Chapter Summaries

Lu Chen comforted the disillusioned Starlight, then stayed beside her overnight while copying her light energy manipulation. By morning, he had permanently acquired the ability and sensed the electricity around him.

• Starlight told Lu Chen that Vought had designed a revealing costume for her and dismissed her objections.
• Starlight described her hopes of joining The Seven to save people, then drank until she fell asleep.
• Lu Chen carried Starlight to a motel and clasped her wrist to copy her light energy manipulation.
• Lu Chen waited through the night as the ability-copying progress advanced to completion.
• Lu Chen acquired permanent level-four light energy manipulation and sensed the electrical current in the motel walls.

After Starlight left to return to Vought Tower, Lu Chen concealed his light manipulation and planned to manage his performance at Godolkin University’s practical demonstrations. He defeated junior Jason Walsh with controlled strength and Shockwaves, surprising the gathered students and staff.

• Starlight thanked Lu Chen for protecting her, gave him her private number, and left for Vought Tower to meet Madelyn about her costume.
• Lu Chen tested his Light Energy Manipulation and decided to keep it hidden so Vought would not connect him to Starlight.
• On the subway, Lu Chen planned to show only modest physical improvement during Godolkin University’s practical demonstrations.
• Lu Chen was paired against junior Jason Walsh, who mocked him and charged at the start of their match.
• Lu Chen endured Walsh’s attack, used two Shockwaves to expose his ribs and knock him out of bounds, and won the match.

Lu Chen impressed Professor Richard Brink with his combat demonstration, and Brink summoned him to assess his potential and recruit him. Brink offered to bring Lu Chen into the Crimefighting College as his personal mentee.

• Lu Chen washed up after defeating Walsh and went with a teaching assistant to meet Professor Richard Brink.
• Brink reviewed Lu Chen’s fight and file, considering his looks, background, and unexplained strength.
• Brink questioned Lu Chen about how he had taken Walsh’s punch despite his low entrance-test stats.
• Lu Chen claimed that proper food and training at Godolkin University had made him grow stronger.
• Brink suspected Lu Chen was a late-developing growth type and offered to admit him to the Crimefighting College as his personal mentee.

Lu Chen signed Brink’s private management contract while secretly planning to exploit him, then copied another superpower during training and gained access to Vought’s internal database. Meanwhile, The Deep searched a New York sewage outlet for Translucent’s tracking chip as Vought focused on Starlight’s growing PR crisis.

• Lu Chen accepted Brink’s twenty-year, ninety-ten contract, intending to use Brink’s resources and later kill him without triggering an immediate Vought alert.
• Lu Chen trained in Brink’s private room and copied Marcus’s Partial Metallization ability after deliberately taking a strike.
• Brink gave Lu Chen an access card to the Crimefighting College’s internal database, which Lu Chen planned to use to investigate Vought’s resources and superhumans.
• The Deep searched the New York bay area sewage outlet for Translucent’s tracking chip and complained about the order.
• The Deep saw that Vought was concentrating on Starlight’s viral excessive-force controversy rather than Translucent’s disappearance, and he took comfort in the company’s priorities.

Butcher tried to recruit Mother's Milk after revealing that he and Hughie had killed Translucent, but Mother's Milk refused to rejoin him. At Godolkin University, Lucian found a lead on the Woods facility, rose to thirteenth in the campus rankings, and began considering how to gain Cate Dunlap's trust so he could copy her power.

• Butcher told Mother's Milk that he and Hughie had killed Translucent and asked him to help plan their tactics, but Mother's Milk refused and walked away.
• Butcher told Hughie that Mother's Milk would return because he still needed the work.
• Lucian searched student records and found an encrypted file titled "Codename: Woods" that mentioned behavioral correction.
• Lucian defeated a student with electricity powers in training and reached thirteenth in the campus rankings.
• Lucian watched Cate Dunlap and considered how to get her to maintain skin contact with him for twenty-four hours without triggering her mind control.

Lucian warned Starlight to keep a low profile and confirmed that the Deep was busy, while Hughie and Butcher prepared to investigate A-Train’s drug use. The chapter ended with Butcher asking Lucian to use his access at Godolkin to find A-Train’s secret girlfriend.

• Lucian texted Starlight about her new uniform and warned her against drawing attention as Vought’s heroes turned on one another.
• Lucian watched Andre and Luke leave together and saw Cate depart alone, sensing that the game was entering a new stage.
• Butcher showed Hughie footage of Robin’s death and other superhero crimes, then said they would find A-Train’s drug supplier.
• Butcher called Lucian and asked him to search Godolkin’s records or gather leads on A-Train’s secret girlfriend.

Lucian refused Butcher’s request to investigate A-Train and let Hughie believe he was risking his life to infiltrate Vought as an ally. At Godolkin University, Lucian approached Cate Dunlap and unsettled her by reading her behavior and mentioning her gloves, then kept her book as an excuse to see her again.

• Lucian refused Butcher’s request to investigate A-Train, saying he needed to focus on infiltrating Vought.
• Butcher accused Lucian of being corrupted by Vought and threatened Hughie if Lucian betrayed them.
• Hughie defended Lucian, claiming he hated Vought and was secretly preparing to help The Boys.
• Lucian approached Cate Dunlap at Godolkin University and struck up a conversation about the psychology book she was reading.
• Lucian analyzed Cate’s posture and brought up her leather gloves, prompting her to leave the book behind and walk away.
• Lucian picked up Cate’s book, which had the word “Monster” written inside, and decided to use it as a reason to approach her again.

Lucian confronted Cate in an abandoned gym and tried to persuade her that her parents had taught her to fear her own power. As he left, Luke confronted him about what he had done to Cate.

• Lucian found Cate hiding in an abandoned gym and returned The Subconscious and Behavior Control, pointing out that she had written “Monster” in the book.
• Lucian provoked Cate to remove her glove and use her power on him, but she could not bring herself to do it.
• Lucian told Cate that her parents had made her afraid of her ability and urged her to come to him if she wanted to control it.
• Lucian left Cate holding the book and found Luke waiting outside the gym.
• Luke asked Lucian what he had done to Cate.

Lucian fought Luke after Luke confronted him over Cate, revealing multiple abilities and defeating the powerful Golden Boy. Cate witnessed the fight and confronted Lucian about hiding his identity.

• Luke accused Lucian of harassing Cate and demanded that he apologize and leave South Campus, but Lucian challenged him to fight.
• Luke punched and burned Lucian, whose Carbon Skin protected him, while Lucian found himself outmatched by Luke’s strength.
• Lucian blinded Luke with a burst of light, then struck him and stopped his escape by grabbing his ankle and using Mind Control.
• Lucian brought Luke crashing onto the basketball court and knocked him unconscious.
• Cate emerged from the shadows after witnessing the fight and asked Lucian who he was and why he hid his powers.

After defeating Luke, Lucian confided in Cate about Vought and comforted her over her dangerous power and her brother’s disappearance. Cate used her ability to erase Luke’s memory, making her and Lucian accomplices and leaving her emotionally dependent on him.

• Lucian explained to Cate that Vought would treat powerful Supes as products, and Cate shared her guilt over making her little brother disappear.
• Lucian reassured Cate that her guilt showed she was human, then kissed her.
• Cate feared Luke would expose Lucian, but Lucian asked her to erase Luke’s memory; when she hesitated, he prepared to kill Luke himself.
• Cate removed her glove and used her power to make Luke believe he had accidentally knocked himself out during training.
• Lucian helped Cate put her glove back on, wiped away her tears, and told her they were accomplices.

Lucian copied Luke’s thermonuclear manipulation ability while ensuring Luke stayed unconscious. Meanwhile, Butcher’s team recorded Popclaw accidentally killing her landlord and planned to use the footage to make her reveal A-Train’s secrets.

• Cate left the gymnasium after defying Shetty, and Lucian reinforced her suggestion by using Mind Control on the sleeping Luke.
• Lucian chose to copy Luke’s thermonuclear manipulation ability, which would take six hours to integrate.
• In Brooklyn, Butcher’s team watched Popclaw under the influence of compound V while Hughie, Mother’s Milk, and Frenchie monitored her.
• Popclaw accidentally crushed her landlord’s head during sex and screamed when she realized he was dead.
• Frenchie confirmed he had recorded the killing, and Butcher decided to use the footage as leverage to question Popclaw about A-Train.

After The Deep recovered Translucent’s remains in a zinc box, Homelander took control of the investigation, treating the murder as a personal challenge. Meanwhile, Lu Chen copied Luke’s thermonuclear ability and discovered that its energy had restarted his system’s charging; he prepared to move Luke before he woke.

• The Deep recovered a zinc box containing Translucent’s remains and delivered it to Vought Tower.
• Homelander showed Madelyn the box and its blood-red threat, then insisted on personally hunting down Translucent’s killer.
• Lu Chen woke in the gymnasium after copying Thermonuclear Manipulation (LV4) and tested his ability to control flames.
• Lu Chen saw that his system had begun charging from the thermonuclear energy inside his body and realized it could eventually enable travel between worlds.
• Lu Chen noticed Luke was still asleep and decided to get him into an empty training room before he woke.

Lu Chen secretly tested his thermonuclear flight ability, learned to hover and soar, and began planning how to exploit Translucent’s death to enter The Seven. He decided to track Doppelganger by watching for events where Vought would use him as a stand-in for Translucent.

• Lu Chen disguised the unconscious Luke and left him in Combined Training Room 3 before sneaking to a construction site.
• Lu Chen practiced flying with flames from his feet and hands, crashed during his first attempt, then hovered steadily and shot through the clouds.
• Lu Chen cut his thrust and fell before reigniting his flames to brake and land safely.
• Lu Chen considered using Homelander to help kill a useless member of The Seven and free a place on the team.
• Lu Chen reasoned that Vought would use Doppelganger to impersonate Translucent at upcoming public events, but he lacked access to The Seven’s schedule.

Lu Chen asked Annie to find Translucent’s upcoming public appearances, and she agreed in exchange for a walk together in Central Park. He planned to use the schedule to target Doppelganger, while Annie’s final question about his smile went unanswered.

• Lu Chen texted Annie, claiming his roommate wanted to know whether Translucent had any public appearances coming up.
• Annie agreed to check Vought’s schedule and asked Lu Chen to go for a walk with her because she needed someone normal to talk to.
• Annie told Lu Chen about Vought’s suit demands and warned him never to sign its documents; they arranged to meet in Central Park on Saturday.
• Lu Chen planned to use Translucent’s schedule to find and take Doppelganger’s ability, and he saw a report that Translucent had missed a charity gala.
• Annie asked whether Lu Chen had really smiled when he took her call, and he chose not to answer.

Lucian learned tracking techniques in class, then left Cate during lunch after news broke that Flight 37 had been hijacked. Seeing an opportunity to investigate Mercy Hospital while Homelander and Queen Maeve were away, he disguised himself and reached the building across from the hospital.

• Lucian recorded practical tracking and countertracking advice while Cate watched him and recalled their shared secret about Luke.
• Lucian and Cate shared lunch, joking about how Luke might explain his absence.
• Breaking news reported that Transoceanic Airlines Flight 37 had vanished over the Atlantic with 123 passengers and eight crew members aboard.
• Lucian recognized the hijacking as the rescue operation Homelander and Queen Maeve would mishandle, and saw their absence as an opportunity to visit Mercy Hospital.
• Lucian disguised himself, flew to Mercy Hospital, and landed on a nearby apartment building's roof.

Lu Chen infiltrated Mercy Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, stole Compound V, and abducted four babies, including one with LV4 heat vision. He escaped to a forest north of New York and began copying the heat vision while planning to contact Hughie, the others, and Kimiko.

• Lu Chen disabled the hospital’s locks and cameras, then searched the incubators for useful superpowers.
• Lu Chen found a baby with LV4 heat vision and another with LV3 super speed, and selected two other babies to disguise the theft.
• Lu Chen stole the hospital’s Compound V and used mind control to put four babies to sleep before bundling them together.
• Lu Chen destroyed the corridor’s electronic systems and flew with the babies to a forest north of New York.
• Lu Chen started copying the heat vision and planned to take Compound V to Hughie and the others and make contact with Kimiko.

Lu Chen acquired heat vision and super speed, then hid four sleeping babies in an abandoned cabin. He told Hughie that Compound V gave ordinary people superpowers and arranged to meet him and Butcher alone.

• Lu Chen finished copying LV4 heat vision, then acquired LV3 super speed and merged a body enhancement ability.
• Lu Chen tested his heat vision on a boulder and used super speed to race nearly a kilometer through the forest.
• Lu Chen found an abandoned ranger cabin and moved the four sleeping babies there.
• Lu Chen called Hughie and revealed that Compound V gave ordinary people superpowers and had created Vought's superheroes.
• Lu Chen told Hughie to bring Butcher to his location alone, and Hughie agreed before sharing the team's coordinates.

Hughie told Butcher that Lu Chen had obtained Compound V and revealed its true purpose, prompting Butcher to agree to meet him. Before their meeting, Lu Chen secretly entered the warehouse, planted a message in Kimiko’s mind, and altered Frenchie and Mother's Milk’s memories; he then prepared a motel room in Queens for Kimiko and returned to wait for Butcher and Hughie.

• Hughie told Butcher that Lu Chen had said Compound V gave ordinary people superpowers and had been used to create Vought’s superheroes.
• Butcher agreed to meet Lu Chen with Hughie alone, while secretly bringing a tracker and a voice recorder.
• Lu Chen flew to the underground warehouse, knocked out Frenchie and Mother's Milk, and planted a message in Kimiko’s subconscious pointing her to a motel and information about Kenji.
• Lu Chen erased Frenchie’s memories of his role in dealing with Translucent and implanted false memories that excluded Mother's Milk from the events.
• Lu Chen rented a room at a Queens motel, installed a hidden camera, and returned to the cabin to await Butcher and Hughie.

Lucian captured Butcher and Hughie, altered their memories, and made Hughie believe he was secretly working with an inside source at Vought. After Hughie delivered the Compound V samples to Butcher, Lucian watched the Boys accept the new arrangement and flew toward town to begin his next plan against Vought.

• Lucian used super speed and hypnosis to capture Butcher and Hughie, then implanted a memory in Hughie that made him Lucian’s sole contact inside the Boys.
• Lucian gave Hughie the Compound V samples and left him near Butcher’s car while he watched from a distant ridge.
• Butcher woke, found Hughie missing, and followed his GPS signal into the woods, where Hughie refused to introduce him to the undercover source.
• Hughie told Butcher he had promised to meet the source alone and handed over the Compound V samples.
• Lucian listened from the ridge as Butcher and Hughie headed back, then flew toward the nearest town to begin his plan against Vought.

Lu Chen cared for the four superhuman babies and planned to replace A-Train in The Seven by copying his speed, while continuing his infiltration of Vought. Annie moved their meeting in Central Park up to one o’clock, and Lu Chen left the babies asleep under surveillance before heading out.

• Lu Chen bought formula, diapers, bottles, wipes, and clothes before bringing the four babies back to his room in Queens.
• Lu Chen reviewed his plans to work with Butcher against Vought and infiltrate the company by taking Golden Boy’s place in The Seven.
• Lu Chen chose A-Train’s speed as the ability that could help him displace Golden Boy, reasoning that Vought might replace A-Train once his leg was broken.
• Annie called before their agreed meeting time and asked Lu Chen to meet at Central Park at one o’clock instead of two.
• Lu Chen fed and changed the babies, used basic hypnosis to put them back to sleep, checked the surveillance cameras, and headed out.