Chapter Summaries

A-Train sided with Vought and dragged a federal Supe around the White House, while federal forces attacked the helicopter carrying Private Angel, Starlight, and Queen Maeve. After Private Angel protected the women from the crash, Black Left and Black Right empowered the remaining federal Supes, and an Indian Supe charged at Maeve and the others.

• A-Train declared that he would oppose the federal government and seized the white-haired Black youth, dragging him at high speed around the White House.
• The federal lieutenant colonel ordered her forces to shoot down the helicopter carrying Private Angel, Starlight, and Queen Maeve.
• Private Angel grabbed Starlight and jumped from the damaged helicopter, while Queen Maeve leapt down separately; Private Angel healed Starlight's wounds and shielded her from the crash.
• Black Left spread black mist among the federal Supes, and Black Right's laugh made them feel stronger and more powerful.
• An Indian Supe, emboldened by the others' powers, charged toward Maeve and the other women.

Maeve, Starlight, and Private Angel fought the foreign Supes, but Starlight passed out and Private Angel was forced out of the battle, leaving Maeve overwhelmed. As Black Left, Black Right, and the federal soldiers advanced toward the White House, the ground began to burn beneath them.

• Maeve fought five foreign Supes at once and taunted them, but they kept attacking despite their injuries.
• Starlight killed one Supe with electricity, then passed out when her power exhausted her mental energy.
• Private Angel overhealed the vibrating woman who attacked her, stopping her ability, but then told Maeve she could no longer fight.
• Maeve faced six Supes alone and began to lose ground as the federal lieutenant colonel ordered Elite Team A toward the bunker.
• Black Left and Black Right led the soldiers toward the White House, but the pavement glowed red and two beams erupted from underground.

Homelander stopped the soldiers from advancing on the White House by carving a second fissure across their path, while Soldier Boy forced Lucas to submit inside the bunker. Homelander proposed using the remaining soldiers as practice for The Seven, and he and Soldier Boy continued to misunderstand each other.

• Homelander swept his Heat Vision across the battlefield, making the soldiers and Black Left and Black Right halt before the new fissure.
• The federal lieutenant colonel hesitated to order the soldiers forward, recognizing that Homelander had shown restraint with his warning.
• Soldier Boy watched Ashley beat Lucas and told her to hit him harder, while warning Lucas that Private Angel could heal him even if he were smashed to pieces.
• Lucas stopped pleading to die and asked Soldier Boy what he wanted him to do.
• Soldier Boy worried about Homelander's growing strength and the Visitors from Beyond, then cursed Old Popsicle for playing dead.
• Homelander told Soldier Boy that the remaining soldiers could serve as practice for The Seven, but Soldier Boy dismissed his explanation.

Black Noir arrived just as Queen Maeve was about to be killed and turned the battle around with a ruthless attack on the reinforcements. He killed four Supes, leaving only two terrified opponents as the fight continued.

• Homelander saw that Private Angel, Starlight, and Queen Maeve had all been defeated, and watched as Armblade Man prepared to behead Maeve.
• Black Noir emerged from the helicopter wreckage and blocked Armblade Man’s strike with a thrown Katana, then closed in on the reinforcements.
• Black Noir dodged the Supes’ attacks, beheaded Armblade Man, and killed another reinforcement with a thrown blade.
• Black Left and Black Right considered fleeing as Black Noir killed a mismatched-eyed Supe by crushing his heart.
• Black Noir faced the last two reinforcements, an Indian man and a short, stout man, who realized they were helpless against him.

Black Noir and the remaining Seven subdued the Federal Lieutenant Colonel and prepared to confront Homelander, while Starlight woke and learned the battle was over. Their advance toward the White House was interrupted by the arrival of more than seventy people, including Black Left and Black Right, apparently sent by the Lieutenant Colonel’s superior.

• Black Noir killed the remaining opposing Supes, and Queen Maeve finished off the Indian Supe after stopping Black Noir from striking him.
• A-Train returned with the white-haired Black Youth’s mangled corpse, and Private Angel woke Starlight, who panicked over having electrocuted an opponent.
• The Seven decided to confront Homelander in the bunker, and Black Noir led them toward the White House as soldiers scattered before him.
• Black Noir’s broken Katana frightened the Federal Lieutenant Colonel into squatting with her hands on her head, while A-Train taunted her.
• Starlight spotted more than seventy people approaching the White House, including Black Left and Black Right, and the Federal Lieutenant Colonel suspected her superior had sent them.

More than seventy Supe Academy students attacked the special forces at the White House, claiming Vought had imprisoned them as test subjects, and The Seven struggled to stop them. Soldier Boy and Homelander headed aboveground to confront the attackers, whom Homelander recognized as people who had disappeared or been reported dead.

• A blade of air severed the Federal Lieutenant Colonel's hand as a group of Supes arrived, and their leader announced their hostile intentions.
• The Supes unleashed their powers on the special forces, killing many soldiers and bringing down the White House.
• Queen Maeve, Starlight, A-Train, and Black Noir fought back, but Starlight fainted and A-Train and Black Noir were badly injured; Private Angel treated them.
• One of the attackers shouted that they should kill The Seven first, and Soldier Boy left the bunker to confront them while Homelander rushed to the surface.
• Homelander recognized few of the roughly seventy-six Supes and realized that some had disappeared or been reported dead by the headmaster.

A-Train returned to the battlefield to rescue The Seven, but a shadow creature made from stolen abilities attacked the team and nearly snapped Black Noir’s neck. Just as Private Angel feared they had no one left to save them, a furious roar erupted.

• Private Angel healed A-Train, who carried the unconscious Starlight away before returning to rescue his teammates.
• A black-robed man outside the battlefield used his ability to absorb Private Angel’s, Black Noir’s, and Queen Maeve’s shadows and gained their abilities.
• A-Train charged through the academy Supes and told Maeve to jump onto his back, but Maeve suddenly fell with a severe wound in her side.
• The shadow creature attacked A-Train and then seized Black Noir’s head, twisting his neck while Maeve and the injured, immobilized Private Angel could not intervene.
• A furious roar exploded across the battlefield just as Black Noir appeared to be on the verge of having his neck broken.

Soldier Boy overpowered the shadow while Homelander used his newly revealed super-speed to stop the academy students from interfering. Homelander checked on the injured Maeve, then turned to face the students as the air heated around him.

• Soldier Boy struck the shadow, then battered it with a kick and a slap until its head shattered.
• Black Noir reflected on Soldier Boy's changed personality and how he had saved his life.
• Superpowered students and special forces soldiers attacked and surrounded Soldier Boy as the shadow fight drew everyone's attention.
• Homelander raced through the students' attacks, dismembering those who approached Soldier Boy, then warned them to stay back.
• Homelander noticed Maeve's injuries, checked on her, and told her his speed had surpassed human limits.
• Homelander faced the academy students as the air grew scorching and electricity buzzed.

Homelander massacred the Supe Academy students who had attacked the special forces, while Maeve and the others watched in horror. As the battlefield fell silent, Soldier Boy remained focused on an eerie black shadow.

• Homelander refused to hear a student’s explanation and let the Academy Supes unleash their attacks against him.
• Homelander used Heat Vision to cut down the Academy Supes, while a special forces soldier watched his brother’s killer die.
• Homelander continued the massacre, thinking of Maeve’s wound and refusing to spare the attackers.
• A-Train, Queen Maeve, Private Angel, Black Noir, and the Animal Friends reacted with shock as Homelander wiped out the students.
• Soldier Boy ignored Homelander’s battle and kept his attention on an eerie black shadow.

Soldier Boy destroyed the shadow while Homelander slaughtered the fleeing academy Supes and then stopped at Soldier Boy’s urging. As Private Angel treated the wounded, Homelander worried about the casualties and what awaited them in the bunker with Lucas.

• Soldier Boy blasted the shadow until it vanished, restoring Black Noir and the others’ shadows and causing the black-robed man’s four fingers to burst apart.
• Homelander used Heat Vision to kill fleeing academy Supes, while Soldier Boy urged him to stop before everyone was dead.
• Homelander stopped killing, leaving the survivors terrified and prompting special forces soldiers to speculate that The Seven had not attacked innocent civilians.
• Homelander recognized that his actions made him look like a supervillain and worried that he and Soldier Boy would be blamed for the dead soldiers.
• Private Angel treated the wounded soldiers as Homelander asked Soldier Boy what they should do about Lucas waiting in the bunker.

Private Angel treated the wounded on the White House battlefield, leading many soldiers to believe The Seven were still heroes. As Homelander worried about the fallout from their attack, Soldier Boy mocked a disfigured outside recruit and turned on her after learning she had killed soldiers.

• Private Angel used her healing power to save wounded soldiers, and the battlefield crowd cheered her as hope amid the carnage.
• Private Angel saw Soldier Boy filming the disfigured outside recruit instead of appreciating her efforts, and she continued treating the wounded in annoyance.
• Homelander tried to discuss their next move, but Soldier Boy distracted him by comparing the recruit to an oval and a ball.
• Soldier Boy asked A-Train whether the recruit deserved to die, and A-Train said she was a federal outside recruit who had killed several soldiers.
• Soldier Boy accused the recruit of hurting people and flew into a rage, while she grew too frightened to defend herself.

Soldier Boy and Homelander subdued the Academy Supes, then devised a plan to use Gideon’s shapeshifting to impersonate Lucas and make him president. Soldier Boy intended to lure Gideon with the promise of V1, then strip his powers and withhold the substance.

• Soldier Boy kicked the female reinforcement into the sky, and Homelander laughed at the absurd sight.
• Soldier Boy stripped the fleeing Academy Supes of their powers with his Chest Beam, leaving the survivors under control.
• Homelander grew angry as Soldier Boy repeatedly interrupted him, while Soldier Boy secretly enjoyed getting even for Homelander’s earlier prank.
• Soldier Boy proposed recruiting Gideon, whose shapeshifting could help support their story about Vought coming after an impostor Lucas.
• Soldier Boy explained that Gideon’s power consumed his lifespan and planned to tempt him with V1, then give him Compound V, strip his powers after he copied Lucas’s appearance, and deny him the promised V1.

Black Noir overheard Soldier Boy and Homelander plotting and was caught laughing, then trembled when Soldier Boy confronted him. Maeve and A-Train misunderstood Soldier Boy’s words as a threat of sexual assault, while the Federal Lieutenant Colonel realized her forces had been sacrificed and grew furious; Soldier Boy then began tormenting Black Noir.

• Black Noir overheard Soldier Boy and Homelander discussing a scheme and laughed, but denied it when Soldier Boy demanded to know why.
• Soldier Boy’s hostile questioning triggered Black Noir’s memories of being bullied, leaving him trembling in fear.
• A-Train told Queen Maeve that Soldier Boy had mentioned forcing himself on Black Noir, and they concluded that Soldier Boy had been threatening him.
• The Federal Lieutenant Colonel recognized that her superior had sacrificed her soldiers to help eliminate Soldier Boy and Homelander, and angrily called for answers.
• Soldier Boy approached Black Noir, gripped his head, and shook him while Black Noir feared that he was about to be beaten again.

Soldier Boy stopped intimidating Black Noir and reassured him, helping him let go of a long-standing fear. After Homelander revealed that A-Train and Queen Maeve thought Soldier Boy was gay, Soldier Boy confronted them to demand an explanation.

• Black Noir listened as Soldier Boy called him a comrade and brother, and his fear of Soldier Boy began to fade.
• Homelander realized Black Noir was thinking through the loss of a shadow in his heart, while Soldier Boy vowed to treat him better.
• Soldier Boy and Homelander agreed to stop lashing out at members of The Seven.
• Homelander revealed that A-Train and Queen Maeve thought Soldier Boy was a homo, then flew away laughing.
• Soldier Boy frightened a special forces soldier who pleaded that he was married with children, then demanded that A-Train explain the rumor as Queen Maeve considered how to protect Black Noir.

Soldier Boy misunderstood A-Train and Maeve’s attempts to reassure him as an accusation about Black Noir, then summoned Private Angel to heal them. Private Angel cured A-Train’s neck wound in exchange for two days with Soldier Boy, leaving Maeve still awaiting treatment.

• A-Train and Maeve tried to reassure Soldier Boy, mistakenly assuming he wanted acceptance for forcing himself on Black Noir.
• Soldier Boy lost his temper and called Private Angel over to heal A-Train and Maeve.
• Private Angel demanded two days with Soldier Boy as payment, and he agreed.
• Private Angel healed A-Train’s neck, and he thanked her for curing him and offered to repay the favor.

Soldier Boy healed A-Train only to beat and chase him, while Private Angel tried to heal a wary Queen Maeve. Homelander arrived at the ruined White House with powerless Gideon and searched the battlefield for his father and Queen Maeve.

• A-Train praised Private Angel's healing, demonstrated his restored speed, and approached Soldier Boy, who punched him and chased him after A-Train fled.
• Soldier Boy smashed a marble pillar while pursuing A-Train, then decided that frightening people was entertaining.
• Queen Maeve tried to avoid Private Angel's healing, but Soldier Boy ordered Private Angel to treat her and Private Angel tickled her until she gave in.
• Homelander carried powerless Gideon to Washington, spotted A-Train running below, and hurried toward the White House as Gideon was injured by the speed.
• Homelander reached the devastated White House, saw Black Noir and the surviving Academy Supes, and noticed that something about the scene seemed wrong.

Private Angel healed Queen Maeve, who tried to appease Soldier Boy by promising she might reunite with Homelander and have a child with him. Homelander overheard her and happily imagined a family future, but Gideon interrupted his fantasy and drew his anger.

• Private Angel healed Queen Maeve while Soldier Boy waited to decide how to punish her.
• Queen Maeve told Soldier Boy that she hoped to reunite with Homelander and might have a child with him.
• Homelander overheard Maeve's words and imagined a happy future with her, Soldier Boy, Ryan, and their child.
• Gideon asked Homelander what he was doing, and Homelander slapped him and ordered him to be quiet.
• Homelander failed to regain his fantasy and looked down with a softened gaze.

Homelander reflected on how Soldier Boy had taught him to respect Ryan’s choices, then excitedly confronted Maeve about starting over and possibly having a child. Meanwhile, Soldier Boy had Private Angel treat Gideon and questioned him about his attack on Vought, learning that Gideon wanted Homelander’s powers so he could rule the world.

• Homelander remembered changing how he treated Ryan and said he was eager to talk with Maeve about their future.
• Homelander landed hard near Maeve and Gideon, leaving Soldier Boy to call Private Angel over to save Gideon.
• Homelander asked Maeve whether she meant that they might start over and have a child, while Soldier Boy took Private Angel and Gideon aside.
• Soldier Boy threatened Gideon, who begged for mercy and explained that he had joined the Flash Army because he liked his comrades, not its ideology.
• Gideon said Homelander had destroyed the Flash Army and that he had sworn revenge as Underground Raven, then admitted he mainly wanted to copy Homelander’s powers and rule the world.