Beware Of The Jabberwock, My Son – The episode begins with Cameron Coleman (Matthew Edison) and The Deep/Kevin Moskowitz (Chance Crawford) laying out the upcoming attractions for the V52 Expo while Homelander (Antony Starr) struggle with vivid hallucinations backstage. Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) asks about his trip home and congratulates him on the success of the Expo but he remains silent. The footage abruptly switches to the hospital to reveal that Hughie Campbell Sr. (Simon Pegg) has fully recovered. The miraculous recovery is soon explained when Daphne Campbell (Rosemarie DeWitt) admits to giving him the Compound V that supposedly fell out of Hughie Campbell Jr.’s (Jack Quaid) coat pocket. Elsewhere, Annie January/Starlight (Erin Moriarty) already notices the negative fallout from Firecracker’s (Valorie Curry) slander.
Monique (Frances Turner) blames Marvin T. Milk/Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso) for Janine Milk (Liyou Abere) getting into another fight at school while William/Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) meets with Kessler (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). Kessler tries to convince Butcher to ditch his team and go solo with him. When he refuses, Kessler accuses him of going soft.
Starlight is right in the middle of questioning Frenchie (Tomer Capone) about Colin’s (Elliot Knight) sudden disappearance when Butcher returns to HQ, with the answer to all their problems. Before he can share the news about the virus, Marvin is questioning him again about how he killed Ezekiel (Shaun Benson). Butcher maintains the claim that he blacked out and uses the virus to detract further. Although the bug isn’t powerful enough to kill Homelander, the team decides to go after it. Butcher apparently already has a plan and all it will supposedly take is one Presidential Pardon.
At the V52 Expo, The Deep and Cameron showcase Firecracker’s upcoming movie before giving a heartfelt tribute to Ezekiel. Backstage, Sister Sage continues her hunt for Vought’s mole by questioning A-Train/Reggie Franklin (Jessie T. Usher).
With the Presidential Pardon in hand, Marvin and Butcher visit Stan Edgar (Giancarlo Esposito), with the offer of the pardon. As expected there is a bit of denying and negotiating, but Stan ultimately agrees to help them when Butcher tells him about Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) dosing Zoe Neuman (Olivia Morandin) with Compound V. Elsewhere, Hughie Sr. not only appears to be on the mend but making exotic travel plans. Things appear to be going rather well until Hughie Jr. finds a moment alone with Hughie Sr. to question him about giving Daphne Power of Attorney. He explains his decision with Hughie’s resistance to put down a childhood cat that was suffering.
Butcher and his team have now located Victoria’s lab in the basement of what appears to be an old barn. The smashed files and mess do not set the best atmosphere and Frenchie confirms their worst fears when he discovers several empty vials of what likely once held the virus they are after. At the same time, Butcher releases a caged bunny that’s being dosed with Temporary V. Things only get worse for everyone when Victoria shows up and asks what they’ve done with Sameer Shah (Omid Batahi). Upon realizing their predicament, they make a truce.
Returning to the V52 Expo, A-Train’s documentary is now getting playtime. At the same time, The Deep confronts Cameron about getting him fired as head of Crime Analysts. It’s not long after this they join A-Train on stage where they lay out Vought’s plan for further diversity. Elsewhere, Homeland and Ryan (Cameron Crovetti) are strategizing with Adam Bourke (PJ Byrne) for Ryan’s upcoming series. Much to Ryan’s surprise, Homelander not only asks Ryan’s earnest opinion but when he admits to not liking it, he tells him he doesn’t have to do it.
After discovering several dead lab assistants in another outbuilding, Butcher and his team are attacked by a chicken dosed with Compound V. Once they get to safety, this leads to Butcher accusing Victoria of misleading them. This leads to her asking if he shared their earlier deal with his team. Starlight appears to be the only member upset by the discovery. Butcher is quick to point out that he ultimately decided not to pursue the deal.
Things get even stranger at the farm when Butcher discovers a dying bunny that appears to have trellises growing out of it. He stomps it to death and keeps the discovery to himself for the moment. Tek Knight (Drek Wilson) is now on center stage at the Expo when A-Train makes Ashley Barrett (Colby Minifie) an unwitting accomplice by telling her that it was him who stole the files.
Things spin completely out of control at the hospital when Hughie Sr. learns of his new superpowers, which is immediately followed by adverse memory side effects. Strangely enough, his power appears to be somewhat similar to that of A-Train’s, with the added ability to glide through objects. He ends up running through several people and exploding them before he turns his anger on Daphne for leaving.
The Guardians of Godolkin, Sam Riordan (Asa Germann) and Cate Dunlap (Maddie Phillips) take the stage at the Expo when The Deep tells Cameron that he is stopping by later to see his wife. Much to The Deep’s surprise, Cameron knows all about his illicit affairs with Ambrosius (Tilda Swinton) and threatens to bring them to light if he does. Elsewhere, Homelander asks Ryan what he wants to do with his life. Ryan surprises him by saying that he really wants to help people. It’s unfortunate for Adam that he just happens to be nearby at the time, harassing Bonnie (Conni Miu).
When Stan stops for a rest at the farm, Starlight notices Frenchie toying with his crucifix. This leads to a brief discussion about forgiveness and eternal damnation which is shortly interrupted by a bull and several sheep dosed with Compound V. Their refuge in another outbuilding leads them to Sameer, a dead lab assistant, and a single dose of the virus. This leads to a heated debate about how to proceed. It is ultimately decided to dose the dead lab assistant and put him outside in hopes that the animals will eat him and in turn, become infected.
Things are still out of control at the hospital but Hughie Jr. brings it to an end using an old childhood memory. Hughie Sr. freaks out once he realizes he’s covered in blood. At the same time, the animals at the farm take the bait and begin to die. Being that the team didn’t get a sample of the virus; plans are made to take Stan back to prison. In the hysteria is also revealed that Sameer is missing but authorities did manage to find one of his legs. Victoria is later shown rescuing Stan.
Now that the Expo is over, Homelander has gathered the Seven at Vought Towers, where he basically tells them they are no longer going to care about their ratings and public image. He says they are going to be wrathful gods, starting with bringing Vought’s rat to justice. At that very moment, The Deep brings Cameron into the room, bound and gagged. A-Train appears appalled by the beating that ensues.
Also back at headquarters, Kimiko Miyashiro (Karen Fukuhara) tries to reach out to Frenchie, with an offer to talk, but it’s too late. He’s already at the police station confessing to murder. Hughie Jr. and Daphne euthanize Hughie Sr.
The episode ends with revealing that it was Butcher who was responsible for Sameer’s disappearance and missing limb. It’s also revealed that he and Kessler are working together to force Sameer to recreate the virus.
The Boys Review
Despite all the sentimentality and backstabbing, I have to say I didn’t enjoy the episode. I did find the suped-up animals at the ranch interesting and Homelander’s bonding with Ryan, but other than that, the entire episode for a miss for me on many levels. It did a good job of building on the story, adding some new plots, as well as ending several. I’m glad to see the Hughie Sr. plot draw to a conclusion as well as Vought’s rat issue.
I do have to admit that the virus is intriguing, although it’s nothing new. I’m not particularly interested in Frenchie’s sudden development of a dirty conscious, and all the Vought advertising, expos, and movies are growing stale. Despite that, the story seems to be on the right path toward what should be an action-packed final few episodes. I’d give the episode a 5.3 based on that alone.
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