Recaps

Stormfront found a café full of slaughtered civilians and was forced to flee after the Supe criminals overwhelmed her. Soldier Boy and Homelander headed to Maine, where Homelander's Heat Vision struck the attackers from more than a hundred miles away, leaving the surviving criminals terrified.

• Stormfront's electrical attack killed the lead sheriff, and she discovered the café's massacred victims and the Supes who had killed them.
• Stormfront tried to attack the criminals but lost her balance, escaped, and called Soldier Boy for help.
• Soldier Boy and Homelander discussed traveling to the East, while Homelander said he felt watched and Soldier Boy urged him to stay alert.
• Soldier Boy learned that Stormfront could not handle the Supes in Maine, so he and Homelander flew toward the café.
• Morey taunted the police and filmed his escape as the criminals' actions were broadcast live.
• Homelander fired Heat Vision from more than a hundred miles away, cutting Morey apart and injuring the other criminals.

Homelander stopped the Supe riot in Maine and returned with a badly melted captive, while Soldier Boy questioned him and tried to contact Old Popsicle. The story then shifted to a crewed submersible in the Atlantic, where a gigantic octopus approached its terrified crew.

• Homelander used his Heat Vision to cripple the fleeing Supes, ending the riot as Maine's police officers watched in fear.
• Homelander brought Soldier Boy a Supe who had melted from the heat of their high-speed flight, then explained that Vought had reinforced his suit.
• Soldier Boy asked Homelander to get him a durable suit, but balked when Homelander revealed he had already made him a red-and-blue Thunderclap Battle Suit.
• Homelander said he would send the crippled Supes to Vought's concentration camp for propaganda, then flew back to Maine while Soldier Boy tried unsuccessfully to contact Old Popsicle.
• Deep in the Atlantic, a crewed submersible's operators watched a gigantic octopus approach and realized it had spotted them.

The Deep was forced by Kailong to release Ambrosius after Homelander’s actions caused a major disaster. He decided to tell Homelander what happened and set off for Vought International.

• A giant octopus destroyed a submersible and killed its three crewmen.
• Kailong surfaced and grabbed The Deep, demanding to know where Ambrosius was.
• The Deep told Kailong that Ambrosius was in a tank on his bed, and Kailong ordered him to release her back into the ocean.
• Kailong told The Deep that Homelander had caused a major disaster by firing his Heat Vision into the sky.
• The Deep decided to tell Homelander about Kailong and headed for Vought International.

Homelander tried to persuade Ryan to live with him at Vought Tower after Becca decided to leave with Butcher, but Ryan remained torn between his parents. Becca and Butcher arrived at the cabin, where Ryan rushed to greet his mother and Butcher watched with resentment.

• Homelander spoke with Ryan about whether he wanted to live with him or leave with Becca and Butcher.
• Ryan admitted he disliked Butcher but did not want to be separated from Becca.
• Homelander offered Ryan a room at Vought Tower and a chance to live with Soldier Boy, but Ryan said he still needed time to decide.
• Homelander heard a car arrive and saw Becca and Butcher walking toward the cabin.
• Ryan flew outside and embraced Becca while Butcher smoked and tried to tolerate the boy for her sake.

Homelander and Becca let Ryan choose whether to leave with Becca and Butcher or return to Vought, and Ryan chose Vought. Homelander brought him back to the tower, where they reunited with Soldier Boy, before Homelander received a call from Klee inviting him to try her cookies.

• Becca told Ryan she planned to start a new life with Butcher, while Homelander urged him to return to Vought and promised he would still be able to visit her.
• Ryan chose to go to Vought, and Homelander flew him away from the cabin as Becca quietly sobbed and Butcher breathed a sigh of relief.
• Ryan raced Homelander to Vought Tower, and Homelander pretended to lose; employees inside watched them and recalled Ryan's poisoned fruit incident.
• Homelander took Ryan to his room, then met Soldier Boy, who welcomed Ryan back and shared beer with him as they entered Vought Tower.
• Homelander answered a call from Klee, who asked him to try the cookies she had made.

Homelander left his Vought duties to visit Klee and eat the cookies she had made, while Soldier Boy agreed to take over his work. At Vought Tower, Soldier Boy caught The Deep plotting to steal fish from the office aquarium but let him go, wondering who had beaten him up.

• Klee invited Homelander to eat her homemade cookies, and he asked Soldier Boy to cover his work so he could visit her.
• Soldier Boy agreed to handle Homelander’s public duties, and Homelander left after telling him he might be gone for two hours.
• Ashley hurried into the president’s office and found The Deep whispering to the fish about stealing them.
• Soldier Boy stood atop the aquarium and confronted The Deep, who feared he would be beaten again.
• Ashley warned Soldier Boy that he might crack the aquarium, and he climbed down without hurting The Deep.
• Soldier Boy noticed The Deep’s swollen, bruised face and wondered who had beaten him.

After forcing The Deep to tell the truth about Kailong, Soldier Boy learned the octopus’s appearance was connected to Homelander using the Original Compound and decided to investigate the ocean himself. Ashley persuaded him to handle Homelander’s duties first, and he was still filming promotional videos when Homelander and Klee returned to Vought Tower.

• The Deep claimed Kailong had attacked him after criticizing Vought, but Soldier Boy struck him and threatened him until he confessed what had really happened.
• Soldier Boy connected Kailong’s appearance and Old Popsicle’s disappearance to Homelander injecting himself with the Original Compound.
• Soldier Boy decided to find Kailong and told The Deep to use his octopus girlfriend to lure the creature out.
• Ashley urged Soldier Boy to take care of Homelander’s official duties, so he agreed to stay and handle them.
• Homelander and Klee returned to Vought Tower as Soldier Boy angrily shouted about having to shoot another promotional video.

Homelander brought Klee to Vought Tower, where Soldier Boy was furious after being tricked into filming promotional footage. Homelander hoped Klee’s presence would calm him, while Soldier Boy began to suspect Homelander had orchestrated the deception.

• Homelander saw Soldier Boy berating Vought employees and realized his own plan to film extra footage had caused the trouble.
• Homelander decided to face Soldier Boy himself rather than leave Ashley to take the blame, and Klee followed him into Vought Tower.
• Homelander asked Klee not to run away when things got scary, and she eagerly agreed, thinking she would help catch bad guys.
• Soldier Boy accused Ashley of lying and threw paperwork at her as she apologized for making him film the promotional videos.
• Soldier Boy suspected Homelander had arranged the filming because Ashley would not normally have made such an obvious mistake.

Homelander brought Klee into the office to smooth over Soldier Boy’s suspicions, but Soldier Boy confronted him for arranging an afternoon of filming. Klee refused to leave Homelander alone, and after Soldier Boy punched him and Klee tried to help, the tension eased; Homelander explained that Klee’s family would stay in New York and said she could visit Vought and keep Ryan company.

• Homelander brought Klee into the office and claimed he had been arranging better medical care for her father.
• Soldier Boy accused Homelander of making him spend the afternoon filming, and Ashley tried to take Klee outside.
• Klee refused to abandon Homelander, stayed in the office, and clutched his cape despite Soldier Boy’s threat.
• Soldier Boy punched Homelander, who tried to redirect his anger toward the criminals Vought’s promotions were meant to deter.
• Klee grabbed Soldier Boy’s leg and urged Homelander to attack, making Soldier Boy’s anger fade.
• Homelander told Soldier Boy that Klee’s family would stay in New York and that he planned to bring her to Vought to play with Ryan.

Soldier Boy told Homelander about giant, intelligent Super Fish in the ocean, including the octopus Kailong that nearly killed The Deep. He wondered whether their biology could help improve Compound V, while Homelander worried that his heat vision had provoked the attack.

• Soldier Boy arranged a room in Vought Tower for Klee, then sent her away so he could speak privately with Homelander.
• Soldier Boy asked Homelander about the ocean and learned he had never encountered any powerful marine creatures.
• Soldier Boy revealed that The Deep had fought a giant octopus named Kailong and barely survived.
• Soldier Boy explained that the ocean might contain intelligent Super Fish and considered whether their unusual traits could help Vought improve Compound V.
• Homelander asked whether his heat vision fired into the sky had brought trouble.

Homelander and Soldier Boy decided to question The Deep again before confronting Kailong, but Kailong found The Deep first and attacked him and Blindspot. Kailong fled toward the ocean when Homelander appeared in the distance.

• Homelander searched the sky for trouble but found nothing, and Soldier Boy agreed to look for Kailong with him.
• Homelander insisted that they question The Deep about the Super Fish before they left.
• Kailong caught up with The Deep in Camden Small Town, and The Deep ran, promising to release Ambrosius.
• Blindspot tried to stop Kailong with his Double-Spiked Combat Staff, but Kailong turned the weapon against him and defeated both men.
• Kailong prepared to drag The Deep and Blindspot to the ocean, but he spotted Homelander approaching and fled.

After Kailong fled, The Deep and Blindspot headed for a hospital, but Homelander and Soldier Boy arrived with a captured Vought superhero from Maine. Soldier Boy beat the man awake and then turned his attention to The Deep and Blindspot.

• Kailong left The Deep and Blindspot, and Blindspot realized the creature had copied his baton-throwing technique.
• The Deep helped the injured Blindspot toward a hospital and planned to report what happened to Homelander.
• Homelander landed nearby with a captured, unconscious Vought superhero, and Soldier Boy arrived moments later.
• Homelander explained that the man had been neglecting his duties and shielding Supe criminals in Maine.
• Soldier Boy slapped the man repeatedly until he woke, while Homelander backed away and The Deep and Blindspot stayed silent.
• Soldier Boy dropped the man and looked over The Deep and Blindspot.

Homelander and Soldier Boy questioned The Deep about Super Fish and learned that Ambrosius had told him marine life could develop superhuman intelligence, strength, and abilities. Homelander brought Ambrosius to them, and Soldier Boy ordered The Deep to ask her how she learned the ocean’s secrets.

• Blindspot and The Deep told Soldier Boy that Kailong had attacked them, while Homelander took Blindspot to the hospital and secretly worsened his wound during the flight.
• Soldier Boy confronted The Deep about the Super Fish, and Homelander used his threatening powers to frighten him into revealing what he knew.
• The Deep said Ambrosius had told him that some marine life could gain near-human intelligence, extraordinary strength, and powers like Supes.
• Homelander and Soldier Boy decided to question Ambrosius, and Homelander found her in The Deep’s apartment and brought her back in a fish tank.
• Soldier Boy ordered The Deep to ask Ambrosius how she had learned about the ocean’s secrets.

Soldier Boy and Homelander pressured The Deep to question Ambrosius about the Super Fish, while Soldier Boy and Homelander traded jokes about The Deep and marine life. After Ambrosius resisted and splashed Soldier Boy with tank water, Soldier Boy lost his temper and prepared to take his anger out on the spot.

• The Deep told Ambrosius that her cousin had caused trouble and asked how she had learned about the Super Fish; Ambrosius was shocked that he had told Homelander about it.
• Soldier Boy and Homelander joked about whether The Deep could reproduce with sea creatures, and Homelander said he had acted on the idea after hearing that a dolphin The Deep owned had become pregnant.
• Ambrosius tried to climb out of the tank, but The Deep shoved her back, splashing seawater over Soldier Boy and into his mouth.
• Soldier Boy threatened Ambrosius and kicked The Deep away when he begged for her, then kicked over the tank and sent Ambrosius tumbling out.
• The Deep begged Soldier Boy to spare Ambrosius, but snot landed on Soldier Boy's shoes, making him furious as Homelander laughed.

Soldier Boy punished The Deep and made him question Ambrosius, while Homelander revealed that The Deep had fathered a short-lived half-human, half-dolphin creature that could control fish. Homelander offered to show Soldier Boy the preserved specimen.

• Soldier Boy spun Ambrosius around, then ordered Homelander to slap The Deep for crying.
• Soldier Boy stopped spinning Ambrosius and threw her back into her tank, where she lay unconscious.
• Soldier Boy gave The Deep five minutes to get answers from Ambrosius, so The Deep slapped her awake and began questioning her.
• Homelander told Soldier Boy that a dolphin from The Deep’s private aquarium had given birth to two calves, including a half-human, half-fish one resembling The Deep.
• Homelander said the hybrid calf died after one day, but seemed able to control fish and make them swim into its mouth.
• Homelander offered to take Soldier Boy to see the creature’s preserved corpse.

Soldier Boy and Homelander learned that Ambrosius’s unusually intelligent octopus family preserved memories, including knowledge of Super Fish, and that Kailong had a powerful, missing cousin named Kane. Homelander searched the ocean for Kailong but found nothing within 100 kilometers or at depths shallower than 500 meters, then returned to report his failure.

• Soldier Boy questioned Homelander about The Deep’s half-fish, half-human offspring while The Deep beat Ambrosius until she agreed to talk.
• The Deep told Soldier Boy and Homelander that Ambrosius’s family passed memories down through generations and that their records included information about Super Fish.
• The Deep revealed that Kailong had a stronger cousin named Kane, who could regenerate a lost tentacle within a minute and had been missing for a long time.
• Soldier Boy sent Homelander to capture Kailong and learn more about the Super Fish and Ambrosius’s family.
• Homelander searched the ocean with his vision but could see only 500 meters deep and found no trace of Kailong within 100 kilometers.
• Homelander returned after his search failed.

Homelander and Soldier Boy waited for Kailong, while The Deep tried to lure him out by threatening Ambrosius. As the two heroes watched from the sky, The Deep began removing his suit, leaving them stunned.

• Homelander explained that seawater limited his vision, then admitted he had only memorized physics to explain his powers to fans.
• The Deep proposed using Ambrosius as bait, and Homelander and Soldier Boy flew into the sky to watch.
• The Deep carried Ambrosius to the shore, called sea creatures over, and beat her while demanding that they tell Kailong to come.
• After Kailong failed to appear, Homelander prepared to pressure The Deep, but stopped when he saw The Deep taking off his suit.

Homelander and Soldier Boy watched The Deep’s bizarre behavior until Kailong appeared and killed a cheering white dolphin. As Homelander and Soldier Boy approached, Kailong turned on Ambrosius and ate her, leaving Homelander to realize what was happening.

• Homelander and Soldier Boy recoiled from The Deep’s public behavior while sea creatures gathered around him.
• Kailong arrived and tore the white dolphin in half after it praised The Deep.
• The Deep fled to shore as Ambrosius sought refuge in Kailong’s tentacles and urged him to escape Homelander and Soldier Boy.
• Kailong asked Ambrosius about his superpower, then began eating her tentacle despite her desperate protests.
• Homelander used X-Ray Vision and realized Kailong was eating Ambrosius, The Deep’s girlfriend.

Homelander and Soldier Boy tried to stop Kailong from devouring Ambrosius, but Kailong acted with strange calm and attacked The Deep when he approached. After Kailong said his plan had finally worked and The Deep sensed his consciousness vanish, Homelander and Soldier Boy waited as a major transformation began.

• Soldier Boy struck Kailong and Homelander hurled him into the air, but Kailong kept eating Ambrosius.
• Homelander questioned Kailong and threatened to tear off his tentacles, while Kailong ignored him and licked Ambrosius's blood from them.
• Soldier Boy told Homelander to bring Kailong down, where The Deep rushed to embrace him and Kailong crushed several of The Deep's ribs.
• Homelander severed Kailong's tentacle with Heat Vision before it could kill The Deep.
• Kailong laughed that his plan had finally worked, and The Deep sensed his consciousness disappear as Homelander and Soldier Boy watched a transformation begin.

Kailong transformed into a half-intangible creature, causing Homelander’s Heat Vision and Soldier Boy’s charge to pass through him. Homelander kept attacking from the air, but his beams still could not hit Kailong.

• Kailong’s body began to writhe and glow as he laughed, and The Deep warned Homelander and Soldier Boy about the change.
• Homelander fired Heat Vision at Kailong, but Kailong blurred into a half-intangible state and the beams melted the concrete behind him.
• Homelander explained that his X-Ray Vision had shown Kailong’s body disappearing after he ate Ambrosius.
• Soldier Boy charged Kailong, passed straight through him, and slid across the concrete until he managed to stop.
• Homelander circled Kailong and repeatedly swept him with Heat Vision, raising the air temperature as Soldier Boy watched.

Kailong recovered from Homelander’s Heat Rays and revealed that he could speak, while Soldier Boy and Homelander tried to understand his strange, intangible state. The chapter ended with Soldier Boy deducing that Kailong’s kind had superpowers and that more Super Fish might live in the ocean.

• The Deep fled the intense heat and watched from a distance as Homelander’s Heat Rays failed to harm Kailong.
• Kailong opened his eyes, spoke fluent English, and mocked Homelander for attacking him despite the obvious futility.
• Homelander scanned Kailong with his X-Ray Vision and found that he looked like a cloud of smoke, while Soldier Boy reassured him with a pat on the shoulder.
• Soldier Boy probed Kailong about his ability, and Kailong sarcastically confirmed it was a superpower.
• Kailong let slip that he had companions in the ocean, prompting Soldier Boy and Homelander to notice his body grow more substantial and exchange meaningful looks.

Soldier Boy and Homelander mocked Kailong while trying to understand why his body kept shifting between intangible and solid. Soldier Boy used their taunts to make Kailong solidify, then blasted him with his chest energy, leaving Kailong disintegrating and desperate to survive.

• Soldier Boy suggested trapping Kailong in plastic wrap or setting him on fire, and Homelander agreed to try the plan.
• Kailong grew angrier as Soldier Boy proposed using a fan and continued taunting him.
• Soldier Boy and Homelander noticed that Kailong's body became more solid as his anger rose.
• Soldier Boy pretended to suggest mixing Kailong with biogas, then turned and unleashed the energy in his chest.
• Soldier Boy's blast shattered Kailong's body and devastated the surrounding trees, ground, and ocean as Kailong inwardly pleaded not to die.

Soldier Boy and Homelander discovered that Kailong had survived the Nuclear Chest Blast by becoming intangible, though the attack had left it drastically shrunken. Soldier Boy recognized Kailong as a growing threat and prepared to deal with it.

• Kailong regained Intangibility and survived Soldier Boy's two-and-a-half-minute Nuclear Chest Blast, while Soldier Boy exhausted himself.
• Homelander and The Deep saw the devastation across the shoreline, and Homelander helped Soldier Boy stand.
• Homelander spotted a fist-sized Kailong in the crater, and Soldier Boy learned that it could still turn intangible.
• Kailong admitted that Soldier Boy had outsmarted it and said it would be more cautious around humans.
• Soldier Boy decided Kailong could become a future threat and told it to stop talking.

Kailong explained that its power let it consume living beings to gain their abilities and memories, revealing that it had eaten its cousin Ambrosius to acquire intangibility. It blamed Soldier Boy and Homelander for leaving it no choice, but Soldier Boy interrupted its outburst to go to the bathroom.

• Kailong evaded Homelander and Soldier Boy as it climbed out of the crater, while Soldier Boy mocked it over its severed tentacle.
• Soldier Boy agreed to let Kailong explain itself after Homelander teased it for struggling to keep its temper.
• Kailong revealed that its Consumption power let it eat living beings and gain their abilities and memories.
• Kailong said it had eaten its cousin Ambrosius, betting that her power would help it defeat Homelander and Soldier Boy.
• Kailong insisted that it had been forced to eat its closest family, and Soldier Boy stopped its agitated speech to go to the bathroom.

Soldier Boy saw through Kailong’s threat to devour the Super Fish, concluding that Kailong wanted him and Homelander to kill them so it could eat their bodies. He called for The Deep to have the fish follow Kailong and keep it from feeding.

• Soldier Boy mocked Kailong as it described eating its cousin to gain power and protect itself.
• Soldier Boy and Homelander resolved that Kailong’s potential made it too dangerous to leave alive.
• Kailong threatened to devour all the Super Fish and crawled toward the ocean.
• Soldier Boy questioned whether Kailong could devour other Super Fish and accused it of trying to manipulate them into killing the fish for it.
• Soldier Boy told Homelander to summon The Deep and have him command the fish to follow Kailong and prevent it from eating.