Wisdom Of The Ages – The episode begins in what appears to be a secret, underground Vought lab where a Guard (Evan Annisette) detects a security breach. Tensions only tighten as the seconds tick away and they also learn that phone lines have been cut. Although it isn’t long before Homelander/John (Antony Starr) shows up with cake, it only makes the tension in the air tighter. As he addresses some of the Frank (Mark Charles Cowling) and Martin/Marty (Murray Furrow), it soon becomes clear that this is the lab where Homelander was created.

While William/Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) struggles with his own degrading medical condition, Daphne Campbell (Rosemarie DeWitt) makes the decision to have Hughie Campbell Sr.’s (Simon Pegg) feeding tube removed. Being that he will essentially starve to death in the next two weeks, Hughie Campbell Jr. (Jack Quaid) doesn’t take the news well.

Annie January/Starlight (Erin Moriarty) visits Robert Singer (Jim Beaver) with an interesting offer to put her massive following behind his Supe-Control Bill. She even promises to do it as Starlight as long as he assures her that he will not abandon his persecution of Vought. Annie later learns that she has more immediate problems when Firecracker (Valorie Curry) and Vought are in the process of setting up a benefit for children’s rights outside the Starlight House.

As Firecracker’s event begins, Annie arranges for Colin (Elliot Knight) and Kiara (Kimberly-Sue Murray) to sneak the children out of the Starlight House. Things immediately worsen when Marvin T. Milk/Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso) shows up to announce Bucher’s return to the team. There is a bit of standoff but once Marvin points out just how dire their situation is, both Annie and Frenchie (Tomer Capone) agree to Butcher’s return. After Annie refuses to share why it is that Firecracker dislikes her so much, Butcher claims all he needs is 50k and three hours to get all the dirt they need to bring Firecracker to her knees.

The situation at the Vought lab isn’t any better and only gets worse when Homelander entices Frank into a game of what he refers to as ‘wastepaper basketball.’ As the game gets underway, Homeland tells them how he created the game while Frank was practically burning him alive. Frank apologizes and claims he was doing his job, but Homelander ultimately forces him into the oven and burns him alive.

Both Kimko Miyashiro (Karen Fukuhara) and A-Train/Reggie Franklin (Jessie T. Usher) become outraged when they learn that Hughie has misled them into a meeting under false pretenses. Despite this and the fact that Homelander now personally watches over Vought’s Compound V supply, A-Train agrees to secure a vial if Hughie agrees to wipe their slate clean. Thanks to the Shining Light members who tailed Kimiko to the meet, things immediately spin out of control when A-Train agrees and leaves. Hughie ends up injured and he and Kimiko find themselves pinned down in a small office.

Butcher’s 50K investment ends up blowing up in Starlight’s face. Although he learns that Firecracker was arrested for statutory rape during her ‘Capes for Christ’ circuit, he can’t use it as blackmail because after threatening her, she confesses the sin. She also uses that opportunity to bring attention to Starlight killing a mother during her first save. When Butcher later returns with the keys to Firecracker’s trailer, it appears that he might have had a backup plan.

A-Train makes several shocking discoveries, including Ashley Barrett (Colby Minifie), while searching Homelander’s room for a vile of Compound V. As Homelander continues on his path of revenge, he turns his attention to Marty and gifting of the nickname, ‘Squirt.’ Being that Homelander was heavily monitored during his childhood, he had very little personal time. What personal time he did have, he apparently used to pleasure himself. This was until Marty caught him one day and not only laughed in his face but branded him with the nickname. Homelander attempts to return the favor by forcing Marty to masturbate in front of the group but he fails to achieve an erection. This leads to Homelander teasing him and ultimately lasering his penis off. Shortly after this Barbara (Nancy Lenehan) arrives.

Armed with whatever office supplies they can find, Hughie and Kimiko fend off an attack from the Shining Light members. They do a decent job until Kimiko’s lookalike shows up and blows her up with a grenade launcher. After regenerating, Kimiko ultimately gains the advantages but chooses to let her live. The ensuing conversation suggests that the girl hates Kimiko for turning her over to the Shining Light, who then trained her to fight to the death.

Although Frenchie finds Starlight’s abortion files in Firecracker’s trailer, the discovery comes too late. At the same time, Firecracker is sharing the news with the world. Starlight certainly doesn’t help her case when she beats the crap out of Firecracker on national TV. At nearly the same time, Ezekiel (Shaun Benson) discovers Frenchie in Firecracker’s trailer and makes quick work of him. Butcher eventually finds his way into the fray and just as it appears Ezekiel is about to Butcher, the screen abruptly goes black. When the focus returns, it appears that Ezekiel has spontaneously exploded, suggesting that Butcher has gained superpowers.

Although Barbara appears cautious and apprehensive around Homelander, she isn’t shy about pointing out the hard facts. Not only does she tell him what he’s doing to the staff is ‘little of him,’ she tells him that he had the power to leave at any time he wanted, yet he chose to stay.

When Frenchie wakes to find Colin tending to his injuries once again, he can no longer hold his tongue about murdering his family. Colin takes this as well as expected and nearly chokes him to death. Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) and The Deep/Kevin Moskowitz’s (Chace Crawford) relationship hasn’t been going much better due to her blowing off his every advance. That changes much later that evening when she attempts to explain her aloof attitude on her constantly growing brain. Things only get awkwardly better when she shows him how to give her a frontal lobotomy to temporarily stop her from being her so that she can enjoy herself.

Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) wastes little time capitalizing on Starlight’s misery and outburst, which eventually leads to Robert washing his hands of her. At the same time, Hughie meets with A-Train to collect the Compound V. Hughie appears to surprise him when he admits that he wasn’t going to wipe their slate clean but has changed his mind. He even shakes A-Train’s hand.

As soon as A-Train is gone, Butcher reveals himself. Butcher doesn’t waste any time playing the morality card and even after learning that the substance is for Hughie Sr., he still encourages him to not use it. Despite this, Hughie tells Butcher there’s more than enough and offers him some. Surprisingly, Butcher admits to using 4 months ago in hopes that it would kill him. Butcher claims it didn’t give him any powers.

The episode ends with Hughie ultimately deciding not to give his father the Compound. It is also suggested that Daphne beat him to the punch because when he excuses himself to get some air and returns with coffee, there is a few-second shot showing blue liquid in his father’s IV line. Hughie Sr. also has a reaction. Homelander leaves the Vought lab covered in blood with a smile a huge smile on his face.

 

The Boys Review

I cannot say I didn’t enjoy the episode, although it felt entirely too long. Unfortunately, that’s typically the case with most shows over an hour. Maybe it’s my attention span, but at times, I had trouble keeping interested. I wouldn’t necessarily say the content was boring and a lot of very important things happened. The prospect of Butcher and Hughie Sr. with superpowers is certainly a plot I’d like to see unfold. More importantly, where did the compound come from, if Hughie didn’t give it to him?

Daphne works at Vought but isn’t it under lock and key? It was nice to see Homelander get vindication and to watch The Deep’s relationship with Sage develop. That said, there were times when both went a bit far or rather over the top. This is also something I’ve come to expect from the show. I’d give the episode a 5.8 out of 10.

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