NERD INITIATIVE

After that 2 episode premiere for THE BOYS (on Prime Video) Season 5 Episode 3, begins to set the tone for the season showing us the overall goal of everyone. KILL HOMELANDER has always been #1 on the to do list for the boys, but now the race is on for multiple reasons. Butcher is a ticking time bomb, and Homelander intends to transcend humanity.

***WARNING: There are spoilers ahead for Season 5 Episode 3***

CHECK OUT A SPOILER FREE REVIEW OF EPISODES 1-7 or CHECK OUT a SPOILER FILLED review for the FIRST TWO EPISODES

Last Seen on THE BOYS

The first two episodes gave us a beautiful send off and redemption arc for A-Train, and showed where everyone had been the last year. With the boys back together again, they pick up where they always leave off… how the hell are we gonna kill Homelander? This has been the goal since season 1, but there are always new complications, and absolutely diabolical twists. With Homelander now controlling the White House, he seems to have hit the ultimate goal of power. However, he still has those pesky daddy issues, and he knows Butcher will never stop trying to take him down.

We wrapped the last episode with the supe virus proving to be a success! A couple Teenage Kix, and a newly resurrected Soldier Boy are exposed to the virus and die a bloody boil filled death. As the boys celebrate their success, we see Homelander (with zero self awareness) start to break down over the loss of his dad, as he wonders why everyone leaves him. We then end with Soldier Boy still in a body bag, sitting up.

EPISODE 3: “Every One of You Sons of Bitches”

As we go back and forth from The Seven to the boys, we see Sage and Stan Edgar explain why Soldier Boy survived the supe virus. He got that OG Compound V: V1. Tested on thousands, and only 5 survived. Nevertheless he’s still pissed Homelander sent him out like that, and Homelander is not loving the attention that soldier boy is getting as they rebrand him an American hero, and place him on THE SEVEN!

As the boys go through Stan Edgar’s old files in an attempt find any leftover V1, Homelander demands there be a team looking for any, and a lab non stop researching until they can recreate it. While the boys want to destroy it, some of them begin to wonder if it can save the supes they love for when they unleash the supe virus on the world. As truths are revealed, however, the boys end up at a loss, and even lose Stan Edgar. The truth about Translucent’s death, as well as Victoria Neuman’s cause quick shifts in alliances.

We wrap with a panicked Strarlight taking off, and Ryan beat to a pulp by his own father. As Homelander is covered in his son’s blood, he sees Stan Edgar, and cradles his head like a child. While, Butcher does the same to an unconscious Ryan.

Read Between the Lines

A ton happened this episode in subtle quick moments. Some as simple as an expression. As Homelander begins to become jealous of his father, he has a coming to Madeline moment which shifts his whole perspective. Bathing in breast milk, he no longer seems (as) concerned with the opinions of his father. He’s more concerned with becoming immortal. Meanwhile, Ryan worries he’s turning into his father, and rightfully so. As Kimiko pets Terror, and Frenchie watches with a smile, we see what their future could be. Proceeded by a moment of Kimiko making up for a past sin by letting Sameer and Zoe go.

One subtle moment stood out for me: an incredibly subtle moment by Soldier Boy. As Sage explains V1 she lists the 5 people who survived the testing for the original Compound V: Soldier Boy, Stormfront, Bombsite, Private Angel, and Torpedo. Unaware who Stormfront is, he learns it’s Liberty, or Clara. We learned back in season 3 he started Herogasm with her, but we never really learned about their relationship. However, that subtle expression shows she was more than a co-founder of Herogasm to him.

VOUGHT RISING

The prequel to THE BOYS, Vought Rising, will star Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy, and Aya Cash as Stormfront or “Clara Vought.” The other names listed by Sage will also appear per the IMDB page. Season 5 seems to be subtly laying easter eggs for what to expect from that series, while getting us curious about these characters and their relationships. It looks like that series is intended to be more than one season, and should kick off in 2027. However, no official release date has come out, nor has season 2 been officially greenlit.

The Race for V1 Continues

While the boys lost Sameer, Starlight took off, and their lab was destroyed, they got a lead from Edgar’s old files. Looks like it’s off to Fort Harmony to find out what killed those boy scouts back in 1963.

I got to give this episode 9.25 V-Bro Mango Thunder Body Sprays out of 10. It had some fun twists, a new relationship created, the return of Ryan, some Gen V tie ins, and so much more.

For more THE BOYS coverage, check out our YouTube playlist: Saturdays are for The Boys. We have recaps and comparisons to the comic books, interviews with some stars, and post episode recaps.

Did you watch? What were your thoughts?