"Our endeavors are futile. Nothing we undertake alters the status quo. Change is but an illusion, and I am weary unto my core." — Queen Maeve. Despite her eventual resurrection of heroic spirit following these poignant words to Hughie and Starlight, Queen Maeve's lament encapsulates the overarching sentiment that enveloped the entire sophomore season of 'The Boys': No matter our struggle, Nazis will reclaim their throne, corporations will continue their relentless march towards global destruction, and racism will linger, an insidious stain upon humanity. Sound eerily familiar?
The scribes behind 'The Boys' endeavors to weave a season that propels its characters forward on their narrative arcs while offering incisive commentary on the turbulent state of the real world in 2020, tackling themes of fear-mongering and the radicalization of extremist, often racist, factions. At times, their endeavor hits the mark with precision; at others, it feels somewhat unpolished. The season culminates in an extended finale spanning 67 minutes, neatly tying up more loose ends than fans might have anticipated. However, it fails to fully expunge some of the missteps scattered throughout this eight-episode arc or the perception that, despite the graphic violence and grit, much of it served merely as a prelude to what lies ahead.
The nefarious adversary of this year has been vanquished, yet the toxic legacy of politics lingers on in the show's epilogue, leaving the protagonists adrift in uncertainty. Billy Butcher, now devoid of focus since the loss of his wife, Becca, and with Ryan Butcher in government custody, finds himself at a crossroads. Grace Mallory offers Billy a role monitoring the supes, a position poised to play a pivotal role in the upcoming season. Yet, what drives Billy onward in the absence of Becca, who fueled his vendetta in season one and nurtured his savior complex in season two?
Hughie aspires to stand independently, yet finds himself once again ensnared in peril, working for a congresswoman who, in secret, possesses superpowers, while his romance with Starlight lacks the spark it once held. Homelander, too, ends another season in solitude, yet he retains the adoration of the masses and the solace of emotional self-gratification beneath the moonlight, in a realm inaccessible to all others.
Much of "What I Know" revolves around Billy and the boys' desperate bid to rescue Ryan from the clutches of Homelander and Stormfront. Billy's impulse is to charge in and slay all in his wake, following the events of the preceding episode. However, Annie has one final gambit. She ventures with Hughie to seek audience with Queen Maeve, who, chain-smoking and rebuffing their pleas, initially appears unmoved. Yet, this moment proves pivotal for the show's embodiment of Wonder Woman, who, emerging from the ruins of her emotional turmoil, ultimately rises to reclaim her heroism later in the episode.
As Billy learns from Becca about Ryan's harrowing ordeal akin to a kidnapping, Stan Edgar, the pinnacle of Vought Corporation, engages in a clandestine meeting with Alastair Adana, the charismatic leader of the Church of the Collective. This encounter uncovers a veiled alliance between the world's most influential corporation and a parallel universe's equivalent of Scientology. Though it might initially seem like a fleeting glimpse into the convergence of business and religion, this scene holds significance. A-Train, eavesdropping on the conversation, learns that his return to the prestigious Seven superhero team is不可能, due to Stormfront's sinister Nazi past. This revelation spurs A-Train into action, determined to incriminate Stormfront by handing Hughie and Annie a dossier detailing her nefarious ties to Vought and the Third Reich. Without hesitation, they disseminate this information to the press, causing Stormfront's reputation to crumble. Regrettably, this dramatic downfall is somewhat rushed, victims of the season finale's urgency to wrap up Stormfront's arc. What appears to be a monumental revelation—the world's most celebrated hero being a Nazi—merely serves to escalate the villain's fury and perhaps clumsiness in her climactic battle, while also paving the way for A-Train's reinstatement into the Seven.
Prior to Stormfront's exposure, a pivotal encounter unfolds between Billy and Edgar. The Vought chief justifies supporting Stormfront, asserting that hatred fuels business. By instilling fear, Vought can guarantee a surge in demand for Compound V, a product monopolized solely by them. Edgar vows to safeguard Becca and Ryan, but Billy reveals an unexpected twist: he doesn't want Ryan to accompany him and Becca. Instead, he yearns for Vought to relocate the boy to a secure location, allowing him to rebuild his life with his wife. Billy's negotiation to rescue Becca's son, only to potentially surrender him to another oppressor, casts a dark shadow, even by this show's standards.
The climax approaches! With Stormfront preoccupied by her public relations catastrophe, the team initiates a daring rescue mission for Ryan. Leveraging technology sourced from Vought Sonic, they unleash a deafening soundwave at the cabin where Homelander holds Ryan captive. However, this is merely a diversion. As Homelander speeds off to investigate the noise, Billy and Becca seize the moment, storming the cabin and liberating Ryan. Determining Billy's motivation remains elusive, but it could stem from the compassion he witnesses in Becca towards the frightened child, coupled with his solemn vow to his deceased brother to do what is just. Once away from the cabin, Billy confides in Mother's Milk about his secret deal with Edgar and his intention to renege on it. He instructs Mother's Milk to escort Becca and Ryan to safety, fully aware that he might never see them again.
And with a resounding boom! Stormfront descends upon the scene, unleashing her force-lightning prowess to send the car careening wildly. As her sights shift to the remaining members of the group, Billy swiftly whisks Becca and Ryan to safety. Meanwhile, Dolly focuses her attention on Kimiko, who responds with a mischievous grin and bursts into laughter, clearly fed up with Stormfront's drawn-out soliloquy. With a fury born of exhaustion, Kimiko unleashes her might upon the Nazi, giving it her all.
The battle intensifies, with Stormfront employing her superhuman abilities to gain the advantage, even appearing to snap Kimiko's neck in a single, brutal motion (though miraculously, she recovers swiftly in the next instant). Stormfront then turns her attention to the others, dispensing with them with the ease of a Sith Lord, setting the stage for a climactic confrontation between her and Annie – or so she believes.
Enter Queen Maeve, stage left! She leaps into the fray, delivering powerful blows to Stormfront. Kimiko and Annie, fueled by the infectious beat of "Boys Want to Be Her" by Peaches, join in the fray, pounding Stormfront relentlessly until she is forced to flee.
Elsewhere, Homelander continues his rampage at the cabin, slaughtering Vought agents with impunity. Stormfront seeks refuge among the Butchers, an easier prey for her to dominate. She easily shoves Billy aside before Becca strikes her with a fierce stab to the eye, eliciting a cringe-worthy gasp. Ignoring Billy's hail of bullets, Stormfront chokeholds Becca. Then, Ryan acts, revealing the twist we should have anticipated: only another superhero can truly vanquish a superhero. His eyes glow a menacing red, and in the next frame, Stormfront lies disabled and scorched, her limbs charred and broken. However, the cost is steep; Becca too has been struck, blood gushing from her neck. With her dying breath, she implores Billy to protect Ryan and ensure he understands that none of this was his fault.
Homelander arrives on the scene to find his beloved near death, her words a garbled mixture of German. Ryan, choosing Billy over his biological father, leaves Homelander isolated once more. Just as the season seems poised to conclude, Maeve reappears, presenting Homelander with the plane footage that shattered her relationship with Elena. "You will let them be," she commands, urging him to cease his pursuit of Starlight and to leave everyone in peace. She strikes at his one vulnerability – his insatiable need for love. For that, he would forsake even his own son.
The season concludes on a cliffhanger, with the distribution of Compound V put on ice, Queen Maeve and Starlight reclaiming their heroic thrones, and A-Train regaining his spot in The Seven. It transpires that Vought seeks a diversity makeover to counteract the stigma of housing a Nazi within their ranks, leaving the Deep once again in a pickle. Starlight re-enters Vought's fold, determined to revolutionize the system from the inside. Meanwhile, Hughie realizes that Billy can never provide him with the purpose he craves. Homelander, perched high above the city, indulges in solitary pleasure while proclaiming, "I am bound by no limits." Truly, he is a figure of sinister charm.
In the season's poignant aftermath, Alastair engages in discourse with Congresswoman Neuman. Recall her? She was a prominent figure at Homelander's rally and presided over the congressional inquiry into Vought that culminated in a gory spectacle of heads exploding. Twist alert! Alastair's head meets a similar fate, bursting into smithereens, while Neuman's eyes dilate eerily, mimicking the powers of a superhero. She is the one behind the eerie happenings around town, paying homage to the film 'Scanners'. And here's another twist: Hughie is set to become her ally.
