re gonna try again, and that virus is a Hail Mary at best. We are out of time and out of better options. Ryan needs to know the truth.
The assassination attempt, it was on your father’s orders.
And Flight 37… Homelander killed every soul on board.
We have it on video, and he’s murdered countless more. Your father isn’t who you think he is…
…and he wasn’t having an affair with your mother.
[beat; sighs] I’m sorry, son.
And? Your heart’s pounding. There’s something you’re not telling me.
And you’re the only one who can stop him.
S–Stop him? Like, kill him? No. No, I can’t. Don’t ask me to!
We’ll train you. Get you ready.
So this is why you want me to go with you? So you can teach me how to kill my dad?! [brief pause] I have to go.
No, just stay. We’ll talk it out together.
I don’t wanna talk. I’ll be back. I–I just need to think.
Listen, Ryan. There ain’t gonna be another time for you and me, alright? Let’s just take a breather, yeah?
[pause] Wait… These walls are six feet thick.
This is the CIA’s Hazlet safe house. Designed to hold people like you. I could seal us in here, flood the room with halothane. And we all take a nice, long nap. But I don’t want to do that, kiddo.
You planned this. All along, you–you brought me here to trap me!
No, no. We brought you here to help you.
You’re locking me in a cage unless I agree to be your weapon! Just like they did to my dad.
That ain’t the way it is. Honest.
Ryan… When I lost my grandkids, it left this big empty black hole inside me. And then the greatest miracle came along: You. [pause] I love you, kiddo. Please.
Aunt Grace… I wanna leave.
I'm sorry. [reaches for a red button behind her]
[Ryan throws Mallory hard against the wall, killing her. Butcher approaches her body and grieves over her when Ryan leaves. Butcher looks up and sees Kessler standing over him. They stare at each other knowingly and Butcher winks at him.]
[Butcher uses his tentacle powers to rip Victoria Neuman apart. Frenchie aims at him, and Kimiko prepares to rush at him.]
Stop, stop. It's suicide.
I’ll be takin' that virus now. Thanks, Frenchie.
MSMother's Milk
Ain’t no fuckin' way.
You took V? It will work on you, too.
[Butcher grabs the rifle. Frenchie reluctantly lets go of the rifle and hands it, along with the virus sample, to Butcher.]
[beat] If I were you lot, I wouldn’t hang about. [pause; turns around on his way out] Oh, by the way… you’re all fuckin' welcome.
[Homelander is watching the news on the shattered TV in the Seven common room]
RReporter
[on TV] We are interrupting our regular reporting with a breaking news story, that at… I’m sorry, I’m just looking to my producers here. Is this confirmed? [stutters] They’re telling me it has been. The Vice President-elect, Victoria Neuman, is dead. [Homelander starts tearing up] Assassinated today only hours after revealing to the world that she is super-abled…
[Homelander opens his eyes in shock at the sound of Sister Sage's voice. She walks into the common room holding a balloon.]
This was all for him after all, right?
Celebrating. We won. Here.
[Sage offers the balloon to Homelander, but he refuses and lets the balloon float up to the ceiling]
[sighs] Everything’s turned to shit. Plan’s dead.
This is the plan. I mean, sure, a few curveballs, but we got here. Just had to keep a few bits to myself. You know, the bits you’d fuck up by… you know, being you. Neuman would have been a shit patsy–stubborn, too many ideas–so I went another way.
[The news feed cuts to an out-of-context clip of Singer speaking to the Boys about Neuman followed by another clip of Singer being arrested by authorities.]
RReporter
[on TV] …Bob Singer himself ordering the assassination.
[on TV] If you’d killed Neuman like I ordered, we wouldn’t be stuck four stories underground playing pocket pool.
RReporter
[on TV] And now we go live. Okay, that’s President-elect Robert Singer taken into custody by federal agents…
[on TV] She tried to kill me first!
RReporter
[on TV] …in an unprecedented turn of events that is certain to go down as one of the darkest days–
[Sage turns the TV off. She feels her cell phone vibrating]
Oh, it's… [offers her phone to Homelander] for you.
Oh, Speaker of the House Calhoun. Once they invoke the 25th, he’s next in line to be President. He’d like to pledge his allegiance to you.
Just like I promised. We had a deal.
Yeah, well, I broke the deal.
I didn’t. I told you, you could trust me, boo. I got your back.
[pause; takes phone] I–I threw you out like… like garbage. Why would you do this?
To see if I could. [pause; chuckling] Thank you. This was so much fun. Just, you know–Next time, listen to me.
Oh, hells yeah, Blonde Ambition! Buckle up for Phase Two.
And that is why, as my first official act, under Article One, Section Nine of the Constitution, I’m declaring martial law and deputizing hundreds of superheroes nationwide, who will report directly to Homelander himself. To keep–
Thank you, Mr. President. [clears throat] Victoria Neuman. She was a great American, and a dear, dear friend. Murdered, in cold blood, by deep state Starlighters embedded in our own government. Now that we have full legal authority, a veritable army of superheroes will be called upon to rout these traitors from our government and from our streets. America will be safe again. And to the Starlighters: Whatever rock you're hiding under, we're coming for you. I'm coming for you. Because today, a new age of superheroes begins.
[The members of the Boys, despite strategically splitting up, are still ruthlessly hunted down and captured by Supes one by one, though Starlight manages to escape and Butcher is still at large]
We wake up to a new world. Where hope, purity and Jesus' love shine down upon us all. Where children can sleep peacefully in their mothers' arms, knowing Starlight's pedo agenda has been thwarted! Where America finally sees the woke mob for what it is: Monsters who want to destroy our heritage, traffic our children, and feminize our men! Where, with Homelander's guidance… [wipes away tears] we will all come together in unity. We will make America strong again. Proud again. And most of all, we will make America super again.
[Homelander meets with Sister Sage after the Flight 37 video gets leaked to the public by Annie]
We knew this would happen sooner or later. We've been ready. In the last 24 hours, we have flooded the zone with so much disinformation, people can't tell their clit from their collarbone. The share price is only down half a point. Besides that, damage is minimal.
[points at open book] What's this?
That is a Gutenberg Bible. Martin Shkreli sold it to me at discount.
You're really on top of the world, huh? Peter Thiel, the Obamas calling you for advice. Everyone loves you.
You can't really think I care.
Maybe you didn't used to.
It's all for you. The higher the share price, the happier the billionaires. The more you get to do whatever the fuck you wanna do.
Are you aware that NNC is calling me a murderer? Saying that maybe I even did something to my son?
No. Everyone knows that Ryan is... [sighs] Sorry. That he is at boarding school. In Svalbard. [chuckling] That story's holding. We're good.
And how–how about you, Sage? Are you… good?
You're not distracted at all? After Thomas Godolkin dumped you? You're not numbing the heartache by stabbing your brain?
Then, just tell me. How did Starlight get in the building? [beat; exhales] I WAS HUMILIATED! As if people don't hate me enough!
Your numbers are north of 96.
Anyone can smile for the pollsters, sure, but millions of them are still Starlighters in their hearts! Where it counts! Have you seen the memes? Have you seen the memes about me?! [brief pause] Posting them should be a crime.
Yes, but we can't go... [notices Homelander glaring at her] Oh, you're serious. Uh, sir... [chuckles] Ongoing conflict is useful to us. It keeps people afraid…
…which is exactly what we–
No, no, no, no, no! NO! You promised me Caesar.
He was stabbed by his best friends.
Yeah, well, I can relate to that! But I need people to be devoted! To me!
I told you, no matter how much power you amass, it will not make you happy.
[pause] You know what's gonna make me happy? I think I'll be happy when Starlight and William Butcher are corpses. I want it leaked that in three days, we are going to execute Hugh Campbell, Milk, and the... French one. That'll draw out Starlight and Butcher, and then I will take care of this once and for all.
Oh, wow. Your skin is so oily, like hugging a McRib.
Wait, did you—Did you just... How?!
Speech therapy and fucking therapy therapy and so much fucking TikTok.
Well, you sure sound like you're on TikTok.
Sixteen-hour flight and not a fucking peep.
'Cause all you can say is "Oi, oi, oi. Cunt, cunt, cunt".
I liked her better with her mouth shut.
Took you long enough. Slowing down in your old age?
[laughs and hugs Annie] Fuck you, JonBenét.
Reggie's been helping us out for a while.
[takes drink from Annie] Thanks. Where is everybody? [pause] I heard about the Pittsburgh raid last month. Go Marie Moreau. How's her team doing?
Yeah, they're scoring a few wins, but not nearly enough.
Hughie, M.M. and Frenchie are gonna be executed tomorrow, so we need your help to break them out.
Of a Vought prison camp? You're fucking crazy.
Listen, you don't have to fight, okay? We just need you to run them to the extraction point. It's easy.
Easy. Right. You know Homelander's gonna be waiting. I can't.
We know how to kill him, okay? But we need Frenchie to do it.
Great. Well, good luck with that.
Hey, are you gonna keep running forever? I mean, if we're gonna really take him out, we need your help.
So what, I'm just supposed to join this little fucking supergroup?
I mean, we are down one asshоlе, so… Yeah, maybe.
No, I'm not fucking scared! I got a family to protect. [Annie sighs] I can't.
I get it, I do. Me, too. [pause] Keep them safe.
[Annie and Kimiko watch A-Train run off]
We shouldn't have let him go.
No. Homelander fuckеd him up. Fuckеd me up, too. We're gonna need an Exit Plan B.
