How are we gonna get the guys back?
We're on our own. We've gotta get to Stillwell before the walls close in.
Who gives a fuck about Stillwell?! We have to go back for them!
You don't get it, Hughie. We got about a couple hours before they find us, and that's if we're lucky. We gotta hit back and hit back now.
You're abandoning them. I mean, they all… They risked their… Mother's Milk has a daughter.
They'd want us to finish the job.
Your job! Your job, not theirs! It's all about Homelander, isn't it?
And A-Train. This is your fuckin' shit, too, Hughie. I promised you payback, didn't I?
Mallory give you the same speech back in the day?
Yeah. Yeah, she did, but she broke her promise. I'm keepin' mine.
[laughs in disbelief] I'm so fucking stupid. You never cared about me… or Robin, did you? I was just useful to you.
Fuck, Hughie. Of course you're useful. I mean, that's why you're here, innit? Now, we just gotta take one more step… Yeah? Come on.
No. We have to save them.
For fuck's sakes, Hughie. We don't have time for this shit right now, okay? We get Stillwell. Now, get in the fuckin' car!
Then what? Becca comes back from the dead? Robin, too? This is never gonna stop! It's just gonna be more blood and… awfulness!
[gets in Hughie's face] That's the fuckin' game. If you don't like to play, why did you join the fuckin' team?
Mallory's right. You're just gonna drag us all down with you. Not me. Not anymore.
You're a fuckin' pathetic cunt and an insult to Robin's memory.
I think I'm doing this for her.
[Queen Maeve overhears Annie vomiting in a Vought bathroom stall]
You want me to hold your hair back?
ASAnnie/Starlight
[groans] Don't touch… [grunts; flushes the toilet] Leave me alone, I'm not in the mood.
Not in the mood for what?
ASAnnie/Starlight
Your bottomless casual cruelty. So just make whatever shitty comment you're gonna make and then go.
Look. [turns her wrist over]
ASAnnie/Starlight
What am I supposed to be looking at?
No… my radius never healed straight. I really did break every bone in my right arm.
Stopping the bus from falling. You said the marketing guys made it up. It was me: 23-year-old, bright-eyed, "ass you could bounce a quarter off of"… me. I really did want to make a difference. I really did care. I was just like you. And then, I started giving pieces of myself away and… I guess I gave away everything. [beat] So you know what? Be… Just be original. For fuck's sake. My position is already taken. Be the annoying goody two-shoes asshоlе that you are. [chuckles] One of us has to be.
[Hughie gets himself captured and is placed in the same cell where Mother's Milk and Frenchie are imprisoned]
MSMother's Milk
Did they get Butcher too?
They had you separated? When? When?
Well, um… He went after Homelander. But I–I came to save you. Yay.
MSMother's Milk
So, you came here. You meant to come here. Without Butcher.
[genuinely impressed] C'est incroyable. [grabs Hughie and kisses him on both cheeks] Never has a man thrown his life away so… completely like you've thrown yours away today. No. No, I mean, you rescuing us is the most useless, futile gesture I can think of!
[Butcher holds Madelyn Stillwell hostage at her home when Homelander arrives to save her. He comes downstairs holding Teddy.]
Billy Butcher. You don't mind if I call you Billy, right? You are pretty darn impressive. I mean, especially for, you know… one of you. See, even now, most people standing where you are would be pissing their pants terrified. But you… Sure, your heart's pounding, but you're not afraid. It's anger. That's a new one for me.
Homelander, will you please take the baby upstairs?
All because of your lovely wife, Becca. Right? Okay, let's cut the bullshit, huh? You know that we, uh… [makes humping gesture] Bro, not my fault, okay? She came on to me. It happens…
…you know, it's–it's the fame. They get crushes. There's nothing I can do about it. But what I will tell you is, she was a hell of a lay. [laughs] She came three times, eh? Three times. [places Teddy in his crib] Alright, little man, have a little lie-down. Good boy.
I want you to take him out of here.
[to Stillwell] Yeah, I hear you. [sighs; to Butcher] But that's not really it. No, no, no, no, no. No, it's more than just that. [pause] You think I'm responsible for her death, don't you? So now you have a hostage that–that I care about, right? Someone I love. So, what's your plan… from here? What do you want? Do you want a confession, or… What's your endgame?
I'm just gonna hurt you. I mean, really fuckin' hurt you… and that'll be good enough for me.
So, you–you don't really want anything, per se? You just–You wanna blow her up in front of me, right? [laughing] Wow, fuck! Uh… [stammers] You are dark, and I kinda like it.
[to Homelander] Will you please take Teddy upstairs?
[to Stillwell] It's okay. [to Butcher] Just answer one question for me. Just one: How do you know? How do you know? I mean, you must have some rock-solid proof, right? That it was actually me who killed your wife. You must have that, right? So what is it? Share. We're all very interested. [pause; Butcher says nothing] Now's not the time to be strong and silent. Go for it. [beat; Butcher remains silent] Are you telling me that this whole thing is–is based on fucking feelings? On a hunch?
Will you please take him upstairs?!
A little bit–Madelyn, hold on!
You promised me, no more lies. You fucking promised me. You and Vogelbaum should've got your stories straight. They were so close–so fucking close–but there were a few little details that were different. So I went back to Vogelbaum, and I managed to squeeze the truth out of him. The real truth. [Stillwell starts crying] Yes, that's it.
I'm so sorry. I never should have lied to you. I know now that you don't need to be protected. I'm so sorry. Will you please take Teddy back upstairs?
Did you ever really care about me?
You mean everything to me.
No. No, no. I mean everything to your job. You care more about that fucking baby than you do about me.
No. I love you. I love you, I love you. I swear I love you.
But…? [pause; Stillwell hesitates] Tell me the truth, or I walk out right now.
[quietly] I'm scared. I'm scared of you.
Of you. I'm scared of you.
[tenderly] Thank you. Thank you for finally being honest.
[Homelander kisses her, then kills her by shooting lasers through her eyes]
[Butcher wakes up in front of a house in an unknown suburb and sees Homelander standing over him]
Wakey-wakey. Hey, buddy. You were out for quite a while. You can thank me for saving you sometime later, but for now, time to get up. Come on, you're gonna love this. Come on.
[Someone opens the front door and a boy comes running out]
Wow, look at this handsome devil. Hey, pal. You know who I am?
[laughs] Yeah, that's right, but… you know who else?
[The other person is revealed to be Becca, which means the boy is her and Homelander's child. She and Butcher look absolutely shocked to see each other.]
Huh. Mommy didn't tell you. Well… I'm your father. And we are a family.
[The boy's eyes widen in surprise and start glowing just like Homelander's]
[giving a speech at Translucent's funeral] Today, I can report to the American people that Black Noir has conducted an operation killing the super-terrorist known as Naqib. [pause] But that doesn't mean sacrifices won't still be made. The proof of that sadly lies before us. For today, we mourn a fallen member of The Seven: Translucent. Murdered in cold blood by the cartel super-terrorist, El Diablo. Before he left, Translucent said to me... [scoffs] almost as if he knew something was gonna happen, he said, "Hey, Homelander. Tell my son, Maverick, that I love him." He also said, "You find those super-terrorists." Well, "supervillains" is really the only term, but he said, "You find them, Homelander. And you stop them." So I say to you, Maverick, and to all the sons and daughters of this great nation, I will stop them. I will save you. I'll do it for you. For America. [places his hand on Translucent's glass coffin] For a dear... dear old friend. Goodbye, brother. Thank you.
[Annie and Hughie meet each other incognito on the New York subway]
The burner phone, did you snap the SIM card?
ASAnnie/Starlight
Jesus. When was the last time you slept?
Head down, head down. Sorry. I just... I'm wanted, and you're kinda super famous, so... Did you snap the card?
ASAnnie/Starlight
Okay, yes. Yes, I snapped the card, okay? And no one followed me down here. They can't trace my chip down here. We're okay.
ASAnnie/Starlight
Yeah, you... you look good, too. You look very, you know... Yeah, I'm lying. I'm sorry. You look like shit.
ASAnnie/Starlight
Where are you guys living?
Club Med in Ibiza. [Annie laughs and smiles at him] It's been awesome. Foam parties will change your life.
ASAnnie/Starlight
[chuckles] Idiot.
[pause] Oh. Um... Here it is.
[Hughie hands Annie an employee record for a Supe named Gecko]
ASAnnie/Starlight
Oh, shit. I know him.
ASAnnie/Starlight
Yeah. I mean, not for a while, but yes. From my Capes for Christ days.
Are you sure you can do this?
ASAnnie/Starlight
I have a choice?
Hey, I... I saw a really great picture of you at the Teen Choice Awards with, um... What's his name, Ansel Adams?
ASAnnie/Starlight
Alden Ehrenreich. Are you stalking me on Instagram?
No. No, of course not. Get over yourself. So did the PR people put you together or what's...?
ASAnnie/Starlight
No, he's a nice guy.
ASAnnie/Starlight
He's an actor who didn't lie to my face every day.
Okay, yeah, I got it. Ouch.
ASAnnie/Starlight
I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I... Hughie, I just…
[Hughie gets up as the train approaches his stop]
ASAnnie/Starlight
Hey… Get some sleep.
I'll sleep when I know you're safe.
MSMother's Milk
We gotta get outta here. Now.
[shakes his head] Good passports do not come cheap, huh? I sell the RPGs, smuggle in Kalashnikovs, we have enough money. That's it. [to Hughie] Where will you go, Petit Hughie?
MSMother's Milk
You could just stay here… with Frenchie's gangbanger friends. [sarcastically] The cots, they got 31 flavors of semen on them. You'll love 'em.
Oh, and you have a better idea? No? Maybe we can stay–all of us–in your mother's asshole!
Or… maybe we could not run.
You are like a record that is broken.
Well, we shouldn't just give up. Guys, we get some Compound V, we–we bring it to the New York Times, we burn Vought to the ground.
MSMother's Milk
You got some V, Hughie? 'Cause I don't.
We could… get some. Someone could help us get it.
MSMother's Milk
And who might that be?
You did not hear the television? We are famous now. Butcher even more so!
Fuck Butcher! We don't need him!
A-Team had Hannibal. Dirty Dozen, Lee Marvin. Beatles, Brian Epstein.
Okay, who's gonna be our captain? You?
I mean, guys, just–just hear me out.
MSMother's Milk
Shut the fuck UP! [gets up; whispering to Hughie] This is over.
BBlindspot
Homelander. Wow, you're… It's–It's an honor, sir.
Wait, hold on. You can tell it's me?
[laughs] Wow! That's–That's impressive!
BBlindspot
You don't need super eyes when you have super ears.
Can I just say, that is amazing. And you, my friend, are a true hero. Not because of what you do for a job, but… [sighs] well, because of what you've overcome.
BBlindspot
Thank you. That means everything coming from you.
Aw, stop it. Come on. Hey, guys, I just have one question if that's okay.
Alright, so… What happens if, I don't know, I do this?
[Homelander claps his hands over Blindspot's ears, piercing his inner ear canal. He drops to the floor, screaming and bleeding from his ears.]
And now you're just another useless fuckin' blind guy. [shakes his head] This must be some kind of a joke. [turns to Ashley] Ashley, what made you think I would ever allow a cripple into The Seven?! [sees Ashley staring at Blindspot in utter horror] For fuck's sakes, Ashley! Don't look at him! Look at me! ASHLEY! LOOK AT ME!
Let's get one thing straight. The only reason you're here and not doing corporate PR for fucking DivaCups is that I brought you here. You are dispensable, which means you answer to me.
From now on, I will set my own agenda. I'll approve my own marketing and write my own talking points. You will tell me everything that goes on on the 99th floor. And I mean everything. Every call, email, group chat. If a fucking light bulb goes out, you will tell me. And Ashley… in no fucking way do you decide who goes in The Seven. I decide.
[The Boys are back in their basement hideout after learning about Frenchie's associates' plan to smuggle Supe terrorists into the country]
They were wired the money from a blind account to smuggle the bastard in. Cold trail.
Amazing fucking friends of yours.
I never said they were my friends, huh? I only said we will be… safe here.
Okay, okay. Alright, what do we do?
MSMother's Milk
Oh, you just call 911.
What, an anonymous tip? Yeah, I'm sure that'll go straight to the mayor. You saw that video. What if he does that to an airplane? Or the fucking Brooklyn Bridge?
MSMother's Milk
So, what's your big plan, Hughie?
Okay, the CIA lady, right? Rayner?
MSMother's Milk
Right. The same CIA that wants to clamp our nuts into some jumper cables.
For the last time, we don't need Butcher.
MSMother's Milk
[chuckles sarcastically] "Call Annie." [beat; turns to Hughie] Annie?
MSMother's Milk
You mean Starlight? 'Cause that's who she is. Vought has her phone so bugged, they're praying that you do that. [pause; Hughie looks scared] Oh, no. You fucking called her?
No. No, I'm not–I'm not stupid, okay? I texted her…
MSMother's Milk
Oh, fuck.
…and then we met up, but we're getting some Compound V.
MSMother's Milk
[shoves Hughie against the wall] Fuck you! Are you fuckin' crazy?!
MSMother's Milk
[to Hughie] You fucking crazy?! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!
We were careful! We used burner phones!
MSMother's Milk
Kid, you don't get it. They could've been following you! They could be watching us right fucking now! [pause] If you're the fucking reason why I can't finish that Vermont country dollhouse, I will fucking end you.
You've been walking around for days like you wanna kick my ass, so do it already.
[M.M. stares menacingly at Hughie. Frenchie lays a hand on M.M., who pulls his fist back from Hughie]
MSMother's Milk
[sighs] Goddammit! [pause; Frenchie motions for Hughie to back off] Shit! I don't wanna kick your ass, Hughie. I just don't wanna get dragged back into this shit, alright? I wanna get home to my wife and my kid. That's it. If I still can.
This guy could kill a lot of people.
MSMother's Milk
Hughie, let somebody else handle it.
There's no one else! No one's coming to save us!
MSMother's Milk
You don't get it. You are not a soldier. You're not a spy. You're just a kid that sells stereo equipment.
No, I don't! I don't have a job. Or Robin… or my dad, or Annie. One way or another, they all... Now, all I have is this. This. Which is really fucking depressing, but it's true. So maybe I can't be Lee Marvin… but I can be Harry Potter. Or, you know, John Connor or–or whats-her-name from The Hunger Games.
Yeah. The point is, I could be that person that nobody thinks is awesome, but it turns out they're kinda fucking awesome!
GGecko
Yeah, at the, uh, Capes for Christ Bible Camp, yes, totally. Mm-hmm, that Passion play we put on?
ASAnnie/Starlight
You were the best Jesus.
GGecko
I mean, no one's gonna take a nail through the hand like I can.
ASAnnie/Starlight
And Big Game was Pontius Pilate. Oh my God, those freckles. You know he wanted to make out with me?
GGecko
Pontius Pilate and Mary hooking up?
ASAnnie/Starlight
Mm-hmm.
GGecko
Ooh, "sacri-licious."
ASAnnie/Starlight
Yeah, we never did.
GGecko
Why not? He was so cute.
ASAnnie/Starlight
Yeah, it just, it was what Ezekiel always said. And my mom, too. That God is watching over you, every second. You know, I thought that He was watching us, and I thought that He'd be upset.
GGecko
Yeah, it's a, it's a messed up thing to tell a kid.
ASAnnie/Starlight
Yeah. But looking back? I should've made out with Big Game. I should've done a lot more stuff. Because... there is nothing up there. There's nobody in the sky watching over us. Not God, not Homelander. Not anybody. It's all just... lies.
[The newest member of The Seven, Stormfront, livestreams to her fans on Instagram while Homelander and Queen Maeve are filming a military promo.]
Here I go, guys! Wish me luck! Oh, FYI, not a real base. [pans phone camera around the film set] As if Homelander and Maeve are gonna eat MREs and piss in a ditch with the rest of the grunts.
Uh, hey. Yeah, hi. We're filming right now. Excuse me.
Also, you might recognize "Army Boy" as Hotel Clerk #2…
…from "The Devil's Breath" episode of Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.
Oh, my God, hi! My nana's your biggest fan. I'm Stormfront.
Oh, right, yeah. From Seattle, right?
Uh... [giggles] Portland, actually, Your… Highness. [pause; stares at Homelander] Holy shit! Your eyes are really fuckin' blue up close!
[laughs] You are fun. It's been a hoot, but we got work to do, [to Maeve] so let's get back to it.
Oh, totally. They just wanted me to meet you.
Oh, the boys on 82. I'm the new girl.
Wait. What are you talking about?
Oh, hi. I'm in The Seven, replacing Translucent. God bless his soul. Ink's barely dry, but uh… Yeah, reporting for duty. Fuck, yeah.
No, I don't think that this is–It's not true. [to Homelander] I don't know anything about this.
Wow. Well, uh… Stormfront, who delivered the good news?
Oh, uh... Mr. Edgar? The big guy?
[Homelander is seething underneath his frozen smile. He stammers as he tries to hold back his anger.]
Wonderful. Great. [claps] Alright, great!
To what do I owe the pleasure?
Well, you never come up to 99, so figured I'd pay you a visit.
Right? After all, you run a superhero company and you never check in with your superheroes, do you? Like–oh, I don't know–about the hiring of that girl, for example.
You wished to be consulted on Stormfront.
Well, why not? I signed off on all the rest. I'm the leader of The Seven.
For which you have my undying respect.
See, I don't think I do. No. Not even Madelyn would've dared to try and pull this kind of shit.
Well, of course, you know how important you are to everyone at Vought.
No. No, Stan. I am Vought. You show my photo to some illiterate fuckin' camel jockey in the middle of the Sahara, he's gonna turn around and say, "Homelander," in perfect American. [sits down in a chair] You know what? My contract's up at the end of this year. [props his feet on the coffee table] Maybe it's time I move on. How do you think your shareholders would feel about that?
[Edgar stares down Homelander for several moments. The smug look on Homelander's face quickly disappears as it occurs to him that Edgar is not falling for his threats.]
What do you know about Frederick Vought?
Frederick. Vought. [gestures to a portrait of Vought] Our esteemed founder.
Well, I don't know. Um… not a lot, probably. I only read his autobiography… five times?
Not the self-serving bullshit that we peddle to the shareholders. The real story.
Got his doctorate from Munich. Ahead of his time in genetics. Such the rising young star that in '39, Hitler appointed him chief physician at Dachau, where he enjoyed a ready supply of human subjects on which to test his earliest iterations of Compound V. For which we condemn in the strongest of possible terms. Early in '44, he felt the winds change, got spirited away to the Allies. When Oppenheimer was flailing with the bomb, Dr. Vought already had practical applications of Compound V tested in the field. Heroes like Soldier Boy, killing Germans by the dozen. So Roosevelt pardoned him, and he became as Wonder Bread American as Disney and Edison.
Well, this is a truly fascinating–if not slightly condescending–lecture, but um... I don't think I see the point, Stan.
The point... is that you are under a misconception that we are a superhero company. We are not. What we are, really, is a pharmaceutical company. And you are not our most valuable asset. That would be our confidential formula for Compound V. Which you, manchild that you are, released into the wild.
[slight scoff] I don't know what you're talking about.
Well, let me remind you. You slipped Compound V to terrorists all over the globe to get you and your cronies into national defense. But maybe at the cost of destroying the whole company.
[slams table and approaches, venom in his tone] I don't think I appreciate your tone, sir. Not much at all.
And I don't appreciate that the FDA now knows about Compound V, or that it's only a matter of time before the public finds out. While you're preening at the Golden Globes, we're busy running around like maniacs trying to clean up the mess you made. I don't have to consult you about Stormfront or anything else. Now... I believe you have a premiere of Tek-Knight Lives to go to?
[The Boys see an unknown assailant kick one of their guards down the stairs. Frenchie's associates aim their guns as the assailant walks down the steps. The assailant is revealed to be Butcher in casual clothes.]
Alright. Easy does it, lads. Easy does it. [points at the guard] Like, I tried to tell this cunt... I'm with that lot, yeah?
[Frenchie salutes Butcher and motions for his associates to lower their weapons]
MSMother's Milk
What the fuck are you wearin'?
[to Frenchie] You called him?
I'm sorry, Petit Hughie. It's not a game now. We need a real captain.
[to Hughie] Frenchie's right. This is a fuckin' mess, son. We got a Supe terrorist, Rayner's blown her canister, and we're the most wanted cunts in the country. But don't you worry… Daddy's home.
