They’re back! I mean in the first hour alone, we got some gory Black Noir action, Homelander sandwiching a blind Super’s head, and Raynor’s head blown up. I guess it’s just the show’s way of giving us a warm welcome back. In regards to the immediate cliffhanger that we were left on last season, there weren’t any clear answers to our questions. That’s not to say that there was a lack of Homelander though because he was very much present. Anthony Starr continues to give an incredibly chilling and unsettling performance. Honestly, are you ever going to look at a bottle of milk the same way again? I’m just excited that Homelander has a new thorn in his side in the form of Stormfront–someone who looks to be an exciting addition to the cast.
Homelander wasn’t the only villain that held the focus of the premiere. In the show’s opening hour, we got to spend more time with Carlos Esposito’s character Stan Edgar, past his brief mysterious appearance in the first season. He is the Vought head honcho, and is in fact one of the first faces we see. I think it’s quite fitting that if anyone is able to stand toe-to-toe with Homelander without flinching once, it’s Esposito. It’s only right. Alongside a bunch of evil superheroes, he stands tall—providing an intense cold cunningness. It’s a bonus that he is but a fragile human in comparison to the Supers that he wrangles. Clearly Stan Edgar is no hero or force for good. He’s no better than the rest of Vought or The Seven, though honestly I expected nothing more.
Another Super that held the spotlight? The Deep of course! He has continued to ride the anchor down to rock bottom—getting wasted at local bars and then yelling at kids from a water park attraction. Certainly not the best of looks. Little did he know that all he needed to get back on track was an old acquaintance and a cult. Or at least, that’s what it looks like. It’s always been interesting to see The Deep get such a focus throughout the show’s run. I hope as this season progresses, that his storyline starts to pivot back towards all of the other plot lines. By adding in a potential cult secretly guiding his way, the writers have certainly created a very interesting concoction.
Enough about those pesky Supes, how are the titular crew? Well as for Hughie, he’s having a hard time. Having lost nearly everything, he is stuck as a wanted fugitive stashed away in a run down shop basement. Even worse, there’s a new Supe terrorist on the run. The cherry on top? There’s now an unknown mysterious head-exploding assassin out there . It certainly hasn’t made Mother’s Milk happy, as tensions are running rather high among the crew. I really enjoy the idea of Hughie growing into a leadership role, and taking charge more often–something that will definitely be challenged with Butcher back in the picture.
Another thing on Hughie’s mind was Annie. They didn’t leave on the best note, but clearly the two of them haven’t quite moved on from each other. It seems that Starlight is doing an okay job at remaining safe, for now at least. No one knows what really happened at the end of last season, what with A-Train in a coma. That’s hardly enough to keep Annie’s mind at ease, and it certainly doesn’t help that she’s being flaunted around the world in unfavorable and demeaning ways. Having to put on that continued facade like that can’t be the easiest thing for Annie, and no doubt a big part of her journey through the season will focus on her rebellion against Vought. The big question is how much of the rebellion will be shown to the world, as opposed to destroying the establishment from the inside secretly.
The Boys started their sophomore season off with a bang, providing us a reminder that the show is not messing around. Butcher coming back in the final seconds certainly brings up tons of questions, and I hope that they are answered sooner rather than later. Stretching those mysteries out until the last episode wouldn’t be the best choice.
Bonus Notes:
- You know, it would have been fun to have a faux Daredevil.
- I wonder how much substantial Black Noir stuff there will be this season. Here’s to hoping for more than just the one-off quick gags that we’re used to seeing from him.
