While the “super-hero” genre may be oversaturated by now, there’s a such as quality over quantity. And, in the case of Amazon Prime’s “The Boys”, this is peak material! Political satire, mirrors real-life issues, compelling characters where everyone gets their moment, and an ending that leaves us wanting more. Marvel and DC may be the popular kids, but Dynamite Entertainment with Amazon Prime shows us what would really happen if superheroes were real. But before I continue, SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
We last left off, with the Boys being fractured, as Billy Butcher comes up with a plan to kill Homelander by finding the long-thought dead Supe, “Soldier-Boy”. Through some Russian Mafia connections, they find Soldier-Boy, but he’s totally messed up. Almost killing Kimiko, he escapes, leaving The Boys wondering what the hell is going on. M.M has a history with him, as we discover that Soldier-Boy was responsible for the death of his family members, and M.M and Butcher come to philosophical debates about how they take down the Supes and Vought Industries. Meanwhile, The Seven is looking more and more sparse. Black Noir (one of Soldier-Boy’s teammates,) goes AWOL, A-Train tries to be “woke” only to be more of a pawn for Vought, The Deep is still Homelander’s b**ch, and Queen Maeve was taken to an underground facility. When the time comes to rally together, The Boys learn through Starlight that Hughie and Butcher have been shooting up with an experimental drug that gives them powers for 24 hours. The catch is that after five doses, their brain turns to mush.
This season was a must-watch, from beginning to end. From Super-Hero “reality tv” contests to Supe Orgies, to the revelation that Soldier-Boy is really Homelander’s father (dun, dun dun!!), The Boys never disappointed. Even fan favorites, such as Kimiko and Frenchie, M.M., Stan Edgar (who is the most dangerous man in Vought, even without powers), and A-Train get quality character development. Some may ask why the season feels so short, compared to its counterparts from different franchises. But honestly, The Boys always had that “get to the point, while dropping knowledge” approach. And the final battle…ya’ll! Y’ALL!!! The way we thought it was gonna be a four-on-one, with Butcher, Maeve, Soldier-Boy, and Hughie against Homelander. But Homelander is starting to learn from his mistakes! Not only does he bring in his son, Ryan (trying to appeal to Soldier-Boy’s parental emotions.), but we see archrivals in Butcher and Homelander try to stop Soldier-Boy! The team-up doesn’t last, though, as Maeve and Homelander finally duke it out. That leaves The Boys to deal with Soldier-Boy. While they try to use nerve gas to knock him out, it’s actually Maeve (minus one eye) that pushes Soldier-Boy out of the window as he reaches critical mass. Upon exploding, we think Maeve doesn’t survive the explosion, but she does albeit powerless now. As everyone moves on, revelations galore are seen. Butcher has cancer (due to abusing the Drug, Temp- V), Frenchie found some much-needed independence, Starlight leaves Vought and is with The Boys full-time, and Homelander’s dream of being loved came true. Even if it’s in the worst way, by killing a protester in the crowd while his son was there. What’s worse, is that Ryan begins to like the attention, giving an evil grin. Now, with Edgar’s “daughter”, Victoria Neuman, running for Vice-President (the Supe who explodes people’s limbs with her mind, from last season.) The Boys find their next target.
As I said before, this season gives us much-needed character development and backstories, and it’s a real treat to see. M.M, struggling with his trauma, Kimiko’s path of self-discovery, the stoic and deadly Black Noir losing and then regaining his nerve to fight. Even Ashley, the secretary who was always in fear, getting promoted and exuding power! Butcher, himself, goes through some revelations, as we see how his younger brother committed suicide after being abused by his father. Which makes the relationship between Butcher and Hughie make more sense. What’s also surprising, is the fact that some fans are upset with how politics are shown in the show, despite it mirroring real-life situations. The season finale is a clear example of how media can either amplify or twist narratives for the user. The Boys is smart enough to give us some great superhero action we won’t find anywhere else, but also isn’t afraid to use satire to discuss racial issues, police brutality (or Supe brutality, in this case.), and political agendas. I give Amazon Prime’s The Boys, a rare 10 out of 10! Thanks for giving this a read, be sure to tell me what you think in the comments below. Till next time, fellow blerds!!
The Boys are back in tow, as Season 3 of Amazon Prime’s “The Boys” dropped, and I’ll be covering the latest four episodes. As always, SPOILERS AHEAD!!!
From the first 15 minutes of episode one, we’re treated (or horrified, depending on how you look at it) by a Supe (person with powers) shrinking down to size Ant-Man style, into a man’s penis…then, exploding inside said man’s penis!!! I mean, this show doesn’t hold back!!! After the events of last season, in which saw Homelander lost not only his love in Stormfront ( a Nazi Supe), but his son, Ryan chose to go with Billy Butcher. Butcher, himself, had to deal with his own anger. After choosing to protect Ryan over killing Homelander (Ryan’s biological mom was Butcher’s love, who Homelander raped.) Butcher placed him in better care, as he was unable to care for a child. The rest of the team, Frenchie and Kimiko, M.M, and Hughie have all gone to fix their personal lives. Starlight, Hughie’s love interest has gone back to the Seven (think a twisted version of the Justice League), and the Seven itself is reeling from The Boys leaking that Stormfront was a Nazi, which hurt Vought Industries (the pharmaceutical company that sponsors The Seven).
Now that we’re caught up, it seems the main theme of season 3 is trying to find a way to kill Homelander, as he’s becoming more and more insane. From almost frying A-Train (think The Flash, but as a black man…and as a sellout.), to making The Deep (think Aquaman who sexually assaults his female teammates) eat a live squid, Homelander is unhinged. As Starlight is co-Captain, this is enough to make Homelander clean house. Ousting former CEO Stan Edgar (played brilliantly by Giancarlo Esposito), Homelander is essentially in charge of the company. Which is a very, very bad thing.
On the Boys’ side, Hughie is trying to work within the system, to legally end Supes abusing their power. M.M is divorced and trying to hold things together, as he digs into his father’s killer. Butcher, Frenchie, and Kimiko work under Hughie to detain illegal Supes. But Butcher is tired of playing by the rules and thanks to his contact, Queen Maeve (Wonder Woman-type heroine), Billy obtains a drug called Temp V. It’s a drug that gives the user superpowers for 24 hours. As Butcher starts to use this, it becomes clear that an eventual confrontation with Homelander while using Temp V, is inevitable. The Boys come together to find a weapon that can kill Homelander, which brings them to a Supe called Soldier Boy. A sick version of Captain America with powers, Soldier Boy is thought to be dead, after stopping a nuclear explosion. But upon realizing that Soldier Boy is still alive (and has connections to M.M’s dad) The Boys set to free him…which turns out to be a disaster. Kimiko loses her powers, Frenchie is indebted to the Russian mafia, and Hughie is hooked on Temp V, The Boys are a hot damn mess! But they may be the only hope with finally Homelander, once and for all. With Starlight’s attempts to turn members of the Seven against him fruitless, Homelander seems to be holding all the cards.
As always, The Boys use the superhero genre to discuss different topics. From A-Train being a corporate lackey and his horrible attempt to quell racial strife in his neighborhood to Starlight not being seen as a sex symbol, to Homelander giving speeches that eerily remind us of certain politicians in power in real life. The Boys is the perfect show that uses pop culture to discuss modern-day issues. So far, a rare 10 out of 10! Be sure to share this, if you enjoyed it, and stay tuned for more reviews and original content. Until next time, fellow blerds!
