The Boys: Girls Get It Done

The Boys| Season 2 | Episodes 7-8
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KBear Recap [Read time: 5-7 min]

Episode 7: Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker

Tommy Peterson (Charley Koontz) listens to propaganda about supervillains from Stormfront and Vought. He is radicalized by the constant stream and kills his friendly immigrant neighborhood store clerk. Homelander and Stormfront are at a rally, they hypocritically offer their thoughts and prayers for the convenience store clerk. Stormfront goes back on the attack, exhorting the crowd to fight these godless supervillains. She says the general public needs more Compound V to create more supes. Homelander accuses Starlight of being a mole. The rally is over, Stormfront sees a baby and misses her late daughter. To make her feel better, Homelander takes her to meet Ryan. He introduces Ryan to Stormfront. Homelander proclaims that he wants them all to be a family. Ryan shows Homelander and Stormfront his hobby of remaking popular movies Becca likes with Legos. Stormfront asks is he into anything kids like, she tells him that Homelander is in movies. Becca tries to chime in, but Stormfront interrupts her and begins trying to take over her parental role. Homelander and Becca talk, he confides he’s afraid Ryan will be afraid of the real world like he was. She emphasizes how important it is for her to raise Ryan. Homelander shows Ryan that the compound they live in is fake. Ryan calls his mom a liar. Becca tells them he needs his mother, Stormfront says he’ll have one. The two supes take Ryan and fly away.

Donna January meets her daughter at a coffeeshop, she wants to make up. Annie confides to Donna that she feels stupid for believing she was doing something good. Donna wants to get away with Annie, she cleared it with Ashley. Donna doesn’t know that Vought is looking for Annie. Smoke canisters are shot in the coffeeshop, the customers are knocked out, Black Noir enters and knocks Annie out. She wakes up in a supe cell in Vought Tower.

Lamplighter is with Congresswoman Neuman and her assistant Lisa (Perrie Voss) giving his testimony on activities at Sage Grove and what he did for Stormfront. Butcher, Mallory, Milk, and Hughie are in the other room listening. Lamplighter will testify before Congress; Butcher thinks it’s a waste of time. Frenchie and Kimiko join Mallory, she orders Frenchie to keep Neuman alive. Butcher assigns Hughie to watch Lamplighter. He’s watching porn inspired by the Seven. Hughie doesn’t want to watch it. Lamplighter is feeling sorry for himself, he’s upset that he didn’t become the hero he thought he’d become. Hughie turns the channel and sees Homelander at the rally accusing Annie of being involved with the group that killed Translucent. Lamplighter tells him she is probably in 42D, the supe cell in Vought Tower. Hughie convinces Lamplighter to go with him to rescue Annie. Lamplighter and Hughie sneak into Vought Tower, Lamplighter takes him to the Seven’s conference room. He notices that they moved his statue. Lamplighter wanted to burn himself in front of it. He still lights himself on fire, causing the alarm lights to come on. This allows Annie to absorb its power and bust out of her cell. Hughie cuts off Lamplighter’s hand to use it on the ID pad. Annie is attacked by Black Noir. He’s beating her but Maeve comes to the rescue, she takes him out with an Almond Joy. Black Noir has a tree nut allergy. Annie asks Maeve to come with her, she won’t. Hughie rescues Donna, they run into Annie in the hallway, she realizes that Hughie came to rescue her.

Mallory and Milk go to see Dr. Jonah Vogelbaum (John Doman). Mallory wants him to testify before Congress. He won’t to protect his family. After they leave Vogelbaum, Mallory advises Milk to go back to his family. She’ll arrange for them to disappear. He says he will after this is done. Mallory tells him this will never be done; she again suggests he go and never come back; she wishes she had. There are protesters outside Neuman’s home protesting against her investigating Vought. Butcher is in a bar having a pint, Milk calls to tell him what happened with Vogelbaum. Frenchie and Kimiko are on a rooftop watching Neuman cook with her daughter. Frenchie remembers cooking with his mom, he asks Kimiko about her mother cooking. Using her gun, she begins teaching Frenchie her sign language. Milk gets on Hughie for taking Lamplighter with him to rescue Annie. He tells Milk he didn’t know Lamplighter would torch himself.

Butcher’s mother, Connie (Lesley Nicol) calls him, she is in town, she needs to see him because his father is dead. Butcher meets his mom, she lied, his father Sam (John Nobel) is still alive. Butcher wants nothing to do with him. Connie convinces him to see his father because he is dying. Sam wants a change to say goodbye to Butcher, he never got a chance to say goodbye to Lenny. Butcher tells him he’s the reason Lenny is dead. Sam replies that he pushed them hard to make them tough, Lenny wasn’t tough enough. He accuses Butcher of abandoning his brother when he joined the SAS. Butcher nearly kills Sam, but his mother stops him. After he leaves his parents, Butcher goes to Vogelbaum’s house to talk to him. Butcher threatens to kill his family if he doesn’t testify. He asks Vogelbaum what Homelander was like as a child. He admits he worked on Homelander to make him the strongest man in the world. Vogelbaum’s daughter walks in but Butcher is charming with her. When Milk calls him about Vogelbaum not testifying Butcher tells Milk it is sorted. He later walks into a coffeeshop to talk to Connie. She brought him to see his dad so that Butcher could let it go and not become like his dad. Butcher hugs his mom goodbye.

Elena is cold towards Maeve; she is going to her sister. Elena can’t get the video of the hijacked airliner off her mind; she doesn’t know who Maeve is. Maeve angrily tosses the table and says, “This is the real me.” Ashley catches Maeve banging two dudes. Maeve tells her she and Elena broke up. Ashley wants them back together to testify before Congress. Vought worked to make them America’s second favorite lesbian couple. Maeve sadly asks Ashley to act human, she does and tells Maeve she’s sorry for her breakup.

A-Train meets Cassandra at Alastair’s birthday party. He tells A-Train and The Deep that he has a meeting set up with Stan to get both back in the Seven. Alastair informs them that Eagle the Archer is a toxic personality now, no church member is to have contact with him. A-Train and The Deep watch a newscast about Eagle the Archer leaving the church. They turn on to the hearing, Ashley, Homelander, Stormfront, and Maeve are there for Vought. Mallory is there too. The Boys, Annie and her mom are watching it on TV. Neuman begins the hearing, they call Dr. Vogelbaum. As he is being sworn in, the committee chairman’s head burst, then Vogelbaum. Random people in the audience heads burst, including Shockwave and Lisa. Mallory rushes to Neuman to protect her. The Boys freak out watching this, the people in the hearing are in a total panic. The Deep feels his head. It’s a bloody mess. Hughie asks what they do now. Butcher’s face is frozen in anger.

Episode 8: What I Know

A video from Vought International shows schools how to protect themselves from a supervillain school attack, not surprisingly, using Vought products help. Secretary of Defense Singer tells Victoria Neuman and Grace Mallory that the President is going to authorize Compound V to the military and ICE. Neuman is sure Vought is behind it, Singer agrees but they need proof. Becca Butcher escapes from the compound. The military is in the streets. Annie says goodbye to her mom. The boys are in their lair preparing to attack the Seven. Hughie and Annie are against it, she knows someone who could testify against Vought, she and Hughie leave to talk to them. Homelander and Stormfront don’t know who attacked the congressional hearing. Stormfront thinks it works in their favor. The person Annie and Hughie are going to talk to is Maeve. She tells Annie she isn’t going to testify, she’s tired. It doesn’t matter what they do, nothing changes. Becca finds the Boys hideout, she tells Butcher Homelander and Stormfront have Ryan.

Stan Edgar and Alastair Adana make a deal about reinstating The Deep back into the Seven. Stan can’t let A-Train back in because of Stormfront. A-Train listens in on their conversation. Becca meets Mother’s Milk, Frenchie, and Kimiko. Butcher is going to look for Ryan, he calls Stan. Ashley is babysitting Ryan. He wants to call his mom. Stormfront and Homelander try to distract him by taking him to Planet Vought. Fans come by to take selfies with Homelander and Stormfront, the crush of the crowd is too much for Ryan, Homelander flies him out of there. Annie and Hughie are driving and discussing their moms. A-Train pops up in the backseat. He gives them the file on Stormfront, a file he stole from the Church of the Collective. A-Train does it to get back into the Seven. Butcher and Stan meet and discuss Ryan. Stan sees Ryan as Vought’s only contingency against Homelander. Butcher asks how Stan as a black man can work with Stormfront, he answers that he uses Stormfront to get people angry, angry people will want Compound V, it raises Vought’s stock price. They make a deal; Butcher will get Ryan away from Homelander and hand Ryan back to Vought. Butcher will stay with Becca and disappear.

Homelander takes Ryan back to his cabin and tells him about the first time he was in a crowd, he was terrified. He flew away crying his eyes out. Homelander tells his son that he loves him. Butcher tells Becca that Ryan is at Homelander’s cabin. Hughie shows Butcher the evidence they have on Stormfront, Butcher congratulates both Hughie and Annie. He tells the Boys he’s not asking them to go on this mission, they all tell him they are going. Everyone is grabbing weapons, Annie and Hughie upload the evidence onto the internet. Butcher wants Becca to stay behind but she won’t. Becca makes Butcher promise he’ll rescue Ryan and hand him back to her. She won’t let him grow up like Homelander, she makes Butcher swear on Lenny’s soul. Kimiko is worried that she’ll freeze again if she sees Stormfront, Frenchie assures her she’ll know what to do.

Homelander is trying to teach Ryan how to use his heat vision, he tells him to imagine someone you hate. Ryan tells him he doesn’t hate anyone. Stormfront starts spilling her Nazi white supremacy BS, even Homelander looks at her in disbelief. Stormfront gets an alert, she knows her gig is up. The news breaks that she is over 100 years old and a Nazi. The internet immediately turns against her. After Stormfront flies away the Boys enact their plan. They turn on Vought sonic speakers. It creates a high-pitched noise that hurts both Homelander and Ryan’s ears. After Homelander leaves to investigate, Butcher and Becca enter the cabin and get Ryan. Butcher tells Milk to take Ryan and Becca to Mallory. He tells her his original plan but realized he couldn’t do it. Vought’s security team enters the cabin to get Ryan, but Butcher has double-crossed them. Homelander arrives back to the cabin and realizes the security team is working with Butcher, he kills them all. He’s covered in their blood. Becca won’t leave without Butcher. He begs her to go with Ryan. Milk, Becca, and Ryan drive off; Stormfront lands in front of the car and tosses it in the air. She confronts Annie about the ‘lies’ on the internet. Milk, Becca, and Ryan are okay. Milk tells Butcher to go with them, the Boys will hold her off. Kimiko laughs, Stormfront asks what she is laughing about. Kimiko signs and Frenchie translates, “She says the truth is, she’s gonna stick her boot up you Nazi kitty.” Annie and Kimiko jump her, Stormfront destroys their weapons, she snaps Kimiko’s neck, the men shoot at her, but she tosses them and Annie aside. All looks lost but we hear someone say, “Hey Kraut.” It’s Queen Maeve and she deliver some vicious blows, Annie and Kimiko join her; they beat that Nazi bitch down. Stormfront gets up and flies away.

Stormfront catches up with the Butchers. Becca stabs her in the eye. Stormfront holds Becca up against a tree, strangling her with one hand, telling her to look at me; Butcher wails on her with a tire iron while Ryan cries and begs Stormfront to stop. Ryan uses his heat vision, it knocks Butcher out of the way, and it cuts off Stormfront’s arm and legs, unfortunately, it also severely injures Becca. She tells Butcher it’s not Ryan’s fault, he’s a good boy. Becca reminds Butcher that he promised to keep Ryan safe, Becca dies. Butcher looks at a crying Ryan and contemplates killing him when Homelander arrives. He sees Stormfront, she’s babbling in German, he asks Ryan if he did this. Homelander tells Ryan to come to him, instead Ryan goes to Butcher. Homelander loses it, he asks Butcher if he is going to protect the little shit who murdered his wife. Butcher tells Homelander he made a promise. Homelander is about to kill Butcher when Maeve shows up and orders him to stop. She makes Homelander let Ryan and Butcher go, she shows him the flight video. Maeve demands he leave Annie alone, that he leaves her and Elena alone, if he doesn’t, she’ll release it. He promises to kill everyone. Maeve tells him that’s fine since everyone will know the monster he is, no one will ever love him again. Homelander hears the roar of the crowd in his mind, he watches Butcher carry Ryan away.

At a press conference, Stan Edgar blames the congressional hearing attack in Washington on Stormfront. Vought won’t be releasing Compound V to the public. Stan turns the press conference over to Homelander, he credits Queen Maeve and Starlight for apprehending Stormfront. He apologizes to Annie for the charges levied against her, he calls Maeve and Annie the two best friends he could have. Homelander tells the press that heroes protect the public, but the crazy in his eyes say otherwise. Alastair informs A-Train he is back in the Seven because he delivered evidence against Stormfront. The Deep isn’t back in, there was only one slot. The Deep is angry and tells Alastair he is through with the Church, Alastair brands him a toxic personality.

Hughie meets with Annie in the park. She’s wearing the cross her mother gave her; her faith is restored because if Billy Butcher can do the right thing there has to be a higher power. Hughie is concerned about Annie being back in the Seven, Annie tells him she’s staying because she doesn’t want the assholes steering the ship. Hughie is going off to stand on his own two feet. He quickly assures Annie he isn’t talking about leaving her. She asks what he is talking about. Ryan is with Butcher; he gives Ryan the St. Christopher medal Becca gave him to keep him safe. Butcher tells the boy his mom will keep him safe. Grace and the CIA come to pick up Ryan. Butcher asks him what he taught him, Ryan, “Don’t be a cunt.” Grace asks Butcher if he thinks Ryan will become like his father, Butcher replies that Becca didn’t, Grace hopes he’s right. All charges against the Boys are dismissed. The White House is opening an Office of Supe Affairs. Victoria Neuman is named the new Czar. She tells Butcher she can slip agency money off the books for a team to keep tabs on the supes, she asks if he’s interested. Butcher silently walks away. Milk reunites with his daughter. Frenchie and Kimiko move out of their hideout and leave to go dancing. Homelander jerks off in mid-air over the New York skyline. Alastair calls Neuman to get her to give his church tax exempt status for more dirt on the supes, she blows his head up. Victoria is a supe and she’s the one who attacked the congressional hearing and killed Raynor. Hughie shows up at her campaign office, he wants to work for her and leave the Boys. She hires him on the spot.

KBear Review [Read time: 1-3 minutes]

Stormfront and Vought’s stroking the flames of intolerance produces a predictable result when one of their fanboys kills an immigrant convenience clerk, someone he’s interacted with daily. Homefront and Stormfront gives the prayers and condolences BS we hear from Congress every time we have a mass shooting. Stormfront is creating her army. Homelander introduces her to Ryan, and the two nutcases decide to take him away from Becca. This causes her to escape the compound and find Butcher. Donna meets Annie in a coffee shop, she’s still trying to reconcile with her daughter. She doesn’t know Vought is after Annie and leads them straight to her. She’s thrown in a supe cell in Vought Tower. Hughie goes to Vought Tower to rescue her, he brings Torchlighter since he knows a way to sneak in. Torchlighter only goes because he plans to commit suicide there. He sets himself on fire, the lights from the fire alarm allows Annie to power up and escape her cell. She fights Black Noir, she isn’t a match for him, luckily Maeve comes to her rescue, overpowering him with an Almond Joy. Annie’s favorite candy saves her, take that Hughie. Torchlighter was supposed to testify before a congressional committee on Sage Grove, but with him being burnt to a crisp, they try to get Dr. Vogelbaum to testify. He won’t of course until Billy Butcher uses his charm and threatens to kill his family. Butcher isn’t in the best of moods since his mother tricks him into seeing his father. We learn why Butcher is the bastard he is. Considering how his father is, it’s a miracle that Butcher isn’t worse. Frenchie and Kimiko are tasked with protecting Neuman, on their stakeout, Kimiko begins teaching him her secret sign language. The Congressional hearing begins, and soon heads pop, it’s a bloody mess. Vogelbaum is one of the victims.

Butcher is through with working within the system, he’s ready to kill off the Seven (excluding Annie of course). Annie and Hughie think there’s a better way and leave to ask Maeve to testify. She turns them down; Maeve just doesn’t give a crap anymore. While in the car, A-Train super speeds his way into the car. He has a file on Stormfront he stole from the Church of the Collective, he hands it to them. A-Train doesn’t do it out of the kindness of his heart, he overheard Stan and Alastair, The Deep is back in the Seven, he isn’t because of Stormfront. They release this info on the web, it’s over for her. There’s a lot of fascists in this country now, but they won’t tolerate a sexy babe being over 100 though. That’s a bridge too far. Butcher makes a deal with Stan to find Ryan, he’ll hand the boy over to Vought if he and Becca can disappear. Becca knows her husband and makes him promise to give Ryan back to her, he does, because Butcher isn’t a total bastard. Stormfront shows up but Annie, Kimiko, and Maeve prove that girls get it done when they proceed to whup her ass. It was glorious. It looks like Butcher, Becca, and Ryan might escape but a beat up Stormfront stops them. She is killing Becca and Butcher is helpless to stop her, but Ryan uses his heat vision to tear her apart. Unfortunately, he kills his mother. Butcher contemplates killing Ryan, but he isn’t a total bastard, he remembers his promise to Becca, and stands up to Homelander when he shows up to get Ryan. His son would rather be with his nemesis, but before he can kill them both Maeve comes to the rescue again and blackmails him with the footage from the hijacked airliner to leave everyone alone. It appears Maeve does give a crap. At the press conference, Stan blames everything on Stormfront, Homelander pretends that Maeve and Annie are his best friends. Later her jacks off midair, he’s lost it. A-Train is back in the Seven, The Deep isn’t, he blasts the Church of the Collective. Butcher places Ryan in the CIA’s protective custody. Frenchie and Kimiko are a couple now, Milk reunites with his daughter, Annie is going to stay in the Seven, but Hughie is leaving the Boys and joins Neuman’s staff. What he doesn’t know is that Neuman is a supe and she’s the one who is popping people’s heads. When Hughie thinks he’s getting out, he keeps being dragged back in.

The first season was good, really good, but this season took a big leap forward. The leap forward was giving us background on the rest of the boys. We finally understand why Frenchie and Milk are in this game. They make Kimiko into an actual character this season. The Deep wasn’t with the Seven but they did a good job in keeping him in the story with the Church of the Collective, our stand-in for the Church of Scientology. We learn more about Maeve and Elena, and we see how corporations like Vought pretend to be allies to a marginalized group. The big storyline was Stormfront, who is a Nazi. She symbolizes the rise of fascism in our own country. Stormfront uses what most groups like this use, social media. She also has Vought helping her, they aren’t doing it because they are fascist, they just like riling people up to make money off it. In their case, selling Compound V to the general public and military. Vought International like most of our corporations in real life will do anything to make an extra buck and boost their stock prices. Aya Cash was a brilliant addition to the cast this season. I don’t know how much she’ll be in the third season, but whatever she contributes will be welcome. Another newcomer who I believe will play a larger role next season is Claudia Doumit. Victoria Neuman appeared to be a stand-in for AOC, and I’m sure a lot of conservatives see her as that evil, but Neuman is much more than a sly stand-in for a public figure. This season was a triumph and I look forward to season three.