Chapter Summaries

Homelander and Soldier Boy began sparring so they could test Homelander’s increased strength, trading surprise attacks and heavy blows. After they paused to recover, Homelander struck Soldier Boy from behind, leaving their fight ongoing.

• Homelander and Soldier Boy agreed to spar, and Soldier Boy tricked Homelander by attacking before he was ready.
• Soldier Boy used super speed to charge Homelander, but Homelander dodged and countered, tearing his boot with a kick.
• Soldier Boy grabbed Homelander’s ankle, but Homelander broke free and punched him while Soldier Boy struck Homelander in the chest.
• Homelander and Soldier Boy paused to recover and reflected on how hard the other could hit.
• Soldier Boy charged at normal speed, and Homelander cautiously moved behind him and punched him to the ground.

Soldier Boy defeated Homelander in a sparring match using a series of dirty tricks, then tested Homelander’s Heat Vision and confirmed his own healing was powerful. Their conversation ended when Homelander suddenly clutched his temple and nearly collapsed, leaving Soldier Boy concerned about what was happening to him.

• Soldier Boy threw dirt into Homelander’s eyes and kicked him off balance, then pinned him and declared that Homelander had lost.
• Homelander reflected on Soldier Boy’s advice and felt confident about his own abilities and future.
• Soldier Boy asked Homelander to demonstrate his Heat Vision, and Homelander burned a gash into Soldier Boy’s arm before stopping at about seventy percent power.
• Soldier Boy’s wound healed quickly, strengthening his suspicion that Homelander’s powers might later deteriorate.
• Homelander suddenly pressed a hand to his temple and nearly fell, and Soldier Boy caught him and asked what was wrong.

Homelander tested the enhanced senses and powers he had gained from the Original Compound, while Soldier Boy considered how to use the spectacle to support the Sword of Damocles Plan. Military personnel, police, reporters, and A-Train arrived to investigate the extraordinary red light, and an officer greeted Soldier Boy.

• Homelander said his enhanced Super Vision and Super Hearing had overwhelmed his brain, then tested his senses and demonstrated that he could detect people more than ten kilometers away and see details in the sky.
• A-Train arrived and asked what had caused the red light; Homelander acknowledged that he had created it, and Soldier Boy explained the Original Compound's effect.
• Soldier Boy decided the spectacle could help publicize the Sword of Damocles Plan and intimidate Supes who might disregard it.
• Military personnel, police, fighter jets, and reporters arrived at the devastated wasteland, where the forces assembled and officers held back the press.
• A lead officer greeted Soldier Boy and explained that reports from the public and an observatory alert had brought them to investigate.

Homelander claimed responsibility for the enormous Heat Vision phenomenon while Soldier Boy faced the reporters. In Maine, Morey and four other unaffiliated Supes resisted Vought’s new restrictions, killed a waiter, and began attacking café customers, leaving a little girl trapped inside.

• Homelander told officials and reporters that he had caused the phenomenon, then demonstrated his Heat Vision on a vast scale.
• At a Maine café, Morey denounced Vought’s restrictions on unaffiliated Supes and slapped a middle-aged man who urged him to obey the rules.
• Morey strangled a waiter to death and urged his companions to record his defiance of Vought.
• As withdrawal and anger took hold of the five Supes, they unleashed chaos and destruction in the café.
• A tattooed Supe burned a young boy alive in front of his sister, then turned toward another victim while customers found the café’s doors and windows impossible to escape through.

Maine police surrounded a coffee shop sealed behind an impenetrable black film and called Vought for help. Stormfront arrived and blasted a hole in the barrier, then warned everyone to run when electricity arced back at her.

• Maine police found the coffee shop sealed behind black film that resisted bullets and called Vought for assistance.
• Police surveillance footage revealed Stormfront near the coffee shop, and she soon descended in a flash of purple lightning.
• Stormfront identified herself as a Vought superhero and dismissed the police chief's suspicions before approaching the shop.
• Stormfront fired purple electricity into the black film, puncturing it and triggering a reflected electrical arc.
• Stormfront shouted for everyone to run because she could not control the electricity.

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.