Recaps

Lucian used his new LV4 Super Physique and Physical Mimicry to erase his tracks, disguise himself, and move the four babies into Mercy Hospital’s neonatal ICU before escaping. At a safe house, Hughie learned that A-Train had taken his father and demanded Hughie come alone within twenty minutes.

• Lucian burned Black Noir and Doppelganger’s bodies to ash, scattered the remains, and flew to New York.
• Lucian disguised himself as a middle-aged man, carried the four babies to Mercy Hospital, and fought past the security guards.
• Lucian placed the babies in incubators, destroyed a hole through the ICU wall, and escaped at super speed.
• Hughie answered his father’s phone and heard A-Train threaten his father unless Hughie came home alone within twenty minutes.

Lucian refused to rescue Hughie directly and advised him to bargain with A-Train using Compound V, while Butcher secured CIA protection for the team by handing over evidence against Vought. As Homelander pressured Madelyn about Becca and she sent Deep to investigate Black Noir’s disappearance, Lucian disguised himself and waited near Hughie’s home.

• Lucian told Hughie to trade Compound V for his father’s life, and Hughie took a vial and left the Safe House to negotiate with A-Train.
• Mother’s Milk discovered that the FBI had frozen his account and rushed home to protect Monica and Jenny, while Frenchie persuaded Kimiko to follow Hughie.
• Butcher brought evidence of Vought’s Compound V smuggling to Susan, then agreed to give her the files in exchange for secure housing, new identities, and funds for his team.
• Homelander questioned Madelyn about Becca, and Madelyn reassured him with a kiss before secretly ordering Deep to investigate Black Noir’s disappearance.
• Lucian changed his appearance, went to a café near Hughie’s home, and waited there.

Lucian helped Hughie and Kimiko rescue Hughie's father, then knocked out and abducted A-Train. Meanwhile, Vought’s staged terrorist attack undermined Susan’s leverage, and the government passed the Superman Militarization Act and issued arrest warrants for Butcher’s group, leaving Susan to warn them to run.

• Hughie negotiated with A-Train to free his father, while Kimiko entered the apartment through a ventilation duct and attacked A-Train.
• Hughie and Kimiko escorted Hughie's father out, and Lucian entered the apartment, knocked A-Train unconscious, treated his broken leg, and carried him away in a suitcase.
• Susan confronted Madelyn with evidence of Vought’s crimes and demanded federal control of Supes and Compound V.
• A CIA agent showed Susan footage of Homelander killing a Supe terrorist and presenting Compound V as a national security threat.
• Congress passed the Superman Militarization Act, classified Compound V as a national defense secret, and issued a nationwide treason warrant for Butcher, Hughie, Mother's Milk, Frenchie, and Kimiko.
• Susan called Butcher, told him the group’s protections were void and that authorities were coming, and urged him to run.

Lucian hid A-Train in an abandoned basement and began copying his LV5 Super Speed. Meanwhile, Butcher, Kimiko, and Hughie regrouped after Mother's Milk and Frenchie were arrested, but Butcher refused to rescue them.

• Lucian removed and destroyed a tracking chip from A-Train, then hid him in a sealed basement in New York.
• Lucian examined A-Train's abilities and began a 24-hour copy of his LV5 Super Speed.
• Susan intervened during the FBI raid on Mother's Milk's safe house, protected his wife and daughter, and had Mother's Milk taken into custody.
• Butcher, Kimiko, and Hughie regrouped at a Brooklyn safe house after Hughie's father arranged protection for Mother's Milk's family.
• Hughie demanded that they rescue Mother's Milk and Frenchie, but Butcher refused, saying the team was wanted nationwide and a rescue would be suicide.

Hughie left Butcher and teamed up with Kimiko to save the captured members of their group, while Butcher sought Mallory’s help and learned of Homelander’s complicated attachment to Madelyn. Lucian considered Hughie’s plea as he monitored A-Train, and Homelander visited Vogelbaum to ask whether he had a child.

• Hughie defied Butcher’s plan to sacrifice everyone, left the Safe House, and Kimiko followed him.
• Butcher found Mallory, who said Homelander had almost no weaknesses but seemed possessive and attached to Madelyn.
• Homelander flew to Vogelbaum’s secluded villa instead of returning to Vought Tower.
• Lucian received Hughie’s message about Mother’s Milk and Frenchie being captured and replied that he might be able to help later.
• Homelander quietly asked Vogelbaum whether he had a child.

Lucian gained LV5 Super Speed after copying A-Train’s ability, then told Hughie he would help rescue Frenchie and Mother's Milk. Hughie got himself captured and reunited with them in the CIA black site, while Butcher watched Madelyn return to her villa and waited for a chance to hurt Homelander.

• Lucian copied A-Train’s super speed, left him at a community hospital, and texted Hughie that he would step in.
• Hughie and Kimiko prepared a plan to track Hughie’s transport to the black site so Lucian could help them find the prisoners.
• Hughie let the agents capture him at the Safe House and was locked in a cell with Frenchie and Mother's Milk.
• Hughie revealed a hidden orthodontic wire, which Frenchie recognized as a lock-picking tool.
• Butcher aimed his sniper rifle at Madelyn when she returned to her villa, but held his fire because he wanted Homelander to suffer.

Lucian and Kimiko attacked the warehouse where Frenchie and the others were being held, only to find Deep guarding it. After Lucian knocked him down, Deep fled and sounded an alarm, leaving the confrontation unresolved.

• Lucian met Kimiko at the warehouse, and she charged the armed guards while he watched from the shadows.
• Kimiko survived the gunfire and killed the guards outside the entrance before kicking open the warehouse doors.
• Deep burst out of the warehouse and challenged Kimiko as gunfire erupted inside.
• Lucian attacked Deep with a high-speed kick, but Deep survived and charged back at him.
• Lucian struck Deep in the abdomen, and Deep fled while triggering an alarm.

Lucian escaped the Black Site after rescuing Hughie and the others, disguising himself repeatedly to evade Homelander. Homelander learned the truth about his dead son, then received a video showing Madelyn tied up with a bomb and raced toward her.

• Lucian killed the surviving guards, ordered Hughie and the others to run, and escaped through a warehouse wall.
• Lucian changed his appearance several times and disappeared into a crowd as Homelander arrived at the Black Site.
• Homelander learned from Dr. Vogelbaum that Becca had died giving birth to his son, who survived only seconds.
• Deep blamed Lucian for Black Noir's death, and Homelander ordered him to find Lucian and bring him back alive.
• Homelander received a video showing Madelyn bound to a chair with C4 explosives and sped away toward her.

Butcher held Madelyn hostage with explosives to make Homelander suffer, while Homelander confronted Madelyn over her lies about their child. After killing Madelyn, Homelander turned toward Butcher as Butcher detonated the explosives.

• Butcher bound Madelyn to a chair, strapped C4 to her chest, and waited for Homelander with his thumb on the detonator.
• Homelander confronted Madelyn about hiding the truth that their child had died, and Madelyn pleaded for him to save Teddy.
• Madelyn claimed she loved Homelander and offered Teddy as a son, but Homelander rejected her after realizing she was still lying.
• Homelander threw Teddy onto the sofa, then killed Madelyn with a supersonic strike to her neck.
• Butcher pressed the detonator, and the C4 exploded, engulfing the living room in flames.

After Homelander rescued Butcher from the explosion that killed Madelyn, Lucian contacted Hughie with news that Kimiko’s brother Kenji was alive. Hughie and Kimiko met Lucian at the motel, while Mother's Milk remained suspicious of the meeting.

• Homelander carried the injured Butcher away from Madelyn’s destroyed villa, seeking the truth about his son.
• Lucian asked Hughie whether Kimiko was with the group and told him that Vought’s files showed Kenji was alive and in military custody.
• Hughie told Kimiko about Kenji, and she grabbed him in shock before Mother's Milk warned them that Lucian’s invitation could be a trap.
• Kimiko decided to go with Hughie, and Mother's Milk told them to stay alert and call if anything went wrong.
• Lucian watched Hughie and Kimiko arrive at the motel, then greeted them outside.

Lucian persuaded Kimiko to cooperate with research by revealing that he knew about the Shining Light Liberation Army and her brother. After Hughie left them alone, Lucian used Mind Control to make Kimiko submit and began copying her Super Healing ability.

• Lucian offered to tell Kimiko where her brother was in exchange for a day or two of research, and Hughie asked him to prove he had real information.
• Lucian named the Shining Light Liberation Army, confirming Kimiko’s connection to the group that had kidnapped her and her brother.
• Kimiko agreed to stay, while Hughie took the room next door and promised to come if she called for help.
• After Hughie left, Lucian activated Mind Control and selected Kimiko’s LV5 Super Healing ability to copy over 24 hours.

Lucian completed his copy of Kimiko’s Super Healing ability and verified that it could rapidly heal a severe wound. After waking Kimiko, he gave her information about her brother Kenji and left the motel planning to return to school and pursue more abilities.

• Hughie worried about Kimiko and repeatedly messaged Lucian, who sent him a photo showing her resting safely.
• Lucian completed the permanent copy of Super Healing and tested it by cutting his palm, which healed within seconds.
• Lucian woke Kimiko and told her that her younger brother Kenji was at a Shining Light Liberation Army training base in the Philippines and would be smuggled into New York in a few months.
• Kimiko accepted Lucian’s information and nodded, completing their deal.
• Hughie checked on Kimiko as Lucian left the motel and headed toward his next plans at Godolkin University.

Lucian returned to Godolkin University, paid Jordan Li to replace his training room lock, and met Cate Dunlap at their usual place. While comforting Cate, he copied her Mental Manipulation ability, beginning a process that would take 24 hours.

• Lucian called Jordan Li and paid her $50,000 to replace the broken lock on his training room.
• Lucian messaged Cate and met her in the abandoned old gymnasium.
• Cate told Lucian she felt hurt and afraid when he entered her life and then disappeared without warning.
• Lucian embraced Cate and promised not to leave her like that again.
• Lucian selected Cate's Mental Manipulation ability, and the System began copying it for 24 hours.

Lucian comforted Cate during a walk and learned that Dean Shetty had urged her to use her powers and given her pills to control them. He recognized that Shetty was weakening Cate for her own plan, then left to meet Professor Brink while his attempt to copy Cate’s powers remained at 1%.

• Lucian walked with Cate, reassured her that Homelander was not hunting him, and made her laugh with a story from Vought training.
• Cate told Lucian that Dean Shetty had encouraged her to practice using her powers despite her fear of losing control.
• Lucian saw Cate’s medication and realized Shetty’s pills suppressed her telepathy and weakened her memory manipulation, making her easier to control.
• Lucian and Cate chatted about campus life until Professor Brink called Lucian to his office.
• Lucian kissed Cate on the forehead, promised to bring her Queens pizza, and left while his power-copying progress stayed at 1%.

Lucian visited Brink, who presented an elaborate superhero suit and laid out plans to promote him as a future member of The Seven. Brink asked about Lucian’s abilities and urged him to prepare for next week’s ranking competition, while Lucian left with Brink’s black card and his copy progress still interrupted at 1%.

• Lucian entered Brink’s office and played along as Brink teased him about enjoying himself while he was away.
• Brink showed Lucian a black-and-gold suit design with a retractable cape, Chinese ink-wash details, and specialized armor materials.
• Lucian thanked Brink, and Brink said he and several board members would fund the suit and promote Lucian alongside Golden Boy.
• Brink hinted that members of The Seven were preparing to retire, then asked whether Lucian’s abilities had improved.
• Lucian said his strength and speed were increasing, and Brink urged him to demonstrate his strength at next week’s ranking competition while offering PR support and a higher card limit.
• Lucian returned to his dorm and saw that his copy progress remained at 1%, interrupted.

Lucian hid his real motives by using his mind control to make himself believe he was genuinely in love with Cate, leaving himself a warning to uncover the altered memories later. He grew closer to Cate over pizza, and she left to meet Shetty after kissing him and arranging a date for Times Square.

• Lucian decided that deceiving himself was the safest way to approach Cate without revealing his intentions if her mind-reading returned.
• He altered his own memories and left himself a written warning to use a future ability to investigate what was wrong with them.
• Lucian found the warning confusing, then remembered his promise to bring Cate pizza and invited her to meet him at the cafeteria.
• As they ate, Lucian touched Cate and felt a warm sensation, then became bolder and more openly affectionate toward her.
• Cate took Lucian's behavior as proof that he truly liked her, leaned against him, and kissed him before leaving for a counseling session with Shetty.
• Cate arranged to go to Times Square with Lucian the day after tomorrow, and he watched her leave while the warmth from touching her lingered.

Lucian and Cate grew increasingly close over two days, then spent a romantic day together in Times Square before going to a hotel. When Cate’s glove fell off, Lucian touched her bare hand, and their powers surged as she heard his sincere declaration of love and claimed him as hers.

• Lucian and Cate spent two days seeking each other’s company and became one of the hottest couples on campus.
• In Times Square, Cate and Lucian watched The Phantom of the Opera, visited M&M's World and Madame Tussauds, and saw Queen Maeve: Her Majesty.
• Cate told Lucian she had taken the night off from Principal Shetty's counseling session, and they went to a hotel.
• As Lucian and Cate embraced, one of Cate’s gloves slipped off, and Lucian took her bare hand, triggering a powerful rush of energy.
• Cate asked whether Lucian loved her, and he answered yes; her power confirmed his sincerity, and she declared that he was hers.

Lucian's enhanced Mind Control let him see through the false love that had clouded his mind and break the barrier hiding his memories. He recovered his original plan to exploit Cate's ability and infiltrate Vought, leaving him clear-headed in the bathroom.

• Lucian received an enhanced LV5 Mind Control ability after the system announced its fusion with his lower-level ability.
• Lucian found a note in his jacket telling him that his memories had been altered and to use his new ability to remember.
• Lucian examined his memories and discovered that hidden suggestions had made him mistake compelled behavior for love.
• Lucian used his psychic power to shatter the Mental Barrier he had created with LV3 Mind Control.
• Lucian recovered his plan to return to Godolkin University, use Cate to gain access to Vought's inner circle, and alter his own memories as a disguise.

Lucian concealed his schemes from Cate, then secretly gathered new powers and used mind control to make Professor Brink obey him. The chapter ended with Lucian testing Brink by asking where Sam was.

• Lucian built a mental firewall to hide his secrets from Cate, then returned to bed beside her.
• Cate put on her gloves, and she and Lucian spent the morning together before she went to Dean Shetty for counseling.
• Lucian obtained the private training room key from Jordan and copied super strength, super defense, and super senses from three Supes.
• Lucian summoned Professor Brink to the training room and used mind control to make Brink place Lucian's interests above everything else.
• Lucian erased the secretary's memory of what she had seen, then asked Brink where Sam was.

Lucian learned that Vought planned to move Sam from Sage Grove Center to the Woods for experiments, then focused on training and strengthening Cate’s trust in him. The chapter left Cate agreeing to gradually reduce her medication at Lucian’s suggestion.

• Lucian compelled Professor Brink to reveal that Sam’s blood could enhance other Supes’ abilities and that Vought planned to experiment on Luke after moving Sam to the Woods.
• Lucian ordered Brink to advance the transfer plan, then erased Brink’s memory of their conversation.
• Lucian trained intensely for the upcoming ranking tournament, using his enhanced strength and defense in close combat.
• Cate told Lucian that Dean Shetty had taken her to a psychiatric hospital, where she used her ability to calm a frenzied Metahuman.
• Lucian praised Cate’s progress and suggested she gradually reduce her medication, and Cate agreed to do what he said.

At Godolkin University's private Hero Arena, Lucian and Jordan impressed Vought executives by defeating Andre and Golden Boy. Golden Boy unleashed a fiery power and charged at Lucian, leaving their fight unresolved.

• Lucian entered the arena with Jordan Li and Cate as executives discussed his talent and Brink's support.
• Jordan defeated Andre by enduring his metal attacks, shifting into female form, and striking him with a shockwave.
• Lucian overwhelmed Golden Boy with a series of powerful attacks and sent him crashing into the arena wall.
• Golden Boy rose in rage, ignited in golden flames, and charged at Lucian.

Lucian overwhelmed Golden Boy in the Godolkin arena, surviving his flames and defeating him with a supersonic punch. Golden Boy lay unconscious as Lucian stood victorious, while Vought executives recognized him as a valuable new star.

• Golden Boy charged at Lucian with a blazing attack, but Lucian dodged and relentlessly beat him with precise strikes.
• Vought executives watched Lucian’s speed and durability with astonishment, while Professor Brink celebrated his abilities as an extraordinary mutation.
• Golden Boy raised a wall of fire, but Lucian passed through it unharmed and broke his nose before Golden Boy took to the air and bombarded the arena with fireballs.
• Lucian vanished at speeds beyond the sound barrier, then launched himself into the sky and punched Golden Boy out of the air.
• Golden Boy crashed to the ground unconscious, and Lucian landed unharmed and declared that he would soon forget him.

Lucian was hailed as Godolkin University’s new top Supe after defeating Golden Boy, and Brink unveiled his hero name, The Pivot. That evening, Lucian celebrated with Cate when Annie called to invite him to dinner, leaving him caught between the two women.

• Brink seized the opportunity to present Lucian to Vought executives as the university’s new pinnacle and sent him backstage to put on a custom suit.
• Brink announced Lucian’s hero name as The Pivot, and Lucian reflected that the name also evoked the Wolf Greedy Star Lord.
• Lucian emerged in his new suit to a stunned arena, then received a standing ovation as Golden Boy was carried away on a stretcher.
• At dinner, Cate read aloud glowing press coverage of Lucian and joked that Brink had praised Maeve more extravagantly.
• Annie called Lucian after watching his match and invited him to dinner, while Cate leaned in to ask who he was talking to.

Lucian tried to meet Annie for a celebration, but Cate became jealous and frightened that Starlight would take him away, so he stayed with her before rushing to the club. Annie made him drink three beers for keeping her waiting, then asked what it felt like to defeat Golden Boy.

• Annie called Lucian and urged him to send his location, but Cate asked who was on the phone.
• Lucian told Cate that Annie January had invited him to celebrate, and Cate grew jealous and began removing her glove.
• Lucian stopped Cate from confronting Annie, soothed her fears, and stayed with her after she said she had stopped taking her medication and could not sleep.
• Lucian left Cate's dorm at 1:05 a.m., returned Annie's calls, and used Super Speed to reach her club in Brooklyn.
• Annie made Lucian drink three bottles of beer for arriving four hours late, then asked what it felt like to beat Golden Boy.

Lucian and Annie discussed Vought’s absences and the growing crisis around Butcher’s gang while celebrating Lucian’s victory. After drinking together and sharing stories, Annie began to speak to Lucian more intimately, but the chapter ended before she finished.

• Annie congratulated Lucian on defeating Golden Boy and offered to recommend him to Homelander, but Lucian declined her help.
• Annie listed the absent members of The Seven and realized she was the only one still reporting to work at Vought Tower.
• Annie told Lucian that Homelander blamed Butcher’s gang for Translucent’s death, Black Noir and A-Train’s injuries, and Madelyn’s disappearance.
• Lucian reassured Annie that Vought would respond and promised to protect her if he joined The Seven.
• Lucian and Annie traded stories about college Supes while drinking, and Annie eventually gazed at him and began to say something.