Here's a revamped version of the recap for Episode 7 of The Boys Season 4, titled "The Insider," set amidst the festive Christmas holidays:
Ryan, amidst the holiday cheer, is rehearsing for a children's commercial, tasked with singing a jingle that lambasts Antifa's hatred for Supes and America. The lyrics even encourage kids to report their parents if they're associated with Antifa. Unsettled by the lyrics, Ryan flees the scene. Back in his suite, he stumbles upon a Christmas gift from Don T. Beakunt, alias Butcher, revealing a heartfelt photo of Butcher, Becca, and their beloved pet dog.
Meanwhile, Homelander and Firecracker form an unlikely alliance against Sage, accusing her of being inept in uncovering the leak or preventing The Boys from infiltrating Tek-Knight's party. She's swiftly demoted, with Homelander instructing her to solely focus on finding a shooter. A-Train, eavesdropping on the conversation, promptly alerts The Boys of the developing situation. As for The Deep, he continues to make hollow promises to Ambrosius, the octopus, yet abandons her to pursue Sage.
Amidst the chaos, The Boys are scrambling to evacuate their loved ones out of the country, fearing the rise of Vicky to presidency. Annie's stubborn mother, Donna, refuses to leave, instead chastising Annie for being a role model who had an abortion. She further fuels the tension by disclosing that Hughie had salvaged the Starlight costume. Hughie attempts to apologize to the distraught Annie, who finally breaks down, confessing that she doesn't want to bring a child into a dying world.
The Boys regroup, with Butcher returning, acknowledging that they've hit a roadblock. He divulges the details of Sameer and the airborne virus, prompting Joe to intervene, fearing the implications of involving The Boys in such a risky plan. However, Butcher's disorientation becomes apparent to the others.
Despite the obstacles, they forge a strategy — Butcher orchestrates Frenchie's prison escape to aid Sameer, with the intention of manufacturing enough of the virus to eliminate Homelander and Vicky. The rest of the team will delve into uncovering Sage's shooter. MM, realizing his limitations as a leader, surprisingly relinquishes control to Butcher. He then attempts to convince his family to leave, but Monique insists that he joins them.
A-Train pays a visit to Ashley, who finally realizes the truth behind Coleman's death - a frame-up to pin the blame on him as the source of the leak. Devastated, she dreams of fleeing to Florence, but A-Train sternly urges her to gather her wits. Then, the news of MM's departure with Monique leaves him stunned. He confesses that MM transformed him into a true superhero, one who genuinely saves lives. But when this fails to deter Ashley, A-Train warns that Homelander's vengeance will relentlessly pursue MM wherever he goes.
Elsewhere, Hughie, Annie, and Butcher embark on a mission to confront the shooter. A troubled Butcher remains silent towards Joe, his mind preoccupied with greater concerns. Their investigation uncovers evidence that the shooter intends to assassinate Singer during his next rally. Upon discovering a girl imprisoned, the trio rushes to her rescue, but she reveals her true identity as the shooter, slicing Hughie and escaping in a blur. It turns out she's a shapeshifter, morphing into an elderly woman to evade capture.
Back at the makeshift lab, Frenchie extends kindness to Sameer, doing all he can to ease the scientist's discomfort. However, he deceives Sameer when asked if the virus would be used on Vicky. Later, Frenchie patches up his relationship with Kimiko, confessing that he shut her out because he felt ashamed and assumed she wouldn't understand. Kimiko reveals that she lost her voice during her training as a silent assassin, where screaming was a fatal mistake. Despite her prowess, Kimiko wishes she had refused and faced death instead of becoming a killer. She deeply understands Frenchie's turmoil, and they both vow to become better people. They even devise a plan to liberate Sameer once his work is done.
At Vought, Firecracker triumphs as she identifies Webweaver as the leak. Unaware of the full picture, Webweaver accepts the accusations, admitting he would disclose inside information to Butcher for drugs. Although Homelander wonders how Webweaver knew about his meeting with Victoria at the ice rink, he mercilessly executes him. Frustrated, he leaves an angry voicemail for Ryan, demanding he endure and complete the Antifa commercial.
Elsewhere, a raging dispute erupted between Ambrosius and Deep, the latter's knowledge of Sage fueling his anger. In a fit of rage, he shattered her tank, realizing she was his sole weakness. With her demise, he felt invincible, convinced he could do anything for Homelander, even eliminate Butcher once and for all.
Accompanied by Noir II, he tracked down Butcher and Annie at the loft, launching a relentless attack. Noir II's ability to soar through the air left our heroes in dire straits, Butcher pleading for Joe's assistance, but he remained elusive. Just as Deep prepared to strike Annie down, A-Train and MM swooped in to save the day. They overpowered the duo and fled, but A-Train's cover was blown. He urged Ashley to follow her plan, yet she realized she couldn't leave. She bid him farewell, urging him to remove his tracker before making his escape.
Homelander's heartbreak morphed into rage when Sage confessed she knew A-Train was the leak, using him to feed misinformation to The Boys. However, her constant secrecy enraged Homelander, leading to her dismissal.
As Sage exited, she encountered a battered Deep and Noir II. Deep attempted to connect with her, revealing she had also bedded Noir II. Unlike Sage, she didn't need to lobotomize herself to be with him, and Noir II's affection for her shocked Deep.
Meanwhile, Butcher, Annie, and MM sought refuge in a bar. MM broke Monique's heart by refusing to leave with her. Annie inquired about Joe, but Butcher pretended ignorance. Amidst their turmoil, a random woman approached Annie for a selfie, as they drowned their sorrows in alcohol.
Kimiko and Frenchie's babysitting duties were finally over, as Sameer succeeded in his mission. But as Frenchie unchained him, Sameer stabbed Kimiko in the leg with the virus and fled. Overcome with grief, Frenchie hastily amputated her leg to prevent the virus from spreading. However, the silver lining was that they now possessed the virus, trapped in Kimiko's severed limb.
Returning to Ryan's story, he listens intently to Homelander's voicemail and agrees to participate in the live commercial shoot. However, as the camera rolls, a realization dawns on him—the commercial is far from the truth. Unhesitatingly, he interrupts the broadcast, declaring that his mother taught him honesty above all. Ashley's panic is palpable, while Homelander's fury is relentless. Meanwhile, Butcher, watching the commotion unfold at the bar, beams with pride.
Joe finally breaks his silence, claiming he was merely observing a moment of solitude. Butcher, unfazed, remains steadfast in his belief in Ryan. But just as his trust is solidified, Butcher unexpectedly collapses.
Elsewhere, Hughie visits Vicky with the sole intention of dissuading her from harming Singer. Her indifference is clear, yet a flicker of uncertainty crosses her face when Hughie mentions the prison camps. Hughie realizes she was unaware of the truth, yet Vicky remains unyielding. Disheartened, he returns home, donning the Starlight costume to confront Annie. She teases him about his imagined fantasies, and soon, they are lost in a passionate embrace.
But as Hughie drifts into slumber, a revelation unfolds—Annie is not who she seems. She transforms into the shapeshifter, stealing the laptop that holds Vicky's vital files. The real Annie is revealed, chained and helpless. She realizes that the woman who had snapped the selfie was the shapeshifter, who had chloroformed her as she left. With this revelation, the dramatic conclusion of The Boys Season 4 Episode 7 draws to a close.
