This week's episode of "The Boys" delves into the intricate cost of human connections, highlighting how they can simultaneously serve as both a beacon of strength and a source of vulnerability. The narrative mirrors this theme through Frenchie's origin story, where his selfless act of abandoning his post to rescue an overdose-stricken friend ultimately led to a poignant reunion marred by the friend's subsequent loss upon his return to duty. The poignant expression on Elena's face as she comes to terms with her superheroine companion's witness to super-war crimes underscores this poignant duality. Moreover, Billy and Annie's makeshift family, forged through their rescue of Hughie, brings these vastly different individuals into an unbreakable bond. The episode's conclusion hints at a chilling new family dynamic forming—Homelander and Stormfront as a power couple bent on eradicating anyone who doesn't mirror their image.
Momentum-wise, the show manages to reclaim some ground lost in the previous week, albeit the timing of extensive backstory and flashbacks six episodes into an eight-episode season feels somewhat disjointed. Ideally, this stage should be a crescendo towards a climactic finale, yet it still feels like the stage is being painstakingly set, with mere two episodes remaining. Will this season be remembered merely as a transitional phase? Or will the writers hastily conclude with a climactic confrontation involving Stormfront, paving the way for a fresh "big bad" adversary next year?
Despite fleeting "Golden Girls" references, the show doesn't rely solely on comedy. The bulk of the action unfolds at Sage Grove, a facility Annie stumbled upon on Stormfront's laptop, drawing Billy, Hughie, Annie, Mother's Milk, Frenchie, and Kimiko—effectively the entire team—into an urgent quest to uncover Stormfront and Vought's machinations. They unearth Sage Grove as a breeding ground for super terrorists, where mental patients are injected with Compound V, with Stormfront—the most mesmerizing Nazi, orchestrating these experiments straight from a playbook inspired by her Nazi comrades during World War II (later revealed to have danced with Himmler herself)—serving as the puppet master. She deploys the formerly celebrated superhero Lamplighter (Shawn Ashmore) as her Nurse Ratched, scorching patients who step out of line.
Lamplighter and the Boys share a dark, tumultuous past. Once blackmailed into reporting Vought and the Seven's misdeeds under Grace Mallory's thumb, tragedy struck on a night when Frenchie's negligence had dire consequences, fostering deep-seated resentment. However, these grievances are momentarily sidelined when Sage Grove's patients escape, experimenting wildly with their newfound powers. While Mother's Milk, Frenchie, Kimiko, and Lamplighter seek refuge from the emerging mutants, Hughie, Billy, and Annie encounter one outside the facility's perimeter, leading to a near-fatal encounter. The super-freak unleashes telekinetic force strong enough to flip their Mystery Machine, leaving Hughie gravely injured with a shard embedded in his abdomen. This harrowing ordeal forges a profound bond between Annie and Billy, reflecting their heartfelt concern for the naive Hughie.
The stakes rise dramatically in Sage Grove, where the action unfolds with an added layer of intensity. Enter the Human Popper, a new superhero whose gaze and a mere squeeze of her hand can burst humans like bloody balloons—a harrowing display of unparalleled power. Another superhero, reminiscent of the acid-spitting creature from the movie Alien, ends up bathing himself in his own corrosive spittle, painting a grim picture indeed. Then there's "Love Sausage," a character whose name alone promises hilarity but whose actions—stretching his appendage through a window, down his pant leg, and around Mother's Milk's neck, nearly claiming his life—are grotesque and destined to become a running joke throughout the series.
The bedlam at Sage Grove serves multiple purposes: delving deeper into Frenchie's backstory, introducing Lamplighter to the narrative, and perhaps even setting the stage for Human Popper, glimpsed hitchhiking off into the sunset during the episode's closing moments. It's a masterclass in action television, much like the parallel plotline where Annie and Billy scramble to save Hughie's life. Annie finds herself mirroring Billy's resolve, embodying a willingness to go to any lengths to protect those she cherishes.
Conversely, the Church of the Collective storyline stumbles this week, having lost steam over the past couple of episodes. What began as a promising satire of Scientology has wandered off course. A-Train's involvement this week—facing replacement in The Seven and being courted by The Deep with promises of support that might rival even Lil Nas X's new anthem—feels undercooked. What once seemed a fresh direction for The Deep now appears as a subplot gearing up for a payoff in Season 3.
Lastly, let's delve into Homelander's world. Oblivious to Queen Maeve's newfound access to the footage of the plane crash from last season, thanks to The Deep, Homelander indulges in petulant behavior towards his new girlfriend, Stormfront. His immaturity has always been a compelling thread in The Boys, portraying Captain America as a narcissist craving constant validation. As a jealous boyfriend, Homelander tails Stormfront when she claims a trip to Vought, only to blow up his trailer in a fit of rage when she doesn't return promptly. Stormfront, seemingly seasoned in dealing with power-hungry egomaniacs during her SS days, appeases Homelander by revealing her true identity: born in 1919, she was the first superhero, injected by Frederick Vought himself. After a century, she's finally found her soulmate. Who indeed stands a chance against them?
