#the boys season 4 episode 4 is the ONE TIME i will be a homelander supporter

[darealsaltysam]

that final shot of homelander in the elevator changed lives. by the way

[flaggermuser]

When You Loved Me

1,209 words || Fluff, Spoilers for Season 4 Episode 4, Hurt/Comfort, GN Reader, Doctor Reader, Happy Ending, Childhood Trauma ||

Inspired by the idea that at least one doctor would have formed an attachment.

Thank you to @bisexualhomelander for being my beta

They're nearly all dead, there's just one loose end that Homelander needs to tie up.

So he stands outside the unassuming house, ready to cross the final name off his list, which he found in an old abandoned file documenting his ‘development’.

It was a stroke of luck that he found you - it seemed as if Vogelbaum scrubbed you from all official records.

Determined to finish what he's started, he knocks on your door and waits impatiently, ready to strike you down where you stand.

“I’m coming!”

He freezes, his entire body tensing up as your voice unlocks memories from his time in the lab, ones buried deep somewhere at the back of his mind.

A frightened and hurt little boy being held, being comforted after the incinerator and the other horrible forms of torture he was subjected to.

“Shhh, it's okay, you're okay. I'm here. Shall we read another story?”

The door slowly opens and there you are. 

Now that he's seen your face, the memories are more vivid. There’s still that kindness in your eyes, the one he saw every night before he went to sleep. 

At least, for a few months before you disappeared.

“Hello, John.” Your smile is still as warm as he remembers. “My, how you’ve grown. Come in, come in!”

With trepidation, he slowly enters, unsure of what he’ll find. It’s homely, filled with curiosities and everything he’s ever associated with a true American home. As he follows you into your living room, he notices some of the pictures on the wall with you and your former colleagues at Vought, some of whom he’s already killed.

“Would you like something to drink?”

“A glass of milk would be nice,” he replies, trying his best to smile while conflicting thoughts swirl in his mind.

He was so convinced that you were like the others that had you not spoken, he would have killed you the moment you opened the door.

“Well take a seat, I’ll be right back.”

He takes a seat on your couch, hands in his lap, looking around the room again. That’s when he notices the mantelpiece, covered in photos and newspaper clippings, all in ornate frames.

Not of your family - of him. They’re all of him.

Taking pride of place in the middle of the mantelpiece is a picture from several years ago.

“Don't worry John, it's just a camera. All I'm going to do is take a picture of just the two of us. I promise it won't hurt.”

He's sat on your lap, your arms around him, holding him tightly, protectively, a smile on your face.

He’s smiling too. He’s happy. He’s with you.

They took you from me.

“Here we go,” your return snaps him back to reality, his eyes softening as he notices the glass of milk in your hand and a plate of cookies in your other, settling it down on the coffee table in front of him.

It’s such a sweet gesture.

You take a seat in a nearby armchair, “It’s so wonderful to see you again.”

After all these years, you’re still this beacon of absolute kindness.

“Do I call you John or Homelander?”

“John.”

How did I forget how lovingly you said my name? How did I forget you?

“I’m so proud of you, you’ve done so well. And look at you, you’re The Homelander! Leader of the Seven!”

His lower lip quivers, trying to keep himself together but it’s proving harder. Your praise comes from a place of pure love, something he’s never experienced or at least, he can’t remember experiencing.

“I see you’ve noticed the mantel. I know I must seem mad but I’ve been following your progress.”

You cared about me, you care about me, it’s all genuine.

“You were so young when I last saw you, with that lovely little smile.”

You reach out to take his hand but he pulls away, only so he can take off his glove. It looks so small in his, he knows if he squeezes just a little, all your bones would be crushed to dust.

But he won't.

“The things we did. Oh John, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry that I didn’t do anything to save you. I should've stood up to Vogelbaum, I should've protected you."

Saved him, protected him - the regret is written all over your face.

They regretted their actions too, only after he reminded them. Then they apologised but it was too late for them, maybe it’s still too late for you. 

He squeezes your hand, trying to comfort you. 

“You know, I think about you every day. I wanted to reach out but I figured Vogelbaum would have any attempt at contact blocked, especially from me. All because I chose to be human.”

Human. They were human too and they tortured me.

It’s clear that is a sore subject for you, nowhere near as painful for him but the fact it makes you sad somehow makes him feel better. It shows that you cared.

“They fired me for ‘interfering with the experiment’ but how could I not?! You were scared, you were crying and they left you all alone in that horrid room.”

The bad room.

“I couldn’t just leave you there to cry yourself to sleep. So I volunteered to take the night shift. Do you remember… remember the first time?”

His jaw tightens, desperately searching his mind for even the tiniest hint of a recollection yet all of the torment he was subjected to has buried everything deeper. 

“You were terrified that I was going to hurt you, your eyes glowed red and you trembled. I knew you didn’t want to hurt me but you would if you had to.”

You understood.

“It took you a few minutes to realise I wouldn’t hurt you - I think it was the books under my arm that convinced you I wasn’t a threat.”

A single flash - “Would you like me to read you a story?”

“I sat down on your bed, you sat on my lap and we read story, after story, after story. Until you didn’t want me to read anymore, you just wanted me to hold you. So I did exactly that.”

He desperately wants to remember, he needs to remember. 

“Then Vogelbaum found out, I must have forgotten to turn the cameras off and I was removed from the project. I should’ve fought for you, I should’ve marched right back in there and demanded to take you. But I didn’t.”

But you’re here now. They’re all dead but you’re still here.

“I forgive you,” it slips out of his mouth, however, this time it’s heartfelt. He means this without malice.

You’re the parent he’d always wanted, living in a house he always dreamed of, serving him milk and cookies like he’s still that young boy you cared about.

Maybe it wasn’t too late, maybe there could be something here, born from the ashes of your past sin and his trauma.

Sniffling, you wipe away your tears, tightening your grip on his hand. When the smile returns, it’s affectionate and all for him.

“I want you to know, John. I need you to know, that you’ll always have a place here and in my heart."

[positivexcellence]

The Boys boss knows a Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki reunion would 'break the internet': 'It's occurred to me'

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Kripke confirms that, "yeah, it's fair" to say the plan is for the actor to join up on The Boys next season. He also coyly teased that he's thought about a reunion between Padalecki and Ackles

"The value of that is to break the internet. So we'll see whether it's right for the story," Kripke says. "But yes, it's occurred to me that putting those two in a scene together would destroy much of the world, and that's appealing."

Padalecki told Deadline that he spoke with Kripke about a role last week, saying, "I think at this point in my acting life, I only want to work on projects that I really care about or with people that I really care about, and obviously Eric and I are indelibly connected forever." He was firm in his desire to do it. He said, "The answer is yes," should the role work out.

Kripke now tells EW, "We both have now seen that it looks like our schedules will line up. I don't have the role for him yet just because we haven't cooked it up. We're still really early in the season 5 break, but it does seem like the planets are aligning. Barring any unforeseen disaster, it seems like it'll happen. Again, I don't know what the character is, I don't know if it's one episode or more, I genuinely know a total of zero about all of that. I'm not being coy. I really don't know."

There have been multiple Supernatural alums who crossed over onto The Boys, but Ackles appeared in a big way during season 3 as Soldier Boy, a World War II-era, Captain America-esque supe with a big connection to Homelander (Antony Starr). Kripke previously told EW that he was purposefully leaving the door open after that climactic season finale episode for more Ackles on the show.

"The old TV adage is like, never kill anyone unless you really, really have to. Never close a door, open a window," Kripke said at the time. "We'll all have to wait and see, but I can't imagine the series ending without Soldier Boy making another appearance." The actor then reprised Soldier Boy for a cameo in spinoff series Gen V.

The Boys season 4 currently belongs to Morgan, who arrives on the scene as Joe Kessler, a former colleague of Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) who shares his hatred for supes. "I just saw that his show got f---ing chicken. So I'm sure he'll get on it," Morgan told EW of Padalecki possibly joining the ranks. "I think that they're talking about it. Kripke, he'll bring him on. Jared's so f---ing big. He could just be a monster. He's Bigfoot, dude."

EW

[totalfrybag87]

I’ve never seen people so divided over an episode of The Boys before. Granted I wasn’t active in the online fandom until the tail end of the Season 3 rollout but I digress. What did y’all think if the newest episode? (Under the cut are my thoughts)

So um. I’m really half-n-half with this week’s episode.

There are a lot of things that I enjoyed:

- A-Train saving MM and then him and the kid smiling at each other at the hospital (kripke do not harm my pookie…)

- The Joe Kessler hallucination reveal (even though it was obvious, JDM ate that monologue UP!)

- A-Train and Kimiko interaction cuz how tf does Tek Knight have the perfect titles for books in there??? Also the last time they interacted (from what I remember) is from season 1 where they tried to kill each other so seeing them cooperate is cool.

- The Deep giving the new Noir some direction, something he desperately needed, and effectively radicalizing him (also shows how with a little push from Sage he went off the deep end. Ha.)

- The key book unlocking the dungeon being 120 days of sodom because…. Ofc it is

- Dumb sage interacting with HL and Victoria

- HL realizing he ain’t that smart when it comes to politics and can’t buzzword his way into political domination AND ALMOST CRYING LMAO? Also it affirmed what Barbara said in episode 4 about his need for love.

- Victoria saving HL’s ass cuz SHE is the actual politician and knows what she’s doing #girlboss

- Breast milk nut shot, had me screaming early in the morning cuz that actually shocked me

- Tek Knight being tortured via Starlight, Kimiko, Hughie (and Laddio) donating millions to causes that go against him i.e. The Innocence Project

- Tek Knight dying HALLELUJAH!!! Get that racist rich man gone.

- Hughie acknowledging that he was not okay at the end because with the shit he went through, no one would be.

But, I do have my gripes:

- Hughie’s SA scene. Way too long. Did I have to see him get violated for like half the episode?

- The dialogue. This emcompasses multiple episodes but the dialogue is so…. Edgy? To the point where it’s cringeworthy at times. It’s like that meme “If Vivziepop Wrote The Boys” and it’s just unecessary cursing or awkwardly placed cussing. Like why are these grown adults cursing like middle schoolers who just discovered “fuck shit bitch” for the first time?

- The Supe Virus. Sooooo it was fucking useless okay. But this does leave the door open for Sage. She is obviously not on Homelander’s side, she’s just there for her master plan of overthrowing him (that caesar line? Come on). I feel like she could pull off some double agent shit and help The Boys with the virus. If she can discover a cure for a disease at 11, she can definitely adjust the inner workings of a virus in her 30s. I hope that’s what happens in this season or at least in the next season. (Writers do not fail me now)

- Eric Kripke admitting that Hughie’s SA scene was supposed to be funny like bro what? You were able to handle Annie’s with grace but now that it’s a guy it’s funny now? I can understand making his situation somewhat comedic but really disturbing cuz that’s how I initially interpreted it and it’s really absurd if you decide to unpack the scene (okay i’m going undercover, wuh oh now i’m in a sex dungeon and am about to be dominated :0). But yeah, weird asf. Poor Hughie man. SOURCE

- This episode felt like filler. It’s like they sacrificed narrative progression for Hughie getting tortured. Let’s see what exactly happened in this episode that moved the general narrative forward (at least what I picked up on): A-Train redeeming himself more leading to his eventually defection from The Seven, Joe Kessler hallucination reveal, Sage sorta kinda losing her reliability with HL due to her getting shot in the head, The Deep radicalizing Black Noir 2, The Boys getting dirt on Victoria I guess. Idk I feel like we could’ve gotten more relevant plot moments had they just cut up the SA scene.

But that’s just what I think, lemme know your thoughts.

[crimswnred]

LOVE ISLAND THE GAME TEMPTING FATE: thoughts and mostly prayers

for the first time in a long time we are the hottest character in the cast LET'S GOOOOOOO

here's my girl

oh ok, Jin is the funny boy of the season™ and also the Asian guy™

and Theo and Claudia are the day one couple ughh I'm sensing hate being thrown to my girl as we speak

Claudia what are you doing here it's carnaval 😭

Oakley hates Emel wtf 😭😭😭😭

I, for one, love Emel, she'll be my best frenemie

"gonna rule myself out" SHUT UP

me and Jin hit it off y'all I don't know what to tell you he told a joke I laughed we fuck that's how it goes for me every season

Theo isn't like Ozzy because Ozzy had no shame and would just blatantly flirt with us, Theo is more like Noah or Kobi

Jin is gonna be my boy but I'm eyeing Oakley up

Jack can fuck off I guess

Jesus Christ that was a loooong episode, EPISODE TWO HERE WE GO

Theo and Claudia? oh I'm breaking this couple but not the way y'all think 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈

first date with Theo: potentially a great friends to lovers dynamics

homeland MENTIONED

well, Theo, I'm really close with my family in Brazil too

first date with Jack: he's cute, I won't lie... and what's that that I heard? HE HAS TWO MUMS LET'S GO LESBIANS

first date with Jin: if he didn't tell me every 5 seconds he's a model, I would never guess.

he's so silly 😭 yeah guys he's ticking my boxes

LIKE the prank? it wasn't the best prank ever but it was kind of funny

last but not least, first date with Oakley: okay local hero vibes. he's kinda serious, I really like him

"I perform better when Oakley is watching" JIN SHUT UP

okayyyy little kissy kiss

Luna didn't like me at all, did she? 😭 I don't blame her, like, I did kiss her man twice already... and I like how she came and talked to me to clear things out but it's obvious fusebox is gonna make her hate me no matter what

I can't deal with Emel's style 💀

me saying I hate cheaters as if cheating hasn't been my game for like, 5 out of 7 seasons 😭😭

okayyy so apparently we are not the first bombshell, cool. so why are we picking who we want to couple up???

Jin is kind of a player oh noooooo

me: I hate cheaters!! also me: sneaks out to meet Jin in the daybeds

Jin: we should always be honest!! also Jin: tells Luna we were just drinking water.

the girl will be DUMPED? alright........

okay, now, where's the Tempting Fate part?

conclusion: it just feels a lot like season 4, except none of the girls acted bitchy towards us like Lexi did. Am I dying of excitement? not even close. but I like Jin so far and also Oakley, so let's see how it goes

[slavic-roots-western-mind]

My top Russian Tv-Shows

Despite this being mainly a mandarinblr, I still try to practise my other languages so here are some of the most interesting tv-shows in russian for my fellow russian-learners and speakers and anyone interested.

Kitchen - Кухня This show has several spin-offs including Hotel Eleon and Grand which I will not mention as by the end of the last spin-off there are literally no characters from the original cast and the plot slightly goes of the rails. The actual show is set a french restaurant in Moscow where Max Lavrov, who just finished his military service decided to work at. The show follows the various challenges that Max faces at his new workplace, including the foul-tempered but very talented Chef Viktor Barinov who has a drinking problem and other interesting characters. It's quite funny and heart-warming, and it's a must-watch imo.

Youth - Молодёжка A pretty standard sports series tv plot. The hockey-team "Bears" are a meh team at best, but that all changes when a former National Hockey League player turned coach shows up to make a proper team out of them. I only watched the first season because after that the plot got a tad boring for me, but as far as sports series go, pretty good.

Law of the Lawless (Not the 1964 film!) - Бригада A cult-classic staple of only 15 episodes. The plot is a bit over the place at the beginning, as opening episodes sequence is a flashback to the start of the final episode but after that it's chronological, with the first episode w english subtitles here. 4 best friends start out as youths from early 1990s to 2000s, with one returning home after finishing his army service with plans for uni and the others just starting their lives. However, the Perestroika had significantly changed their lives, so eventually the gang turns from racketeering and petty crime to slowly becoming the mafia. The opening theme is worth watching alone, but then again I'm biased.

How I became Russian - Как я стал русским This comedy show is quite dear to me, as it follows an American journalist with russian and slavic roots navigating life and work in Russia as he works on a story about life in Russia for a major newspaper back home. He's back in his homeland but as a foreigner who finds his heritage utterly confusing. This series resonates with me, as despite having a good grasp of my cultures languages and customs, I still feel disconnected from my heritage at times, and this show has been a reassuring reminder that not being 100% attuned with your heritage is okay, and that there are many different ways of re-connecting with your culture.

Closed school - Закрытая Школа I was slightly tramuatized by this show when I first watched it 4ish years ago, in part due to how unhinged and off the rails the plot slowly but surely becomes. A descent into madness. Andrei and his sister are sent to study at the Logos boarding school, but are then informed that their parents have perished. Andrei doesn't believe this, so he sets off to investigate with his new friends and investigate he does. There are also some other background shenanigans going on, but the unraveling of the schools mystery remains the main interest, including its odd passageways and deeply disturbing history. As a thriller series, it honestly deserves that title.

Here are some shows that came out more recently that I think deserve a mention.

The Boy's Word: Blood on the Asphalt- Слова пацана кровь на осфальте I've only seen a few episodes out of the 8, but it's very Brigada-esque so far. During the mid-late 1980s when Perestroika is going on and the USSR is soon to be no more, 14 year old Andrei is trying to survive as he's constantly bullied at school and by gang-members. He makes friends with one of said gang members Marat, as he slowly descends into the world of street life. I'll finish watching this series sometime probably.

The new guy - Новенький 16-year old Max moves from his glamorous life in Moscow to a small-town Yurovsk due to his parents constant arguing, where he immediately doesn't get along with his clasmmates who think him stuck-up and start bullying him. One day Max goes missing and his classmates are the obvious suspects, as slowly but surely secrets start to emerge revealing everyone's lies. A pretty good suspense/thriller show, which covers the topics of bullying, coming of age and what it means to be an adult pretty well, despite the 4th and final season being kind of lackluster.

Central Russia's Vampires - Вампиры средней полосы Where to even begin with this show. I don't know whether I should introduce the trailer or the opening theme song mv. Basically the life of a small and unconventional vampire family living in Smolensk, presumably in central Russia, who get disturbed when bodies with distinct bite marks are found nearby. This results in the Guardians (aka the guys keeping vampires a secret and ensuring that no one acts out) taking over and investigating with the vampire leader Svyatoslav Vernidubovich given a week to find and punish the culprit. My odd plot description aside, the cast is why I adore this show. The recently turned Gen-Z wannabe blogger Zhenyok, the thousand year old grandpa Svyatoslav, the constantly annoyed Dr. Zhan Ivanovich (who is actually french and decided to hang around after Napoleon was defeated) and his ex-wife The Countess who honestly should have a spin-off show and many more characters.

Doomsday - Конец Света Satan decides to come back to Earth and start the apocalypse, for which he needs his son Dimyan who should become the Antichrist but to his dismay, Dimyan doesn't really care about world domination and money, he just wants to get married to his fiancee Galya and live happily ever after. Chaos ensues as satan tries to persuade Dimyan to join him, whilst Angel vs Demon shenanigans occur in the background. I honestly had no idea that this type of show could even be produced due to the censors and yet it was. It's kind of slightly similar to Good Omens with all the apocalypse stuff and the Angels and Demons eventually teaming up? Good Omens adjacent. Except more gritty with much darker humour. The actor who plays satan is Yuri Kolokolnikov who actually starred in game of thrones so if you're a fan of his acting, do try this show.

Alisa can't wait - Алиса не может ждать Alisa is a 15-16 (don't remember her exact age) year old girl who is going blind and she decides to do something really drastic to ensure that her life will be comfortable after she loses all sight. There's a noticeable build-up to what she's actually planning during the episodes, as her homelife is less than ideal, with her older sister stuck in an unhappy marriage and a turbulent relationship with her parents. This is one of the few shows that really left a deep impression on me but it deals with some very sensitive and potentially upsetting topics so be aware if you're giving it a go.

This list may be updated in the future, so if there are any other shows that I may have missed do share them!

[captainimfangirling]

The Boys Season 4 Episode 7

I lied. I stayed up until 2 am waiting for this episode to stream but I'm actually surprised it was better than the last one.

Warning: Major Spoilers.

A-Train

I didn't like A-Train but know I do. Good for him for doing the right thing and becoming an actual super hero. Not sure if this will be a popular opinion or not but I don't think his deed is done. After he hides his family I think he should come back and finish the job with The Boys. They sure can use him. Also he shouldn't be running off after what he told M.M. because he would be a hypocrite.

Butcher

My gut feeling tells me Joe Kessler is going to take over after Butcher passed out. Like we thought Butcher was going to do the right thing at the end but sadly not when Kessler takes over. I think if he does take over Butcher Starlight will figure it out because she heard that name. Also what was the f*cking point of making him cheat on Becca?! I mean I didn't ship them or anything and I know he was a asshole and a drunk but still I feel like they added that so we start hating on Butcher. Is Butcher (or Kessler) going to do something really f*cked up? Like kill Ryan? I've always said Kessler is like the comic book Butcher influencing TV Butcher and he's probably going to kill Ryan like he did in the comic books.

Hughie & Starlight

Because of what happened to Hughie last episode the shapeshifter tricking him into having sex with "Starlight" made me very uncomfortable. I mean I get the show is supposed to be f*cked up but wow give the guy some time to breathe. I'm scared for Starlight and I hope they give Hughie a chance to save her. I think that's all he wanted to do last season because he couldn't save Robin. I don't think it was all about Starlight being stronger than him.

Kimiko & Frenchie

Yup like I said both of them have so much in common and can heal together. I love that we finally get a backstory of why Kimiko can't talk. She had to be silent as she killed other girls in order to live so she was never able to speak again. To be honest I don't get what the point was about Frenchie turning himself in. Are we supposed to see his as his redemption and all is forgiven because he did the right thing?

The Deep

To be honest I'm not surprised The Deep broke Ambrosius' tank and let her die. The Deep always used and abused women. He didn't change at all. He finally got a taste of his own medicine when he found out about Sage and this time it's the correct way (the wrong way was him getting sexually assaulted in season one). Anyway did anyone know Ambrosius was voiced by Tilda Swinton because I for as hell didn't.

Black Noir 2 & Sage

Black Noir 2 was hilarious in this episode. I wonder if The Boys are going to figure out that he's is a different supe because they saw him talk and fly. I mean they would've known about Earving condition from Mallory, right? I think they should start a rumor about Black Noir being replaced so conspiracy theories fan would believe it. I always knew Sage had a sexual relationship with Black Noir 2 but didn't think she was going to break his heart. My poor baby. I love how she didn't have to lobotomize herself to have sex with him like The Deep. I'm so mad at Homelander for firing her but it's probably for the best if you want her to be redeemed or work with The Boys. I think she really was going to help Homelander but when she realized he wont actually listen to her she doesn't give a damn about the plan anymore and will probably help The Boys if she's hasn't given up on anyone listening to her.

Homelander, Firecracker, and Ryan

I am so proud of Ryan but I am also scared for him. Yeah Homelander didn't mean it at all when he told Ryan he can do whatever he wants. Homelander only wants Ryan to listen to him. I think Ryan is finally understanding. I have a feeling there's going to be son and father argument and Ryan is going to say I thought you said I can do whatever the f*ck I want but I guess you didn't mean it. What was that notebook Sage put on the table? I hope it belongs to Firecracker and it exposes her. Like how she writes down her plans of manipulating Homelander and step one was the breast milk. I keep saying oh this or that is going to push Homelander over the edge but when the hell is that going to happen? Next season? Because I for sure thought Homelander was finally going to go crazy and act like a god he thinks he is after the bad room episode but the next episode he's drinking titty milk from Firecracker and the episode after that he's manipulated into firing Sage who actually had everything figured out for him.

Mother's Milk

You know what M.M. getting skinny actually makes sense. Maybe he wasn't eating right because of all the stress. I know the actor wanted to lose weight but they should've written it into the plot. Anyway I'm happy he tried to save his ex-wife and daughter but A-Train is right. They wont be safe until they stop Homelander. That's why I think A-Train will come back.

Victoria

I don't care for her to be honest. I thought she was more interesting and fun when I thought she was going to be just as ruthless as Homeladner. I think they're trying to make her sympathetic so we can compare her relationship with her daughter and Homelander's relationship with Ryan.

Ashley

I adore her and this is the first time I'm saying that. She's right that Vought turns people evil. I've always said this. I think all supes were like Starlight at one point even Homelander (watch the cartoon series and see) wanted to be a real hero but Vought messed them up very badly. She's just too scared to leave. I hope she does the right thing at the end.

[revcnqe]

SPOILERS for The Boys Season 4

I'm still processing the final episode but here are some of my random thoughts, in no particular order. It was a wild ride and I enjoyed it for the most part. The season had its lows for sure and I'll never forgive the writers for how they treated Hughie. I'm still fucking mad about everything they did to him after episode 5. I also felt like they wasted a lot of potential with Annie's arc. She's been through a lot after season 3 and I loved the idea of her having an identity crisis but it was just so poorly executed. It all felt messy and as if the writers had no conclusion in mind for both her and Hughie's plotlines. Unfortunately I couldn't find myself caring a lot about Frenchie's and Kimiko's subplots which is sad because I love these two. I was hoping they get to kill that bitch Little Nina and Kimiko getting her revenge on the SLLA. Both could have happened this season before they got separated in the end. Instead we've been put on hold to wait if these plots get resolved at all. Firecracker and Sage were great additions, I loved to hate Firecracker and Sage gives off endboss vibes for me. I still feel like she's gonna betray Homelander in the end. Can't wait for "phase two". A-Train's arc was great, he truly redeemed himself and him showing up at the flat iron to save the others was proof enough for me how serious he was about doing the right thing. I liked all of his scenes with MM, too. I loved Ashley this season, I hope she gains some badass powers and kicks everyone's ass. I've seen some complaints about Homelander being nerfed - are we watching the same show? He is fucking unhinged and more terrifying than ever. He is basically god by the end of the season and can (and will) do whatever the fuck he wants with no one in his way. Someone telling me that's not scary?! He is and always will be one of the best villains in tv history. Poor kid Ryan, he deserved better. How is he ever supposed to feel safe around Homelander and Butcher phrasing it that way was downright evil and manipulative towards the boy because he knew it would make Ryan feel insecure and cornered. Him pushing and killing Grace was in self-defense. His reaction afterwards however is concerning and I guess ambiguous for interpretation on purpose. I still don't get how some people in the fandom could hate on a 12 year old child so much, leave the kid alone.

Where do I start when it comes to Butcher? I have many thoughts and this text is already long but I'll give it a shot anyway. Obviously I'm biased because I love this man and will defend him to the very end. I think his arc was one of the better aspects, he is still one of the best written characters on the show. What I always loved about him was him being truly morally grey and the ambiguity in his words and actions. He cannot be trusted. I don't know if it's me but Karl's performance makes him actually a lot more likeable than he deserves. He is a bad person and I don't think this is negotiable. I have thought about this so many times in made-up scenarios and I stick with my opinion that there's no fixing him and there never was. I have tried to stay away from fandom discourse as much as I could for my own well-being but I don't get how people act surprised and as a result hate over his behavior and decisions. I think most were true to his character and also him killing Neuman made perfect sense and was a well-deserved payoff narratively. Not that I'm not mad at him for doing so! I loved Vicky and she was such an interesting character. But his final words in season 3 were "that bitch has to go" and one of his main goals across the whole season was to get that virus to kill her. He was absolutely clear about it and worked towards this goal on his own terms, not even under the influence of Kessler. Certainly Kessler pushed him to commit some of his atrocities but it matched with what he wanted himself. He drew the line when it came to supe genocide and was conflicted about it initially but one of his core themes is doing whatever it takes and losing his humanity on his chosen path. Since he is highly intelligent he knows very well what's wrong with him what emphasises even more that he actively chooses to do bad things rather than being impulsive and regretful afterwards. I personally loved his turn at the end and I am eager to see his villain arc. What's not to love about evil daddy?! I could go on about some of the dynamics between him and Kessler but I'll do that in another post maybe.

[amostimprobabledream]

Thoughts on Season 4 so far...

I know, I know, I should probably wait til it's finished, but I finally caught up with everyone else after being weirdly nervous about it.

Just what the hell was going on with the first couple of episodes? Like, episode one felt like it was written by someone with only a passing knowledge of the show. The dialogue felt clunky and it all seemed so rushed. It was a really boring episode. The second one was a bit dull too.

I felt so bad for Hughie when he heard his dad was in hospital and getting choked up over not talking to him and wishing he'd wake up so they could talk about the book his dad was excited about.

Fuck Hughie's mother! (If it really is her...) What a bitch. "Uwu, don't yell at me, son I abandoned for 20 years!"

I'm glad Kimiko seems to have been given more of her own story this season. Karen Fukuhara does such a good job with a character who doesn't talk.

On the flipside, I could not give a flying fuck about Frenchie and some guy he likes. I never care when the show tries to introduce non-Supe love interests. It's like Maeve and her dull girlfriend all over again, except I actually like Frenchie.

Wooow, Butcher has been so neutered this season. It's a real fall from his unchallenged rule In S1 & 2, but I can't say he doesn't deserve it after how horribly he treated his team.

Fuck off, Becca, fuck off Becca, Fuck OFF, Becca. God. Every time I see her I have to press the skip button. (Also it's really funny how she's inexplicably more blonde in Billy's hallucinations. What, did she get highlights in the afterlife?)

I don't care if he's a kid, I'm gonna say it: Ryan is SO boring to watch. He's saved by being important to Homelander and Butcher but god, every scene he's in I'm desperate for it to be over.

Has anybody noticed Homelander was talking to Ryan the exact same way Soldier Boy spoke to him when he called him "ungrateful?" He really is his father's son.

I didn't know what to make of Sage. The fandom was hyping her up to all hell so I was prepared to not be very impressed by her because of how much people were raving about her before she'd even done anything. I'm still confused about what exactly her motives are but her scenes with The Deep are pretty funny. I wonder why she told him about the lobotomy? Because she thinks he's too stupid for it to backfire on her? Hmm.

I know Firecracker is awful but she's so pretty and I love listening to her accent. I can't wait for her and Homelander to interact more.

I...am not loving Starlight's subplot? I get what they're going for, they want her to be this activist who's like a figurehead of La Resistance against Vought, but watching her campaigning and complaining about how she's not Starlight, she's Annie, is not fun to watch. I'm also not a fan of her hair or outfits this season, I think the shorter look suited her face more. (Also, the whole abortion thing came a bit out of nowhere. I feel like that might have been something that deserved a bit more exploration for Starlight, Hughie and their relationship?)

THAT BEING SAID - I do like her dynamic with Firecracker, because I think the writers wrote themselves into a corner with her in Season 3 because she's Starlight! She always has to be morally correct and good in every scenario! I'm glad they're making it clear she isn't this perfect angel - even the scene where Firecracker confronts her, Starlight kind of ducks responsibility by saying she's changed and "my mom taught me to be ruthless". Those aren't really apologies and Starlight only apologising because Firecracker is a threat to her reputation is really interesting - and not dissimilar to the scientists only asking for forgiveness when their monster came back to kill them.

Victoria's relationship with Zoe is confusing. I forgot Zoe existed, actually. I'm not even clear if Zoe is her bio kid or adopted one, because if the former, who's Zoe's dad?

A-Train's redemption wasn't something I was looking forward to, but it's being handled fairly decently, way better than how Maeve did like, one good deed per season and got handed hers on a silver platter. I'm still a bit upset that he's basically been absolved of Robyn's death though.

Homelander. Oh my GOD. He's so unhinged this season and we haven't even gotten to the big finale yet. His facial twitches, the little micro-expressions, his pissy little "ShutthefuckUP!" at The Deep, wow. Antony Starr continues to carry the show on his shoulders.

THE LAB SCEEEENE. Jesus. That was like something out of a horror-thriller, yet I was cheering for him the whole time. Antony Starr deserves ALL the Emmys.

[waihtie]

My spn binging continues. Here's my inner commentary.

Season 1 Episode 4 - Phantom Traveller

(Demon on a plane)

○ Dean sleeping without pants, with a knife under his pillow. Perfect opening.

○ "Homeland Security? That's pretty illegal, even for us." Oh, Sam. Just you wait.

○ Dean isn't accustomed to wearing suits yet.

○"What is this stuff?" "Only one way to find out." These boys can't even recognize sulfur yet. They are so innocent compared to what's to come.

○ "This isn't our normal gig." Dean talking about demons. My lawd. "This is big." My actual babies.

○ Dean says he's scared of flying, then says "why do you think I drive everywhere?" And it makes me think of all the times it would be so much quicker to let Cas fly him somewhere, but he always chooses to drive instead (even giving an excuse not to get "zapped" somewhere)

○ Dean mentions that demons only possess people who are under emotional distress, but I don't remember this being a thing later on. Sam even tells Dean to calm down so he's not "wide open to demonic possession"

○ "Christo" to tell if people are demons. Why don't they use this later??

○ It's cute that they had to research how to exorcise a demon.

○ I've read people saying Dean was checking out men in the hangar, as well as mention the dude winking at him on the plane. I didn't read too much into these. ○○○

○ The only thing I can think of relating this episode to a bigger plot is the demon telling Sam that it knew what happened to his girlfriend.

I have mad ADHD, so the reason I struggled through the first 3 seasons the first time around is bc they were pretty much just stand alone episodes. Nothing for me to latch on to, and no one for me to obsess over. I think knowing what happens later on is making these little details now more interesting than it did last time.

Next Episode

Previous Episode

First Episode - Conext

[howlingday]

My idea for a potential DB! #12

2024 aug 29, 30, 31, sep 2, 4 - 10

PREVIOUS POST

Chaos VS Kyogre

MASTER LIST

All Might VS Homelander (My Hero Academia VS The Boys) | DEATH BATTLE!

Only one Superman student will survive this super smashing slugfest!

THUMBNAIL

INTERLUDE:

FIGHTER 1: All Might, My Hero Academia’s former greatest hero.

FIGHTER 2: Homelander, Vought Corporation’s greatest product.

Wiz: Aristotle once said “It is our choice of good or evil that determines our character, not our opinion about good or evil”.

*insert a clip of All Might doing good things followed by Homelander doing evil things*

Boomstick: Want proof? Let’s look at these icons inspired by classical Americana heroics! He’s Wiz and I’m Boomstick.

Wiz: And it's our job to analyze their weapons, armor, and skills to find out who would win... a Death Battle.

PREFACE (What to know): 

This was supposed to be my release for July for very obvious reasons. Yes, I know Homelander dies. Yes, I know it’s basically giving All Might a win. I don’t care. I like the hope and optimism that All Might, and I wanted to make more MHA VS The Boys because they contrast each other so perfectly: a Shounen love letter to western comics VS a satire of DC’s Justice League, a symbol of peace, hope, and altruism VS a symbol of terror and selfishness, hope VS cynicism, the ideal superhero VS the corrupted superhero. Like Iida VS A-Train before, All Might serves as an example of who Homelander ought to be whilst Homelander is a cautionary tale to All Might, one he probably has seen many times before across his long heroics career

I will attempt to connect this to my previous MHA VS The Boys episode so that there is a stronger feeling of both episodes being a crossover between their series, and this hypothetical crossover would happen some time during S2 or S3, before All Might’s big fight in Kamino with All For One. I will also be considering All Might at his strongest by taking his claim of how much weaker he’s gotten at face value, like in All Might VS Might Guy. However, I will still take some liberties with how All Might’s transformation and injuries works.

This fight works best if released in July, specifically as an Independence Day release. Had this been in the earlier seasons, it would definitely be the mid-season break. If this were S10, then it would have been released on a date similar to Stitch VS Rocket Raccoon (released July 3rd, 2023)

Please, please, PLEASE, check this link out. It links you to a Reddit page that has sprites for both characters, connections between our fighters, and templates used for an image that will be seen below.

Also, and this is very important, prime All Might will be taken into account, but I will give All Might his injuries and skeletal form JUST FOR THE SPECTACLE AND NOT FOR THE ANALYSIS. Again, All Might will have his injuries JUST FOR THE FIGHT, NOT FOR THE ACTUAL COMPARISON. I am putting a lot of emphasis on this for the sake of fair evaluation.

WHY: 

Connections (What do they have in common):

1. They have a lot of aesthetic similarities. Both are blonde males with colors that represent America as both were inspired by Superman

2. Both are icons of hero work in their own series, and thus have earned fame and renown, and are the face of heroism in MHA and The Boys respectively. Arguably, they are the most iconic and representative characters from their series. One could even say that they’re representatives of institutions of heroism (U.A. and Vought), but the larger world of heroics in which they operate is corrupt

3. Perfect thematic opposites. All Might is selfless to a self-endangering extreme, altruistic, and smiles as he saves people in order to inspire hope. Homelander is a narcissistic man-child who cares not for the people he saves, but for the attention that they give him and isn't above intimidation.

4. They are in a sense descendants, or the next in line to take up a mantle. All Might is the 8th wielder of One For All, succeeding his mentor Nana Shimura. Homelander is, in a sense, the second coming of his father Soldier Boy. Because of this, they have similar powers or abilities to their predecessors but to a greater degree, namely super strength and durability. This combines well with the fact that both were essentially given their superpowers instead of being born with them. All Might was given All For One as he was born without a Quirk and Homelander had taken Compound V and was made in a lab.

5. They both have sides that they want to hide from the public. All Might doesn’t want people to see his injuries or his true form. Homelander doesn’t want people to see his failure with the plane crash or his vile attitude to people that don’t approve of him.

6. East comics VS west comics, known for their adaptations on the screen.

7. Both are also known for their decline in health. All Might suffered heavy injuries after his fights with All For One to the point where he can’t maintain his muscular form and remains a skeletal husk for the majority of the series, and Homelander was never raised like a proper or even normal kid. He was isolated and never matured emotionally, so as the series progresses, his mental state decays and deteriorates.

Personal reasons (Why I want this battle/like this MU):

I previously mentioned that I love the contrast between MHA and The Boys, and these two characters just stand out to me because of their statuses as icons and pillars of their worlds, their powers, their actions, and words. There is so much crossover potential. Like, give fanfiction writers these ideas and see what they create with them.

Of course, I want Homelander to get his face smashed in, but I have no doubt that if All Might knew of Homelander’s backstory, he’d have some sympathy or pity for his enemy.

Also, this is one of my most wanted MUs. Palpatine VS Xehanort is my #1, followed closely by Chaos VS Kyogre, this MU, and another one I will get to down the line with Azula VS Cinder trailing all of them. However, I’m genuinely surprised we haven’t gotten any MHA VS The Boys content from the show. Yates has given us two commissioned tracks in Compound Engine (Iida VS A-Train) and No More Heroes (Billy Butcher VS Stain), and aside from a Twitter post from Ben asking the public who they want to be the next person to kick Homelander to the curve (he showed four characters, among them All Might), that’s everything that I can think of. Truth be told, I think no one has done this because of the obvious Homelander loss, but a stomp does not disqualify a matchup.

In general, if you want more MHA VS The Boys, please check out this video that dives more into the worldbuilding and the aesthetics of both series’ superhuman societies.

Art:

THE FIGHT:

Art and animation: 

This is a fight best done in 3D. The 3D team works best when both characters have large arsenals, deep bags of tricks, or cool fighting choreography. Just look at All Might VS Might Guy and every Star Wars battle from 2020 to 2023.

As far as I can tell, Omni-Man VS Homelander was a pure passion project, and a lot of resources were poured into it. I don’t think that this one would get such a treatment, and there are 3D models for both. The easiest approach is to take All Might’s model from Jump Force and Homelander’s model from MK1, but the ideal approach would be to have it be hand-drawn, but that would severely cut down on what I want to do.

Knowing of the comic book origins for both characters, it would be cool to have some slightly stylized hand drawn bits and pieces like Mob VS Tatsumaki. However, we know from the 7 Battle Royale that Homelander sprites do exist, and there are sprites of All Might’s skeletal form, so while it’s best done in 3D, it’ll most likely be done in sprites like in the image below taken from the link in the preface.

Possible setup: 

I want this to continue where my last MHA VS The Boys idea left off.

After the A-Train/Ingenium fiasco, Vought has come under intense scrutiny and UA is losing popularity for endangering one of their students and for associating with a company that employed a Nazi like Stormfront and a questionable character in A-Train (how did that info get leaked?). Homelander has taken it upon himself to “fix” the problem, and while UA may have given a press conference to address the issue, Homelander, the charismatic devil that he is, started a slander campaign against the threat of “Quirkies”.

In UA, the students have left as the school day just ended. All Might is in his normal form, taking down anti-UA propaganda that people have stuck to the school’s protective wall as well as some anti-Vought propaganda after a long day of teaching and trying to calm down protestors outside the school making noise that were shouting that word spouted by that fellow hero, a blonde American whom All Might initially thought well of. His press conference called to action the… More unpleasant elements of society. All Might hasn’t even changed out of his costume. and as he enters his office to grade papers, he hears a voice coming from within. 

“Ah, Toshinori. Just the man I’m looking for.” 

That voice… All Might was hoping not to have to face the man in front of him. Toshinor turns on the light and behind his desk with his legs on the table sits a blonde middle-aged man wearing a navy blue suit, red boots, and an American flag for a cape. Homelander had snuck past UA’s defenses and gotten in. He must have been waiting for him. He was… Looking at a picture of young Midoriya and Class 1-A. 

“Homelander. Why are you here?” Toshinori was hoping that the other teachers, and especially the students, weren’t here.

After a chuckle, John replies: “That f*cking little UA goody two shoes and that moron A-Train ruined everything at Vought and are making Supes look bad, and then that red birdbrain Hawks leaked some confidential info. So, I decided to come here and fix the problem at its core. Step 1? Remove Quirkies, and that starts with UA and you.” 

“Young Ingenium is a great hero! He may have faltered, but he lifts those around him and encourages them to be their best selves! I’m sorry to hear about A-Train, but he murdered an innocent civilian, and then you decided to make Heroes with Quirks look like villains.”

“See, here’s the thing, Toshi.” Homelander sighs and he stands up, approaching the skeletal figure. “We’re heroes, right? We gotta look for the public. I. Gotta look good.”

“After that press conference you did, I can’t consider you a hero. Your words are putting my students and colleagues at risk.”

“To the people, I am a hero, the GREATEST hero. I’m saving them from this plague, your genetic diseases of “superpowers” that make the majority of you Japanese not even Supes. A-Train and Ingenium may have brought bad press, but it’s nothing uncontrollable, and Hawks will soon be taken care of. So don’t stand in my way, Toshinori. I’m a real hero, and I will save everyone from you Quirkies, and if you don’t…”

Homelander’s start to glow red and he smiles evilly, crushing the picture of Class 1-A.

“Well, let’s just say that you’ll have a hard time being either a hero or a teacher.”

Toshinori’s cheeks then stretch downward with his lips, steam exiting his lean body that is now starting to grow and fill in his costume. The lanky man who was more bone than skin now stood almost two feet above Homelander, with his costume now stretched by his amazingly dense muscles, and his two long strands of hair, droopy and miserable now stand proud and curved like rabbit ears. Where there was Toshinori Yagi now stands All Might, a sharp blue gleam in his eyes.

Class 1-A may be able to handle Homelander, they certainly could handle almost anything, but in front of All Might stood a villain masquerading as a hero, and it was his duty to stop villains. “As the Symbol of Peace and as their teacher, I’m warning you: Don’t you dare hurt my students.” 

They lunge at each other, clashing like the image underneath:

FIGHT!

1.The impact of the collision levels the office. Homelander then delivers a powerful punch with his free hand on All Might’s face, and All Might staggers a little but enough for Homelander to then ram both of them so fast out of the building that there’s a sonic boom, leaving all windows in a 10 meter radius shattered and activating an alarm. Homelander flies through buildings towards the Kamino District and then attempts to grind All Might against the ground, but All Might digs in his feet to stop the human rocket, destroying the pavement and road that they’re on like the image below.

2. There are a lot of people shrieking, and people are scared. “Everyone, back away!” All Might then turns to the scared public, his iconic smile on his face. “Don’t worry, because I’m here!” 

3.“Why you-!” Homelander’s eyes glow red, but All Might swiftly decks Homelander in the face and follows up with a fast flurry of punches like in All Might’s fight against the Nomu. Homelander tries to get some hits in, but All Might is very quickly overwhelming him, and ends the barrage with one strong punch. “Texas SMASH!”

4.Homelander is sent flying to the other side of the avenue by the sheer force and wind pressure until he crashes into the side of a car, absolutely crushing it and destroying all its windows. Homelander is hyperventilating, very clearly having a panic attack. This isn’t looking good. He looks up and there are people looking at him, and they have their phone cameras pointed at him. He then sees the big bulky man charging at him as All Might attempts a Carolina Smash.

5.“BACK OFF!” The supersonic shout is both strong enough that not only does it break all windows in the vicinity, it also causes the bystanders’ and All Might’s ears to bleed, but it also makes All Might lose his balance and he tumbles into the ground.

6.Suddenly, Homelander’s super hearing picks up something really interesting. He hears the sounds of a kid coming toward him. It’s that green haired All Might wannabe that breaks his bones. No doubt he’s come to save All Might and the peons. Homelander grins evilly again as Deku comes into the scene. “All Might!”

7. All Might’s hearing was recovering a bit, and he looked up with a face of pure fear. “Stay away, young Midoriya!” Homelander turns towards the kid and flies at him so fast that by the time Deku sees him, the only thing he can register is the red glove that is about to turn his face into soup, until… “Missouri Smash!” All Might delivers a karate chop to the back of Homelander’s head like he did to Habit Headgear. However, Homelander quickly picks himself up and rushes at All Might and they lock arms, trying to push into the other. “All Might! I’m here to help!” “Stay away, young Midoriya!” “A hero always helps those in need, even other heroes!” “Then help the citizens! Get them to safety!”

8. Before Deku could reply, All Might shouts, “Please! GO!” Deku looks at All Might in the eyes, and reluctantly nods and runs towards the injured citizens. “Oh, you really do care.” “Unlike you, I take the time to make sure that the people I’m entrusted with are well.” All Might starts to use more force, pushing Homelander back, who’s starting to grunt and struggle.

9. “That’s swell, old man.” Homelander quickly knees All Might to the left of the bigger hero’s stomach. This causes All Might to let out a scream of pain and fall onto one knee. As All Might puts his right arm over his injury, Homelander lets out a sadistic laughter. “Look at you! THIS is Japan’s #1 hero? YOU’RE the Symbol of Peace? Good God, man, you’re weak!” An angry All Might swings at Homelander who quickly beats him to the punch by uppercutting All Might into the air. As All Might is airborne, Homelander grabs All Might’s ankle and slams him back into the ground, landing with his head on the ground and his torso facing Homelander who then uses his heat vision to strike All Might’s chest like the fatal blow from MK1, severely damaging All Might and his costume.

10. All Might starts to get up, but Homelander then grabs All Might by the head and tries to crush his head, so All Might responds by rotating his body with a lot of speed. “Oklahoma SMASH!” All Might spins so fast that he creates a vortex and Homelander can’t hold on and is once more sent flying. Homelander then flies up and up, and starts to catch his breath, trying to calm down. Too bad for him, he doesn’t have the time for that because All Might has jumped up to him, spinning into a frontal somersault and shouts “California SMASH!”, punching Homelander overhead and sending him back into the ground, cratering the asphalt and roads.

11. All Might lands in front of John, cratering the ground as well. Homelander is fully panicking now. His face is bloody, and there are helicopters flying around, no doubt news journalists reporting on the situation. His reputation is fully ruined, but… Maybe this can work… He can expose All Might in front of the whole world. All Might comes in, but John swings fast and hard at All Might’s injuries again, causing All Might to stagger. Homelander then hits All Might’s ears like he did to Blindspot, causing All Might to falter backward and his already damaged ears to bleed more, but All Might, with a lot of pain and effort, reorients himself again. They start to trade punches again, All Might punching John in the chest and Homelander punching Yagi in the face. In between the punches, we get cuts of people looking at the broadcast shouting “Don’t lose, All Might!”, including Deku. The two foes look at each other in the eyes and then attempt their final attack.

12. All Might wins through overwhelming speed and force. All Might needs to end this here and now. His colleagues were slanderized, U.A. is damaged, many citizens have died and many more, including Midoriya, were put in danger. All Might is now scowling like when he entered the U.S.J., angry that Homelander had put so many people he cared about in harm's way, both before and during their tussle.

As Homelander then attempts to punch All Might in the face again, All Might strikes first this time, breaking Homelander’s nose and sending him backward. Homelander’s little hope is crushed, and he’s crying and shouting as he charges his heat vision. “I’LL KILL YOU! I’LL KILL YOU AND EVERYONE YOU KNOW!” Homelander rushes in one more time, but All Might punches him again, dizzying Homelander. “Hey, villain… Have you ever heard these words before?! Go beyond! PLUS! ULTRA!” The final punch sends Homelander flying towards the horizon, his body now dismembered. All Might lifts his fist in victory like in the aftermath of his fight with All For One in Kamino. We cut to see the crowds looking at the broadcast of All Might’s victory, and there is rapturous applause and cheering. All Might stands victorious.

13. Homelander wins by being his diabolical self. Homelander is able to quickly strike All Might’s face again, this time giving All Might a bloody nose and incapacitates him like Blindspot. One more strong fist to All Might’s injuries, and All Might falls back, coughing up blood, and in a puff of smoke and steam, we see the skeletal and physically weak Toshinori Yagi. We cut to see people crying and in shock. Deku in particular is simply staring, wide-eyed at the giant screen. “No… Not now…” Homelander walks up to All Might, and with venom in his voice, speaks to All Might like he did to Starlight in this scene. “I know you can still hear me, so let me tell you this: I told you to stay away. You had no chance of victory because I am the Homelander, and I can do whatever the f*** I want.” Homelander, then performs one of his MK1 fatalities. using his heat vision to slice off Toshinori’s legs from the knees and then uses heat vision on his face. All Might screams in pain until the heat vision fully passes through his head, and Homelander then slices the body in half. Homelander slowly starts to chuckle, and then starts laughing.

KO!

RESULT:

Comparison/Strengths and weaknesses:

All Might:

+ Stronger

+ Faster

+ More durable

+ More experience in fighting and smarter when it comes to battling

+ Greater stamina

+ Slightly greater versatility with Heat Vision and Super Shout

- His fights with One For All leave him with an obvious weak point which could be exploited by the Nomu from the U.S.J. incident, but this is a moot point since All Might at his best does not have this weakness

- Less versatile moveset and abilities

Homelander

+ Slightly greater versatility with Heat Vision and Super Shout

+ Flight allows for superior maneuverability

+ Believe it or not, Homelander has a healing factor, so it could be reasonable to say that he can heal faster than All Might can.

- Less experienced fighting foes equal to or greater than his caliber

- Prone to panic and breakdowns

- Doesn’t have any means to permanently injure or kill All Might. Neither All For One at his best nor a Nomu specifically engineered to fight All Might were able to kill him. They may have either permanently injured him or reduced his time limit, but they are way above Homelander’s power.

Ending puns:

"All Might truly smashed the competition."

"Homelander achieved a truly diabolical win."

MUSIC/ ORIGINAL TRACK:

Sound/Composition:

Being blunt, I don’t like “Diabolical Invincible Me”. It’s my least favorite score done for the show, namely because of the synths and instrumentation. However, “Homeland Smash" will use similar synths to convey a sense of dread and despair typically associated with Homelander. As the fight carries on, the music switches to orchestral and rock, like “Mighty” , “Symbolic”, and “Continuing The Legacy” to reference All Might’s status as a Symbol of Peace.

When Homelander is trying to intimidate All Might, the synths start heavy and oppressive. Slowly, the instrumentation starts to change. During the climax/final confrontation, it is fully orchestrated, sounding like “United States of Smash” should All Might win The song would end with the orchestration and choir closing us off in a similar way. If Homelander is the victor, then the orchestral and choir elements should sound dire and dangerous, like Mozart’s Dies Irae. Come to think of it, Dies Irae would be the perfect soundtrack for Homelander’s victory since the song’s name means “Day of Wrath”. Homelander sees himself as the God of his world, and he’d be unleashing his wrath on All Might. It’s either that, or we do something similar to the ending of “Diabolical Invincible Me”. Both work for Homelander either way. In other words, there are two different endings, depending on who is the winner.

Honestly, I think this track requires both Brandon Yates and Therewolf Media. Both have worked on “Mighty”, Brandon composed “Diabolical Invincible Me”, and Therewolf has composed two more All Might-centered tracks in the aforementioned “Symbolic” and “Continuing The Legacy”. However, because of the vibe I’m going for, synths, rock, and orchestra, both can contribute since both have done works that incorporate a bit of everything I mentioned, but it’s likely going to be a very tall order.

Name/Title: Homeland Smash

The name makes reference to All Might’s techniques and the origin of “Homelander”. Since All Might and MHA in general were inspired by D.C. and Marvel Comics, both of which originated in the U.S., “Homeland Smash” essentially becomes a second name for “United States of Smash”. If you hate Homelander, then the name spells out what All Might will do.

Cover art:

Art by me. (:

The cover art shows the passing of One For All. It is passed down seven times from one star to the next until the eighth and final receiver is instead a raised fist. Behind the fist is a giant splatter of blood to reference the highlight of gore and blood in The Boys and Compound V to contrast how both constraints obtained their powers. My original idea for the art was like Mighty where there is a smile, but we also see two eyes. One is All Might’s blue and the other is Homelander’s heat vision red eye. It would have included elements from Homelander’s cape (golden eagle holding down an American flag) but the flag shows the passing stars of One For All.

FINAL THOUGHTS AND WORDS:

I want to again mention that I considered All Might at his best, meaning All Might was analyzed when he was stronger than at the start of the series and doesn’t have his scars or a time limit on his form. I added the injuries and true form to the fight here because I think it would make for a great story when integrated well.

This has been one of my favorite MUs to work on. I love the MU itself, and I had a lot of ideas when writing this, not to mention I had some fun connecting it with my previous MHA VS The Boys MU where I tried to set up a story and crossover aspect. If I get more into Billy and Stain, maybe I’ll write something for that MU. Truthfully, I think this may have been my best suggestion thus far. While the creative juices flowed for Iida VS A-Train, they were a stream to this episode’s river of creative flow. I love my suggestions for Azula VS Cinder, Trunks VS The Luminary, Palpatine VS Xehanort, and Chaos VS Kyogre, but I genuinely believe that this suggestion is my best. I find it somewhat impressive because I wrote the ideas of what I wanted and the fight in just a few days, making it my fastest suggestion yet. I just took a lot of time to get it fully fleshed out because of my exams and to iron out some details.

I also genuinely believe that no matter what shape or form this MU takes, it has the potential to become one of the best episodes in DB!’s history.

IDEAS THAT I HAD:

1. Show All Might with a scowl like when villains invaded the USJ

2. Homelander attempts to kill civilians only for All Might to immediately stop him.

3. Homelander spreads panic and All Might spreads hope as they fight across the city.

4. Heat vision cuts off one of All Might’s limbs.

5. Homelander thought that flight could save him only for All Might to New Hampshire Smash into him and then knocking Homelander down with a California Smash or to launch pressurized winds.

6. Homelander’s super shout disorienting or even permanently deafening All Might

7. Homelander starts to have a breakdown as All Might refuses to give up and gains an advantage

8. “A Hero has so much to lose, I know you heard these words before, let me teach you what they mean, PLUS ULTRA!”

9. Homelander laughing evilly as he emerges victorious after using his heat vision vitality for victory. “I’m the Homelander, I do whatever the f*** I want” right before killing All Might.

10. MK1 clash reference

11. All Might lifting his left fist up when victorious

12. End up in Kamino

13. Deku and others try to intervene only for All Might to tell them to back away, and Homelander tries to hurt both of them

14. Homelander strikes All Might’s injuries, attempting to revert him to his true form in front of the public

15. The setup has us passing through a street covered in graffiti and propaganda, hearing a radio newscast or a TV broadcast like Leon S. Kennedy VS Frank West

THANK YOU AND I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS!

NEXT TIME…!

"Link start!” 

Kazuto has activated the Nerve Gear and he passed through the white tunnel and the colored neon streaks. He awoke standing in the middle of the Colinia arena in SAO where he fought Heathcliff. That was a long time ago. He looked in front of him and there stood his foe. He was wearing shades, black shirt and pants, black boots, and a sweet black coat like the first one he wore. Kirito thought that he looked like the protagonist of a movie that gave him deja vú… Both immediately make eye contact and walk towards the center of the arena, stopping within three meters from each other. Kirito opens the menu and sends a duel request. “Ready?” The man simply said, “Yeah.” and accepted the request. Kirito draws his swords and gets ready, and Neo enters a martial arts stance as the timer above them starts to count down.

3… 2… 1…

DUEL START/FIGHT!

Neo VS Kirito (The Matrix VS Sword Art Online) 

--------------------------------------------------

Wow... What an amazing fight. Honestly, I thought Homelander was going to win, though I desperately want All Might to win. Personally, I think All Might fighting post-AFO is a tough case to make, since Homelander is a pretty heavy hitter. Granted, All Might at his best came close against Might Guy while Homelander got easily stomped by Omniman. Overall, I like this fight, and I'm curious to see what comes next with THE ONE against KIRITO.

PS - YOU READY FOR NEXT WEEK?!

[rovingotter]

Watched episode 1 of season 4 of The Boys. Fun times. I love that in every season Homelander just instinctively seeks out a strong-willed woman to tell him what to do. This time it's the amoral hikikomori with the BBC Sherlock powers. They will be SUCH a bad influence on each other. Is Sagelander going to be a thing?

Also...the trial is already over?! I expected it to feature prominently in this season. I guess that would've been too predictable but we got like...one very brief scene from it?

[flaggermuser]

Home Is Where His Heart Is

1,266 words || Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Past Trauma, CPTSD, minor spoilers for Season 4 Episode 4, GN Reader, Doctor Reader, Happy Ending, Codependency ||

Sequel to When You Loved Me which contains spoilers for Season 4 Episode 4

Divider made badly by me

Thank you to @theonlymanintheskyisme for being my beta hostage and @homeb0ys for always having the perfect gif or picture

“You should have been raised in a home with a family who loved you.”

It’s 1 am.

The frantic knocking had woken you with a start and you’d rushed to put a robe on, carefully walking down the stairs, concerned about who was at your door this late at night.

Turning on the light in the hall, you slowly advance towards the door, undoing the various locks but keeping the chain on, opening the door enough to peek through the gap only to close it again and remove the chain, then open the door.

“John?”

Homelander stands before you, trembling with red-tinged eyes. He falls forward and you just about catch him, his arms around you tight, being careful not to crush you.

“Oh, John,” you say softly. “Shhh, it’s okay, it’s okay. The room can’t hurt you anymore.”

You knew this would happen.

Underneath it all, he’s still that scared little boy you cared for, the one you held in your arms when he cried, the one you’d tuck into bed when he exhausted himself.

After everything they did and, despite the affection you showed him, it’s no surprise that he had nightmares.

Even the most powerful man in the world isn’t immune to night terrors.

You pull away just enough, managing a smile and cupping his cheek in your hand, wiping away some residual tears.

“Come on, I’ve got a spare room. It won’t be as luxurious as what you’re used to but it’s yours for as long as you need it.”

He doesn’t say a word, he just quickly nods his head so you move out of the way, welcoming him back into your home. You’re not sure if he had anything to bring with him or left in such a hurry that he couldn’t grab anything.

However, you were prepared for this.

There was always going to be an attachment, you’d followed his life, unable to let go of the little boy you left behind. It seems now that the attachment goes both ways, not that you mind.

The prodigal son has returned home.

You’re making up for lost time, repenting for your sins.

“I doubt that’s very comfortable to sleep in,” you remark about his suit, only for him to silently agree. “I bought some things for you, just in case.”

“Thank you.”

It’s a whisper, barely audible.

“Come on then.”

It’s nice.

Homelander is used to the opulence that comes with being the Leader of the Seven but somehow, being in a simple bed in a room barely the size of his bathroom is the most comfortable he’s been in years, dressed in simple cotton pyjamas.

It didn’t seem to matter to you that he was a grown man in his 40s, you’d still tucked him in and kissed him on the forehead.

Whether that was a conscious or subconscious decision, he doesn’t know and he doesn’t care, it makes him feel safe, just as it did when he was young. However, instead of being alone in a sterile room, he’s in a spare room in your home and you’re just down the hall if he needs anything.

But he has everything he needs.

His eyes slowly drift close and he begins to fall asleep, his mind going to a place of peace. It’s been some time since he’s been able to sleep soundly since he wasn’t plagued with horrendous memories.

The last time he felt this safe, this secure, was when you were there.

“It’s okay John, you get some sleep and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Even in his sleep, he can feel the smile spreading across his lips, feeling his body melt into the bed. He's never felt this kind of love before, the love of a parent, of someone who truly cared about him to the point they ruined their career.

Of course, once he found you, he did some digging into what happened between you being fired from Vought and when he showed up at your door.

You were blacklisted from scientific pursuits - Vought was determined to keep you silenced.

So you took up a job as a science teacher in a nearby high school, just barely making enough money to afford a comfortable life yet it didn’t seem to have bothered you. After all, you’d managed to buy a nice enough home in a remotely good neighbourhood.

Plus without a partner or children to support, you didn’t have to worry.

Yet he feels bad for you, after all, he’s the reason you’ve spent most of your life alone, atoning for your guilt over abandoning him. In his dreams, he imagines what life with you may have been like; waking up every day to pancakes, going to little league games, getting an A on his test and putting it on the fridge.

You would have made the fake childhood real.

However, now you’re more than making up for it.

“I want you to know, John. I need you to know, that you’ll always have a place here and in my heart."

And for once, he can believe it.

Morning comes.

Light peaking in between the curtains stirs him awake.

For the first time in a long time, maybe for the first time he can ever remember, he’s slept through the night unhindered by nightmares. All thanks to a cosy little bed and a kiss goodnight on the forehead.

For a childless person, you’re incredibly nurturing.

As he trudges down the stairs, still half asleep, he manages to find the kitchen where a big stack of pancakes with bacon, accompanied by a glass of milk, sits on the table, on a place setting almost hastily put together.

It seems as if you don’t get company often.

He’ll be more than happy to change that.

“Good morning, John. How are you feeling today?”

He knows the words before you speak them, he’d heard them from you often enough, in the months when he saw you daily.

Before they made you leave him.

“Did you sleep okay?”

I don’t remember the last time I slept better.

He nods, taking his seat, eagerly digging into the breakfast you’ve made him. The parental domestication of it all warms his heart and his soul, enough to keep a small part of his humanity alive.

“Good?”

Vought has access to all the top chefs in the world, able to make anything his heart could desire but nothing they’ve made tastes anywhere as good as these simple pancakes.

A premade mix or made from scratch, they’re a damn sight tastier than anything he’s had before.

Maybe there is some truth behind the saying ‘made with love’.

“Yes, thank you, Tawny.”

You still, and he can hear your heart beating a little faster as you press your hand to your mouth. You’re trying to hold back your tears, but it’s clear that you recall the same memory, one they tried so hard to erase in his mind.

“What’s your favourite animal?”

“Well John, I like owls because, just like me, they’re awake at night. I like tawny owls the best.”

Tawny.

It’s a simple nickname, one he came to associate with you as a parent, as his parent.

He remembers back when he was reading a book on Roman mythology, one of the many books on history that he read, where owls in ancient myth were described as symbols of wisdom and knowledge.

It also represented foresight, intelligence and the ability to see what others cannot.

Where they all saw an experiment, you saw a little boy in desperate need of love.

“You’re welcome, John.”

[nofacednerd]

Okay now that my excitement over the new season has worn off a little, here’s some season 4 thoughts

Starting out with the stuff I do really like:

- Hughie’s storyline is genuinely so heart wrenching for me. I’m one of those freaks that stayed up watching the new episodes until 6 in the morning and let me tell you, I was VASTLY unprepared to get hit with the childhood divorce trauma at 5 AM. Having him workshop an angry response to his mom was so real of him 😭 excited to see where it goes this season

- BUTCHER! The second they brought in Kessler (who is definitely a real human being that Butcher is seeing only coincidentally when he’s alone and knows a weird amount about him and what’s going on) I thought the rest of the season was going to be Butcher being worse and worse until we go down the route of the comics. Genuinely surprised and kind of delighted that he’s turned a bit of a sympathetic edge this season. I kind of hope we see him and Hughie more, especially after the whole ‘you remind me of my dead little brother’ thing last season.

- Speaking of last season, it seems like they’ve been trying to roll back on some of the problems I had with season 3 (eh. Kind of at least). Butcher apologizing to Ryan for his outburst, Annie and Hughie still being in a pretty good place with their relationship, Hughie talking about regretting the V, ect ect

- Also so glad they remembered that Hughie is actually really good with technology. Usually they only remember it maybe once early on in the season, but they consistently referenced him being the tech guy of the group (though I wish we could have seen Hughie showing Kimiko how to hack into the CIA database 😭 why are the writers so afraid of them having scenes together)

- ALSO so glad they remembered that Hughie and Neuman were really close before her betrayal in season 3!!!!! I hope they have more scenes together later on. I think Neuman, despite everything, still does care about him since she tried to convince Homelander not to kill him

- Sage is really interesting to me tbh, probably one of the few new characters that I’m actually enjoying. Like girl what is your deal

Okay now the bad stuff :/

- I’m kind of annoyed that they’re continuing the trend of sidelining Hughie in favor of focusing more on Butcher vs Homelander, especially because Hughie started as the protagonist of the show. I get that his storyline right now isn’t the most ‘plot relevant’ but it feels like he barely has done anything but be a supporting character in most scenes for Annie or MM to play off of

- Everything feels so…. Disconnected? One of my bigger issues with season 3 was that they pushed Kimiko and Frenchie away from the plot to focus on a more personal story for Frenchie, so their whole deal that season just kind of felt… forgettable? This season is like that but with EVERYONE which concerns me. Shows with the protagonists having their own plot lines that come together in the end work, but The Boys just has too many characters and too few episodes to explore those plot lines meaningfully so that they get wrapped up in a satisfying way. Idk I guess we’ll see

- Speaking of, the show has too many characters. This is a consistent problem each season, where they introduce new characters that kind of take the spotlight over the other ones. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. My biggest problem this season though is Colin. They introduced him off-screen and made him and Frenchie start flirting I guess off-screen. Same with Kiara and Annie. Then when the season started, the show told us to care about these new characters without actually showing us why we should care about them beyond “he’s Frenchie’s boyfriend!!” It’s kind of frustrating?

- This is more minor, but MM is kind of pissing me off :( it’s kind of another case of ‘oh btw all these characters had character development off screen during the time gap between seasons’ that they did during season 3. It’s the same issue I had with Hughie during that season too, he just kind of feels out of character…?

- why do I feel bad for an octopus. Ambrosius girl you can do so much better than the Deep

[phantomoftheorpheum]

An Entirely Unimportant Detail/Speculation

*spoilers for seasons 1-4 of The Boys and season 1 of Gen V*

Something I've always wondered- Could Sam be the kid that Lamplighter and Stormfront disagree about?

In Lamplighter's first appearance in 2x05 of The Boys, he and Stormfront are on the phone and he does not want to do what she orders on account of the patient they're discussing being "just a kid" and "only 17 years old."

Now, I think it's likely that this "kid" is meant to be Tim, the person we see Lamplighter kill in 2x06, and which alerts The Boys to his identity. Tim does ask if he can "go home" and expresses that he wants to see his family, which could certainly point to him being the "kid" mentioned in the previous episode. However, this is never explicitly confirmed, and Tim is styled with a short beard, which does seem like an odd styling choice for a 17 year old character. He also asks to see his sister, not his parents (doesn't mean he's an adult, but interesting choice). Stormfront also comes to speak to Tim, which seems unnecessary if she's already called Lamplighter and told him to eliminate him. Lamplighter also comes across as resigned in this scene, rather than upset, which seems odd if he's just been forced to kill another person he views as a child.

We know that Lamplighter has a relative soft spot for kids, experiencing a lot of guilt over the murder of Mallory's grandchildren. Lamplighter also "switches sides" several times, going from member of The Seven to unwilling informant to working for Stormfront to helping The Boys. It follows that Lamplighter might not be willing to actually kill this particular patient as Stormfront ordered him to.

In Gen V 1x03, it's revealed that Sam was at Sage Grove three years prior to the events of Gen V. At some point after this, Sam was transferred to The Woods and his family was told he committed suicide. Gen V is set at some point between seasons 3 & 4 of The Boys.

Sam's exact age is unclear (though there's some timeline discrepancies in general with Gen V), but he is Luke's younger brother. At the time of the events of Gen V, Luke is an upperclassman. This would likely put him at 21 or 22 years old, so 18 or 19 at the time of the flashback of Sam in Sage Grove. This places Sam at believably the right age to be 17 when the events of The Boys season 2 are happening (again, some discrepancies in the overall timeline).

We know that Sage Grove was conducting experiments with Compound V on patients. These experiments seem to have frequently gone wrong in one way or another, which is what appears to lead Stormfront/Vought to order the elimination of certain patients. In Gen V we are told that Sam has schizophrenia, but we also know that Sam has been in both The Woods and Sage Grove and has had experiments conducted on him for years, which means it's entirely possible that his "schizophrenia" is actually just a result of some of these experiments gone wrong. I find this theory particularly intriguing, since Luke's mental breakdown is initially theorized to possibly be due to genetics, but is later shown to be the result of Cate constantly manipulating Luke's memories/mind. Andre calls Luke "the most sane" person he's ever known. While Luke and Sam are separate people and it may just be that Sam is experiencing the symptoms of Compound V enhanced schizophrenia, I don't think we can assume that any information about Sam coming from Godolkin, Vought, or Luke (due to Cate's manipulation) can be 100% trusted.

At some point, someone took Sam from Sage Grove and moved him to The Woods, and they also created a coverup around this. Luke and his family were told Sam killed himself, but Sam's continued existence wasn't just hidden from his family, but also from many (most?) people at Vought. The Woods is a personal project of Shetty's, and one that many people (like Homelander) would absolutely object to. It's a secret. Ashely is clearly aware of it, so we know Shetty has contacts inside of Vought, and considering Lamplighter's conflicted nature and questionable loyalty, he could have believably been one of them.

Sam is not seen or mentioned during 2x06 of The Boys, and while it may be that he was just uninvolved in the break out/in, it's also possible that he was no longer at Sage Grove by the time this happened. So that also makes me wonder, is it possible that Lamplighter, struggling with Stormfront's order to eliminate a "kid," facilitated Sam's transfer from Sage Grove to The Woods, thereby making both Vought and his family believe he had died instead? It would explain how and when Sam "changed hands" so to speak.

Anyway, to be quite honest, I don't think this conversation between Lamplighter and Stormfront was meant to foreshadow Sam, and I doubt that anyone specifically wrote Sam's backstory to fit into this possibility, but I like the idea, and I don't think there's anything that would make this an impossible explanation for how/why both Vought and Sam's family think he's dead. Does it matter? No. Do I think about it when I rewatch The Boys? Yes, absolutely.

[captainimfangirling]

The Boys Season 4 episode 5

Homelander & Ryan

Homelander is finally becoming what he thinks he is: a wrathful god. I think realized that he was trying to give Ryan what he thought he would want (but really it's what he wanted as a child) and is now giving Ryan what he wants but at the same time still teaching him to be ruthless at it.

You know what Ryan kind of reminds me of? Young Homelander in the last episode of The Boys Presents: Diabolical. Homelander actually did want to help people but he ended up accidentally killing people out of stupidity and blind rage. He got away with it thanks to Black Noir. Basically the same thing happening with Ryan except Homelander is teaching Ryan to be a hero in a ruthless way. I have feeling Ryan gonna become more ruthless when trying to be a "hero."

What's interesting is how Homelander recognized that guy being a creeper to his assistant. A lot of people think he wouldn't because he raped Becca but he does. It's interesting he didn't seem to care about sexual harassment but because Ryan cares he actually did something about it. The old Homelander would've left it alone.

Butcher & Kessler

Like I said in another post I think Joe Kessler is all in Butcher's head and he's more like the comic book Butcher trying to influence TV Butcher. The real Kessler probably died because of Butcher. Maybe when Butcher blacks out Kessler takes over. He's basically Mirror Homelander. I'm scared because I love Butcher and I don't think it'll end well for him.

Starlight

People forget a few seasons ago Starlight basically admitted she didn't feel anything when she killed that innocent man when she tried to steal his car. So no this season she's not out of character. She's finally coming to terms with her rage and being unsympathetic because it's getting thrown back at her.

Frenchie & Kimiko

Frenchie is basically doing the right thing but I still think he doesn't realize he can be forgiven and redeemed. Maybe that's the reason he joined Butcher in the first place. Even Kimiko has done terrible things but when she helped Shinning Light kidnap people but even she can be redeemed. Frenchie and Kimiko feel like they don't have things in common but they do. They can't heal each other but can be there for them and maybe help a little.

Hughie

I just wanna hug him! To be honest I thought the mother was up to something but maybe she did just wanna give Hughie his father back. OMG Simon Pegg did an amazing job in this episode! I was terrified of him but at the same time wanted to hug him. It's horrible what Hughie's father at to go through but at least Hughie made it right and told his dad one last time that he loved him. To be honest I was sad Hughie wasn't with the group because it started to feel like a team again and he wasn't there.

Victoria and Stan

I have a feeling if Homelander wasn't raised in a lab he would've ended up like Victoria and Ryan would've been her daughter. Not saying Homelander would've been a better person because Victoria is pretty horrible herself. She has an attachment to Stan Edgar in a unhealthy way and I think Homelander would've been attached to his mother/father in a unhealthy way too if he wasn't raised in a lab. I could be wrong maybe he would've been a better person but maybe not but still I see parallels between Homelander and Victoria. Victoria is trying to do what she thinks is best for her daughter like Homelander is doing for Ryan whatever it takes.

Mother's Milk

I love that he's still there for his family and as a leader he cares more for the life of his team and family over getting the mission done. But at the same time if you wanna beat Homelander you can't think that way and that's when Butcher comes in. I love M.M. told Butcher you're a mother f*cker but you're a mother f*cker with a heart. I think that hit Butcher a little bit but not enough. Hopefully Butcher will realize he is what M.M. said he is before it's too late.

A-Train and Ashley

I love how they're working together. Ashley is ruthless when trying to help A-Train (and save herself of course) that she put the blame on her ex lover. She's a lot stronger than what people give her credit for. I love that A-Train is finally redeeming himself and I hope that one day his family sees it.

The Deep, Black Noir, and Sister Sage

I got really nothing to say about them except the ending part where they all beat up that host. I wonder if Sister Sage has another motive but maybe I'm over thinking it. I noticed that Black Noir hasn't talked in a while. I wonder if he's trying to become like the real Black Noir. Maybe he'll become more ruthless like the old Black Noir but not soft because he doesn't know the real Earving.

Cate & Sam

It was cool seeing Cate and Sam in this episode but nothing special. I didn't really pay attention but did Cate have a fake arm? If she didn't I wonder if Homelander used V to heal her.

What's with the nose bleeds?

Do you think Victoria is trying to reverse the the virus and kill all humans or at least kill the ones who want to hurt supes? Hughie wasn't there so if it is a virus he's not infected. I hope he's not the only one alive at the end of the series because of this.