Let us all chorus in unison: Happy birthday, Homelander! But tell us, what age has time bestowed upon you? Are you but a sprouting one, a lively two, or perhaps a budding three? Oh, I apologize—did I miss the memo? You, an enigma born in a test tube, lack a traditional birthday altogether? Well, let us celebrate this made-up milestone nonetheless. And please, oh mighty one, refrain from eradicating me from existence.
Homelander's birthday bash, broadcast live on television, unfolds against a backdrop of tumultuous times. His ties with Vought have been strained ever since his controversial dalliance with a Nazi came to light, and the spotlight now shines brightly on Starlight, not him. (Yet, Homelander remains relatively unscathed: His guest list boasts luminaries such as Judi Dench, Rascal Flatts, Emeril Lagasse, and the ensemble of 'Riverdale,' who moonlight as superheroes in their own spin-off series.) However, witnessing Homelander cornered never fails to delight; the world's most potent being is not impervious to adversity.
Despite this being his designated day of revelry, Homelander finds himself beset by misfortunes in "The Only Man in the Sky." He conjures a quintessential Homelander scheme to publicly belittle Starlight by compelling her to serenade him with a risqué version of "Happy Birthday." Yet, Stan Edgar brutally kills his plan because Starlight finds the move beneath his dignity. According to Edgar, a whopping 76% of potential viewers tune in solely for Starlight, while a mere 53% might DVR Homelander's segment. A devastating blow indeed.
Upon visiting Stormfront, he discovers her seemingly in a slumber—unknowing that this will be their final conversation, as she takes her own life shortly thereafter, on his very birthday. The tragic event unfolds during Homelander's annual "birthday rescue" publicity stunt, where he attempts to persuade a young woman from jumping off a ledge. Upon hearing the grim news, his demeanor shifts from indifferent obligation to actively inciting her to end her life. The trajectory of his descent into darkness becomes evident as he launches into a soliloquy about his invented birthday, likening himself to Jesus Christ.
Homelander appears genuinely shaken by Stormfront's demise, and when a viewer shouts, "Your Nazi died," during the live broadcast, it becomes clear that the dam is about to burst. Thankfully, he refrains from slaughtering the audience, as he Fantasy did in season two. Instead, he delivers a mesmerizing monologue, refusing to offer any more apologies. He proclaims to the world that he is the genuine hero. "I have had enough of being persecuted for my strength," he declares. "You people ought to be eternally grateful, as I am precisely who and what you necessitate." His words resonate with a reactionary, nearly eugenicist tone, reminiscent of Stormfront's orations from the previous season.
As Annie is engrossed in attending to the birthday celebration's central figure, Hughie's impatience is palpable—a manifestation of his deep-seated insecurities regarding his dependence on his superheroine girlfriend. Unable to contain his urge to delve further into Neuman's mystery, he decides to take matters into his own hands and visits the Red River Institute, a haven for the super-abled under Vought's ownership, where Neuman, alongside her most recent victim, Tony, once grew up. With sleight of hand, Hughie inserts a flash drive into the database and (almost miraculously) downloads its entirety, uncovering the secrets of Neuman, alias Nadia. Following a catastrophic accident involving her family—where heads reportedly exploded—Nadia found refuge at Red River, only to be eventually welcomed into the fold by none other than Stan Edgar.
Their heartwarming interaction hints at a bond brimming with comfort and familiarity, yet it leaves one yearning for more depth. Edgar may not have officially adopted Neuman, but how has their relationship evaded detection for so long remains a mystery. What measures have they implemented over the years to safeguard their connection, besides the brutal silencing of any potential witnesses linking them? Such is the swift, streamlined narrative of 'The Boys': there are moments when the supporting characters and their intricacies are overshadowed by the brisk pace. One can only hope that as the season progresses, we'll gain a deeper understanding of Neuman and her genuine beliefs, preventing her from becoming just another fleeting villain of the season.
Later, Neuman, also known as Vicky or Nadia, confronts Hughie about his recent erratic behavior. Annie intervenes with a convenient alibi: they were engaged in a spat. Yet, this feigned quarrel transforms into a genuine one, rooted in Hughie's self-awareness of his physical limitations. This dynamic is poignantly symbolized by Annie's regular task of opening jars for Hughie—a gesture once perceived as endearing in "Payback," but now casting a shadow of inadequacy over him. "You shouldn't be afraid of a powerful woman," Neuman remarks as she strides away, her words resonating with multiple layers of meaning.
Mercifully, the battle concludes with an earnest confession: Hughie had harbored hopes that fortune was finally aligning in his favor, only to be starkly awakened by Neuman's revelation, exposing his profound blindness to reality. Worse still, Neuman, his companion whom he had shared a natural and credible camaraderie with in the scant scenes of their interactions, betrays this personal trust. For Hughie, acknowledging how much of the past year was futile is soul-crushing. This realization sparks a transformation in perspective: struggling against Vought in a "just" manner proves futile, and genuine advancement can solely be achieved if the Boys resort to unscrupulous tactics. Moved, Hughie dials Butcher to concede his earlier skepticism, affirming Butcher's correctness.
Ironically, Hughie's phone call arrives at a juncture when Butcher is actually leaning towards the opposing viewpoint. After being shot by Gunpowder (more details later) and witnessing Ryan's poignant stop-motion animation depicting Becca's voicemail, Butcher realizes that Grace Mallory might indeed possess wisdom, contemplating an exit from the fray akin to Mother's Milk. However, Marvin hasn't truly stepped away from the conflict; his thoughts remain fixated on The Seven and Soldier Boy. He hesitates to embrace Butcher's invitation to rejoin, unwilling to abandon his family once more. Yet, it is evident that his return is merely a matter of time. The truth sets in during an unexpected, violent reaction to a blaring smoke detector in front of his daughter. The poignant moment when he embraces her in tears stands as one of the episode's most heart-wrenching scenes (the other being the voicemail), and a sense of relief washes over when Marvin's wife actually urges him to conclude what he initiated. She understands his desire to be with his family, yet acknowledges that peace will elude him as long as unfinished business lingers.
The narrative of "The Only Man in the Sky" then delves into the Boys' divergent quests to uncover the truth behind the weapon rumored to have terminated Soldier Boy. Frenchie and Kimiko embark on a trail that leads them to Crimson Countess, Soldier Boy's former flame from their Payback days, who now recounts their tale at Voughtland—a pseudo-enlightened amusement park modeled after the superheroic ideal, yet steeped in artificiality.
At Brave Maeve’s Inclusive Kingdom, Kimiko encounters a sibling duo, their innocent faces evoking memories of her and Kenji's own cherished childhood aspirations. Sadly, these very children bear witness to the ghastly explosion of a Homelander mascot, their youthful spirits shattered in a manner all too familiar to Kimiko and her brother. Thus, the vicious cycle of violence perpetuates itself. Yet, it seems almost inevitable that Kimiko would encounter such public brutality, especially considering the chaotic inferno unleashed by the Countess's fiery orb.
Their adventure yields scant insights; Crimson Countess adheres steadfastly to the hyperbolic narrative spun by Soldier Boy's propaganda flick. Meanwhile, Butcher fares better at the Vought gun expo, where he unearths Gunpowder, Soldier Boy's aging, conservative sidekick. By hinting at Soldier Boy's alleged molestations, Butcher goads Gunpowder into a gun battle from which he narrowly escapes, marveling at Gunpowder's uncanny ability to trace bullets through their potential ricochets. A call from Hughie serves as the catalyst for Butcher to embrace chaos and temporarily indulge in Compound V.
Armed with his newfound powers, Butcher fares far better in the rematch; bullets bounce harmlessly off his skin, rendering Gunpowder a negligible threat. He extracts the information he seeks—that Soldier Boy's fate unfolded during a Nicaraguan mission, under the command of none other than Grace Mallory! (Incidentally, Soldier Boy did administer a few blows, but they never escalated beyond that.)
Despite this revelation, Gunpowder's fate is sealed. Butcher delivers a brutal barrage of supercharged punches, followed by an unexpected double kill when Gunpowder's eyes flash with Homelander-like intensity, firing a laser that bisects both him and the car behind. It remains to be seen how Butcher will grapple with these temporary abilities, particularly if they might spark a glimmer of empathy towards the superheroes he has long deemed intrinsically flawed.
