Chapter Summaries

Soldier Boy learned that Edgar had developed Red V, a powerful Compound V prototype that drove its subjects into permanent, violent madness, and he and Homelander began investigating the threat. At Vought’s research district, they found Number 17 rapidly regenerating after Homelander had left him alive for study.

• Soldier Boy paid the system for details and learned that Red V greatly enhanced subjects but permanently destroyed their reason and made them crave attacking.
• Soldier Boy told Homelander that Edgar had at least sixteen more out-of-control subjects, and the two agreed to find him before he could unleash them.
• Ashley reported that Number 17 was still active despite heavy sedation, so Soldier Boy and Homelander went to the research district.
• Homelander revealed that he had left Number 17 alive and had cut off his limbs for the researchers to study.
• Soldier Boy and Homelander saw that Number 17’s severed limbs were regenerating rapidly, and Homelander said the process was not a superpower.

Soldier Boy confronted Homelander about the Supervillain Plan, then ordered A-Train to take him to the grocery store where an Asian girl was being held. Soldier Boy entered the hidden den alone, leaving A-Train wondering how much he knew.

• Soldier Boy told Homelander to clean up the Supervillain Plan, and Homelander claimed he had stopped distributing Compound V while secretly continuing to cultivate supervillains.
• Homelander called Ashley Barrett to coordinate his story with her and protect his approval ratings.
• Soldier Boy called A-Train and ordered him to meet, then told him to stop participating in the Supervillain Plan.
• A-Train took Soldier Boy to the grocery store where an Asian girl was being held, and Soldier Boy entered without confronting the gangsters at the entrance.

Soldier Boy and A-Train went to a gang hideout and freed Kimiko, who killed the men guarding her. When Kimiko tried to flee, Soldier Boy stopped her by offering to help find Kenji.

• Soldier Boy kicked open the hidden basement entrance, and A-Train told the gang members to stand down.
• Soldier Boy found Kimiko locked in an iron cage and tore the bars apart to free her.
• Kimiko attacked and killed the gang members while Soldier Boy stopped A-Train from intervening.
• Kimiko cautiously ran when Soldier Boy told her she was free, but stopped when he offered to help find Kenji.

Soldier Boy captured Kimiko and returned to Vought, where Maeve and Starlight reported encountering a supe and possibly seeing Bombsight. Soldier Boy decided to investigate Bombsight with Homelander while ordering A-Train to secure Kimiko.

• Soldier Boy promised Kimiko he knew where her brother Kenji was, but refused to take her to him immediately.
• Kimiko attacked Soldier Boy, who subdued her and carried her back to Vought Tower.
• Homelander questioned Maeve and Starlight about their injuries, and they explained they had fought and killed a powerful supe.
• Maeve said they might have seen Bombsight, prompting Soldier Boy to decide to investigate with Homelander.
• Soldier Boy ordered A-Train to lock Kimiko in a clean room and keep Translucent from watching her change.

Homelander and Soldier Boy investigated Maeve’s lead and the university where Maeve and Starlight had been attacked, but found no sign of Bombsight or any suspicious activity. Soldier Boy suspected the incident was a trap involving a fake Bombsight and asked Homelander about Doppelganger, while their joint appearance drew an excited crowd.

• Homelander ordered Translucent to stay in the conference room while A-Train took Kimiko away.
• Homelander searched the neighborhood Maeve had identified but found nothing, then followed Soldier Boy to the university campus.
• Homelander and Soldier Boy arrived at the campus and drew a crowd of students eager to see them.
• Soldier Boy reconsidered Bombsight’s behavior and suspected the attacker had been a fake meant to lure him there.
• Soldier Boy asked Homelander where Doppelganger was, and Homelander admitted he had searched for him after Madelyn died.
• Homelander and Soldier Boy suspected Edgar was behind the lure, but neither found anything abnormal on campus.

Stan Edgar prepared an ambush to kill Soldier Boy after luring Homelander away, but the plan failed when Homelander quickly returned. Soldier Boy and Homelander suspected a trap but dismissed it, leaving Edgar desperate for another chance.

• Stan Edgar ordered his superhumans to lure Homelander away and attack Soldier Boy, while Dr. Vogelbaum warned that the plan was too risky.
• Edgar sent Doppelganger and Bomb Man to distract Homelander, and Doppelganger transformed into Bombsight before Bomb Man carried him away.
• Homelander chased the pair, but Bomb Man exploded, and Homelander returned to Soldier Boy after only a brief delay.
• Soldier Boy recognized that the apparent Bombsight was Doppelganger, and he and Homelander considered whether someone had tried to lure Homelander away.
• Dr. Vogelbaum urged Edgar to abandon the plan, but Edgar stared at the surveillance feed and insisted there had to be another opportunity.

Soldier Boy stayed on campus to draw Edgar’s forces into attacking him, and Edgar arranged an ambush while Homelander was away. Surrounded by Red V-enhanced supes and other attackers, Soldier Boy remained confident as the fight began.

• Homelander left Soldier Boy at the college, and Soldier Boy decided to play along with Edgar’s plan to isolate him.
• Edgar learned Soldier Boy had stayed behind and planned to attack during A-Train and Shockwave’s race the next day.
• Soldier Boy noticed the heat rising around him, then killed a taunting attacker with his shield.
• A dreadlocked teleporter brought more attackers to campus, and Cryopods opened to release out-of-control Red V supes.
• The Red V supes and other attackers surrounded Soldier Boy, who judged their strength insufficient to threaten him.

Soldier Boy unleashed his upgraded Nuclear Chest Blast against the Red V-enhanced supes attacking him, devastating the campus. At a public race, Homelander learned that Soldier Boy had been surrounded and feared for his safety.

• Police arriving at the school called for the area to be sealed off and requested military and Vought support as the fighting spread.
• Soldier Boy's shield shattered, and several Out-of-Control Supes pinned him down while their allies attacked.
• Soldier Boy fired a powerful chest blast that wiped out nearly all the attacking supes and leveled a third of the campus.
• Homelander appeared at the A-Train and Shockwave race, where Maeve received Ashley's call about Soldier Boy.
• Homelander took Maeve's phone and heard Ashley report the attack and explosion, then was overwhelmed by fear for Soldier Boy.

Homelander raced to the University District after learning Soldier Boy had been ambushed, fearing he had lost the one person who stood by him. He found Soldier Boy alive, then turned on the remaining Supes who had attacked him.

• Maeve told A-Train that dozens of Supes had ambushed Soldier Boy at the university, and Homelander flew there at extreme speed.
• Soldier Boy fought the attackers among the campus ruins, but the Spatial Supe repeatedly teleported targets out of his reach.
• Homelander appeared and killed the Spatial Supe, then threw his severed head into another Supe, killing him too.
• Homelander checked Soldier Boy for injuries and learned that the attackers had broken his shield, while Soldier Boy himself was only lightly scraped.
• Homelander turned his fury on the remaining Supes and killed one with his Heat Vision as the others begged for mercy.

Homelander slaughtered the superhumans at the ruined campus and forced the sole survivor to reveal Edgar's location, then killed her despite promising to let her go. He and Soldier Boy flew to confront Edgar, whose surveillance showed that his forces had been wiped out.

• Homelander killed the fleeing superhumans one by one and left a frightened young girl alive to lead him and Soldier Boy to Edgar.
• Soldier Boy persuaded Homelander to promise the girl her freedom, and she revealed Edgar's location.
• Homelander killed the girl when the veteran police officer approached, then accepted the officers' thanks and flew away with Soldier Boy.
• Dr. Vogelbaum and Edgar watched the campus surveillance feeds fail, and Dr. Vogelbaum reported that the superhumans and Red V-injected fighters were dead.

Edgar’s plan failed when Homelander and Soldier Boy broke into the underground laboratory, and Homelander killed Edgar after discovering that he was afraid. The laboratory staff were also killed, while Dr. Vogelbaum was left alive.

• Edgar accepted that he and Vogelbaum could not escape, but Soldier Boy and Homelander smashed through the laboratory ceiling and entered.
• The laboratory’s automatic guns failed to harm Soldier Boy and Homelander, and Homelander destroyed the weapons with Heat Vision.
• Edgar tried to explain his actions as business decisions, while Homelander killed the fleeing laboratory staff.
• Homelander noticed Edgar’s racing heartbeat and realized he was afraid, then killed him after Soldier Boy urged him to do it.

Homelander killed Dr. Vogelbaum after learning that he had a son named Ryan, then set out with Soldier Boy to find him. Afterward, Homelander returned to the ruined campus to gather the pieces of Soldier Boy’s shield, while The Deep continued avoiding his search for Edgar.

• Dr. Vogelbaum admitted he regretted separating Homelander from his mother and revealed that Homelander had a son named Ryan, hidden by Vought under the care of assigned personnel.
• Dr. Vogelbaum told Homelander that Madelyn knew about Ryan, and Homelander killed him with his Heat Vision.
• Homelander and Soldier Boy flew off to find Ryan, but Homelander detoured to collect the fragments of Soldier Boy’s broken shield from the campus ruins.
• Maeve and A-Train arrived at the campus after the battle and faced a crowd of reporters, while the police left the next steps to higher-ups.
• The Deep lounged on the sperm whale while searching for Edgar, considered giving Homelander false information, and learned that the whale wanted him to leave.

Homelander prepared to meet Ryan for the first time, buying him gifts and taking Soldier Boy’s advice to treat him normally. They reached Ryan’s home, where Becca shielded him as Homelander finally spoke to the boy.

• Homelander asked Soldier Boy what to bring Ryan, and Soldier Boy suggested giving him a phone because the isolated community blocked outside access.
• Homelander bought Ryan a phone and a cart full of toys, then returned some unsuitable items at Soldier Boy’s insistence.
• Soldier Boy told Homelander to respect Ryan’s feelings and introduce himself before asking how Ryan was doing.
• Homelander and Soldier Boy landed in the yard where Becca and Ryan were, and Becca pulled Ryan behind her as a guard ran away after Soldier Boy threatened him.
• Homelander stared at Ryan in wonder and called him a handsome little devil.

Homelander met Ryan for the first time, showered him with gifts, and tried to win his admiration while Becca remained wary. After introducing himself as Ryan’s father, Homelander saw red flashes in the boy’s eyes and realized Ryan might have inherited his powers.

• Ryan recognized Homelander as the superhero he had seen on TV, and Homelander was moved by his son’s admiration.
• Homelander gave Ryan expensive toys and a phone, then threatened Becca and offered to tear down her home to build Ryan an amusement park.
• Ryan excitedly explored the gifts while Becca watched Homelander with suspicion and Soldier Boy observed quietly.
• When Ryan said the phone had no signal, Homelander used his heat vision to destroy the signal jammers hidden in the trees.
• Homelander formally introduced himself as Ryan’s father, and Ryan’s eyes flashed red as Homelander sensed his son’s powers awakening.

Homelander gave Ryan toys and revealed that Ryan’s uncontrolled heat vision came from his powers, while Becca tried to protect him from Homelander’s influence. The family reunion turned tense when Soldier Boy offered Ryan a cigar and Becca sent him inside, leaving Homelander furious with her.

• Ryan asked Homelander what had happened, and Homelander told him his powers came from his blood and made them powerful.
• Homelander gave Ryan toys and encouraged him to call him Dad; Ryan did, deeply affecting Homelander.
• Homelander introduced Soldier Boy as his father and told Ryan to call him Grandpa.
• Soldier Boy offered Ryan a cigar, but Becca stepped between them and ordered Ryan inside.
• Homelander confronted Becca for interfering, while Becca stood her ground and Homelander dismissed her concerns.

Homelander and Becca argued over whether Ryan should leave the cabin with him, while Soldier Boy pressured Becca to let Ryan go. Ryan chose to spend time with his father, and Homelander flew him toward Vought Tower with Soldier Boy trailing behind.

• Becca refused to let Homelander take Ryan, and Homelander argued that the cabin’s surveillance and confinement made it a poor place for a child.
• Homelander invited Ryan to come with him, but Becca clutched Ryan and threatened to kill herself if Homelander took him away.
• Soldier Boy threatened to crush Becca’s head, but Ryan’s request to spend time with his father finally persuaded Becca to let him go.
• Homelander carried Ryan into the sky, and Ryan asked to see where his father worked.
• Homelander sped toward Vought Tower and left Soldier Boy behind until Ryan noticed his grandfather was flying slowly.
• Soldier Boy caught up, removed a leaf from Homelander’s hair, and flew ahead toward Vought Tower.

Homelander brought Ryan and Soldier Boy to Vought Tower, where he showed Ryan around and delighted in his son’s excitement. After jokingly proposing a new building called Homelander Boy Tower, Homelander let Ryan try the captain’s chair in The Seven’s conference room, just as someone approached.

• Homelander took Ryan and Soldier Boy into Vought Tower after Ryan asked to watch the sunset.
• Ryan wished Becca could join them, but Homelander decided she would not agree and changed the subject.
• Soldier Boy headed to the drinks area while Homelander led Ryan through the tower and offered to teach him to fly.
• Homelander offered to build Ryan another Vought Tower and proposed naming it Homelander Boy Tower.
• Homelander showed Ryan The Seven’s conference room and steadied the captain’s chair as Ryan sat in it.
• Homelander turned toward faint footsteps at the door.

Ryan met Homelander at Vought Tower, where Homelander treated him as his son and summoned The Seven to meet him. While Starlight took Ryan to the restroom, The Deep arrived in a foul mood and decided to bully the boy.

• Ashley entered the conference room, recognized Ryan as Homelander's son, and brought him candy and desserts.
• Ryan asked about the other members of The Seven, so Homelander ordered Ashley to call them back for an emergency meeting.
• Starlight arrived, learned that Ryan was Homelander's son, and befriended him while they waited for the others.
• Homelander received a call from a man claiming to be Butcher, and he asked Starlight to take Ryan to the bathroom.
• The Deep entered the restroom, saw Ryan alone, and decided to bully him.

The Deep bullied Ryan in a restroom and threatened him into keeping quiet. Ryan ran to Starlight for comfort, and she confronted The Deep about what he had done.

• The Deep cornered Ryan in the restroom and shoved him, claiming only members of The Seven could use that floor's facilities.
• Ryan apologized and begged to leave, but The Deep grabbed him and threatened to throw him into the ocean if he told anyone.
• The Deep released Ryan, who fled the restroom while The Deep admired himself in the mirror.
• Ryan ran into Starlight and sobbed in her arms, refusing to explain what happened.
• The Deep came into the hallway and asked whether Ryan was Starlight's relative, prompting Starlight to ask what he had done to Ryan.

The Deep learned that the boy he had bullied was Homelander’s son, Ryan, during a meeting where Homelander introduced Ryan to The Seven. After Starlight explained what had happened, Homelander confronted The Deep and ordered him to sit down.

• The Deep intimidated Ryan in the men’s room, and Starlight threatened to blind him unless he backed off.
• The Deep told The Seven he had news about Edgar, but Maeve informed him that Edgar was dead.
• Homelander announced that he had found his son and went to bring Ryan into the conference room.
• The Deep recognized Ryan as the boy he had bullied and realized he was in trouble.
• After hearing what The Deep had done, Homelander roared at him, made him wet himself, and ordered him to sit down.