Chapter Summaries

Homelander and The Seven investigated why Carl Howard was challenging Vought, but found no explanation, and Homelander decided to confront him. Carl’s public campaign against Homelander gained traction, while a mysterious contact promised him redevelopment projects if he kept the controversy going for several days.

• Homelander questioned Maeve, Starlight, and Ashley about who knew Ryan was his son, then worried that someone in The Seven might have leaked the news.
• Soldier Boy suggested Carl was unlikely to be acting against Vought without a hidden motive, while Ashley confirmed their investigation had found no prior conflict between Carl and Vought.
• Homelander decided to bring Carl in for a chat, and Soldier Boy approved; Ashley opened the office’s glass wall as Homelander and Soldier Boy flew out.
• Carl watched his public dispute with Homelander go viral and hoped the controversy would block Homelander’s entry into the National Defense System.
• A mysterious caller praised Carl and promised him redevelopment projects in Manhattan and Brooklyn if he sustained the controversy, prompting Carl to realize Vought might also be bidding for that land.

Carl was confronted at home by Homelander and Soldier Boy after using Vought’s interests as leverage. The two superhumans took him to Vought, with Homelander flying ahead while Soldier Boy chased after them.

• Carl wondered who had offered him leverage against Vought while making coffee at home.
• Homelander appeared in Carl’s living room, crushed coffee beans as a threat, and demanded that Carl come with him to Vought.
• Soldier Boy burst through Carl’s door and slapped him repeatedly before Homelander stopped him.
• Homelander carried the dazed Carl into the sky, and Soldier Boy followed while cursing after them.
• Homelander remembered a father chasing a naughty child and sped up to tease Soldier Boy.

Homelander brought Carl to Vought Tower and summoned the Seven to find out who had leaked that Ryan was his son. After monitoring their heartbeats, he concluded the leak had not come from a member of the Seven.

• Homelander flew Carl to Vought Tower at high speed while Soldier Boy chased them, then threw Carl onto the conference room floor.
• Homelander told Ashley to assemble every member of the Seven, and she summoned them to the conference room.
• Stormfront and the other available members arrived before Soldier Boy flew into the room and confronted Homelander for leaving him behind.
• Homelander accused someone of leaking Ryan's identity and used Super Hearing to monitor the Seven's heartbeats.
• Homelander detected no suspicious heartbeat and decided the leak had likely come from a Vought employee instead.

Homelander interrogated Carl and learned that an unknown caller had arranged the land purchase and planned to use Ryan’s information to undermine him. Anika traced the caller, and Homelander discovered their identity, ending his pretense of playing nice with Carl.

• Soldier Boy slapped Carl and threatened her, but Homelander stopped him from hitting her again.
• Homelander questioned Carl, who revealed that a caller with an altered voice had told her to buy the lake and provoke a media scandal that would keep Homelander from joining the military establishment.
• Carl admitted the caller had also urged her to make something of Ryan’s information.
• Homelander had Carl call the mysterious person while Anika traced the connection, then took the phone and warned the caller he would find them.
• Anika sent Ashley Barrett the caller’s information, and Homelander read it before telling Carl, “the game of playing house ends here.”

Homelander killed Carl in front of the Seven and recorded it as a lesson for Ryan, while Soldier Boy learned that New York State governor Pete was behind her. The chapter ended with the others wondering what Pete hoped to gain from the scheme.

• Homelander asked Ashley to record a video so he could show Ryan how to handle someone who had offended them.
• Carl begged Homelander to spare her, but he ignored her pleas and killed her by pulling her apart.
• The Seven reacted with fear and shock, while Stormfront watched with excitement and Soldier Boy did not intervene.
• Homelander told Soldier Boy that Becca had raised Ryan to be too weak and kind, so he needed stimulation.
• Ashley identified Pete, the governor of New York State, as the person behind Carl, leaving Soldier Boy and the Seven puzzled about his motives.

Homelander arranged to blame Carl’s death on the Shining Light Liberation Army and sent Ashley to report the fabricated story to the police. As Homelander headed to visit Ryan, Starlight questioned Soldier Boy and Stormfront about whether killing Carl had been necessary.

• Ashley explained that Pete feared Vought’s militarization plans would hurt his political prospects, while Stormfront doubted that Pete’s decision had been foolish.
• Homelander decided to call the police and frame the Shining Light Liberation Army for Carl’s death, and Ashley went to coordinate the cover story.
• Homelander left to visit Ryan, intending to show him a video despite Soldier Boy’s warning, while Becca comforted Ryan at the cabin.
• Ashley gave police a fabricated account blaming the Shining Light Liberation Army for Carl’s death as Vought’s reporters filmed.
• Starlight visited Soldier Boy and Stormfront and asked whether killing Carl had been the only way to handle the situation.
• Stormfront explained why Carl had been a threat, and Soldier Boy blamed Carl’s death on her greed.

Starlight confronted Soldier Boy over Carl’s death and learned he had allowed Homelander to kill her as a test of his growth. Later, Homelander showed Ryan the graphic footage, leaving the frightened boy to watch his father’s version of justice.

• Starlight challenged Soldier Boy for allowing Homelander to kill Carl, but Soldier Boy said he had used Carl’s death to test Homelander and give him a chance to change.
• Starlight left, confused and dejected after Soldier Boy insisted Carl had known what she was doing and reality was not a fairy tale.
• Becca urged Ryan to stay away from Homelander after hearing about the day’s events, but Ryan defended his father.
• Homelander arrived at Becca’s cabin and asked to speak with Ryan alone, then showed him footage of Carl’s death.
• Ryan watched Homelander tear Carl apart, his face paling as the graphic footage frightened him.

After Ryan recoiled from Homelander’s violent video, Homelander left and turned his anger toward Soldier Boy’s father, destroying the man’s grave and the entire cemetery. The next day, the cemetery’s disappearance baffled its caretaker, management, and police, who contacted Soldier Boy.

• Ryan told Homelander that he was scared, and Becca ordered Homelander to leave; Ryan also rejected his offer to stay longer.
• Homelander left his phone behind, and Becca copied the video he had shown Ryan.
• While flying over New York, Homelander grew angry over Ryan’s rejection and decided to visit Soldier Boy’s father’s grave.
• Homelander used his Heat Vision to destroy the grave, then continued blasting until the whole cemetery was ruined.
• The next morning, the caretaker discovered the cemetery had vanished, and the police contacted people connected to it, including Soldier Boy.

Soldier Boy learned that his family cemetery had been destroyed and suspected Homelander was responsible after hearing that Homelander had asked for its address. He went to confront him but instead found Homelander struggling to shave, and began teaching him.

• Ashley told Soldier Boy that someone had dug up every grave in his family cemetery and that police had found scorch marks resembling human eyes.
• Ashley revealed that Homelander had asked her for the cemetery's address the night before, then hurriedly ended the call.
• Soldier Boy went to Homelander's suite to get answers but found him trying and failing to shave with a razor.
• Soldier Boy showed Homelander how to soften his beard with a hot towel and shave gently, and Homelander followed his instructions.

Homelander admitted that he had destroyed Soldier Boy’s family cemetery to avenge him, and Soldier Boy told him to have it repaired. Meanwhile, The Deep spotted Butcher in Sandusky, while Butcher drove away with evidence he planned to use against Homelander.

• Homelander told Soldier Boy that Vought had acquired the lake from Carl’s estate and that he planned to build a villa there.
• Soldier Boy confronted Homelander about destroying his family cemetery, then told him to arrange repairs.
• The Deep arrived in Sandusky to work with Blindspot and learned that his new coworker was blind.
• The Deep recognized Butcher in a passing car as a wanted criminal but considered keeping the sighting to himself to claim the credit.
• Butcher drove away with a USB containing video of Homelander killing Carl, which Becca had given him, and vowed to expose Homelander.

Butcher showed the Boys and Mallory footage of Homelander killing Carl, and Mallory planned to release it during Homelander’s final step toward joining the National Defense System. Meanwhile, The Deep told Homelander he might have seen Butcher, prompting Homelander to investigate the fugitive himself.

• Butcher showed Mother’s Milk and Frenchie a video of Homelander killing Carl, and Frenchie decided he wanted out.
• Mallory watched the footage and said she would have the governor arrange for the media to see it next Tuesday, when Homelander advanced toward entering the National Defense System.
• Frenchie spotted a girl in the corner of the video and asked who she was, but Butcher did not know.
• Mallory revealed that Butcher, Frenchie, and Mother’s Milk were wanted fugitives in New York, and Mother’s Milk hurried to contact his family.
• The Deep called Homelander to report that he had seen a man who looked like Butcher, and Homelander berated him for having no useful information.
• Homelander decided to go to Vought’s Information Security Department to find out what Butcher was doing.

Kimiko chose to stay at Vought with Kenji, and Soldier Boy agreed to keep them on salary in exchange for their obedience. Soldier Boy then tracked down Hughie, whose confrontation with landlord Hank ended with Hughie threatening to sue him.

• Kimiko told Soldier Boy she wanted to stay at Vought, and Kenji agreed to stay with her while she persuaded him to reveal the Shining Light Liberation Army's main base.
• Soldier Boy offered Kimiko and Kenji rooms and salaries, then assigned them to capture Frenchie and Mother's Milk.
• Soldier Boy learned Hughie worked at a nearby convenience store and went to find him.
• Hank arrived at the store, claimed the lease allowed him to triple the rent, and demanded the owner sell the store's contents for ten thousand dollars.
• Hughie defended the owner and accused Hank of tampering with the contract, threatening to sue him.

Hank bullied Hughie and Mr. George over the convenience store, then grabbed Robin when she came to help. Just as Hank taunted them to pray for God to save them, a mysterious man crashed through the ceiling and landed in the store.

• Hank lowered his offer for the store and mocked Hughie, who accused him of exploiting Mr. George.
• Hank ordered his bodyguards to pin Hughie down, then poured water over him and struck Mr. George when he intervened.
• Robin arrived and shoved Hank, but Hank grabbed her while Hughie and Mr. George tried to stop him.
• Hank knocked Mr. George down and taunted them, and a man suddenly broke through the ceiling and landed in the store.

Soldier Boy burst into the convenience store, beat up the bodyguards and Hank, then offered Hughie a job at Vought. He left before Stormfront arrived, and she turned her attention to the three men he had knocked down.

• Soldier Boy broke through the ceiling into the convenience store and found two bodyguards restraining Hughie.
• Soldier Boy dragged the bodyguards away and knocked them unconscious, then slapped Hank and sent him crashing to the floor.
• Soldier Boy explained the situation to Hughie, called someone to come to the store, and offered Hughie a job at Vought.
• Soldier Boy gave Hughie his half-smoked cigar and ID card, told him to find Ashley, and left when Hughie asked what job he would do.
• Stormfront flew into the store looking for Soldier Boy, learned he had left, and approached the three men lying on the floor.

Hughie and Robin went to Vought Tower with a cigar and ID from Soldier Boy, and Homelander let them through to see Ashley. Meanwhile, Kimiko and Kenji caught Frenchie as Butcher and Mother's Milk escaped, but Frenchie soon appeared to have joined his captors, leaving the Boys Squad with only two members.

• Hughie and Robin tried to enter Vought Tower, but a security guard suspected them of carrying a forged Soldier Boy ID.
• Homelander recognized the cigar Soldier Boy had given Hughie and sent Hughie and Robin to the thirty-second floor to see Ashley.
• Butcher, Mother's Milk, and Frenchie fled their abandoned factory as Kimiko and Kenji arrived in pursuit.
• Frenchie stopped to let Kimiko catch him while Butcher and Mother's Milk escaped through the forest.
• Butcher and Mother's Milk watched a surveillance feed and saw Frenchie walking and chatting freely with Kimiko and Kenji, apparently having defected.

Kenji brought Frenchie to Vought, where Soldier Boy cleared his warrant and offered him a job. Days later, as Homelander sought a place for Vought in the military, the governor of New York interrupted the proceedings before the final vote.

• Kenji and Kimiko brought Frenchie to Vought, where Kenji warned him not to pursue his sister.
• Soldier Boy asked Frenchie why he had joined Butcher's team and learned that the group had killed Luisi, a Vought superhuman.
• Soldier Boy offered to revoke Frenchie's warrant and invited him to work for Vought.
• Soldier Boy continued checking on the recovering Private Angel over the following days.
• Homelander addressed Congress about joining the military system while Soldier Boy sat in the front row and insulted him.
• The governor of New York interrupted the proceedings before the final vote, saying the public had a right to know certain things.

Pete exposed Homelander’s murder of Carl by showing a video to the Congressional Hall, turning the audience against him. Homelander resisted the urge to attack, then looked to Soldier Boy as a source of support.

• Pete introduced Carl’s land-development dispute with Vought and said Carl had died shortly before his project began.
• Pete played footage showing Homelander ordering Carl’s punishment and tearing him apart, shocking the audience.
• The audience condemned Homelander, and Soldier Boy prepared his Nuclear Chest Blast in case Homelander attacked.
• Homelander’s eyes glowed red as he considered killing everyone, but he remembered Soldier Boy’s influence and stopped himself.
• Homelander, overwhelmed by the crowd’s reaction, looked toward Soldier Boy and thought of him as a father who could offer shelter.

Soldier Boy stepped in after Homelander nearly lost control at the hearing and publicly admitted that Vought’s key figures were involved in the murder. He then revealed that Homelander was his son, leaving the venue in an uproar.

• Soldier Boy approached the stage and lit a cigar while Ashley left the venue and mobilized Vought’s public relations team to suppress leaked footage.
• Soldier Boy shielded Homelander from the cameras and confirmed that the video was real and Vought’s key figures had been involved in the murder.
• A politician pressed Homelander for an explanation, but his aide slapped him to stop him from provoking Homelander.
• Soldier Boy said he had stepped forward because the matter concerned his son, then announced that Homelander was his son.

Soldier Boy publicly revealed that Homelander was his son and defended him at the congressional hearing, claiming the Governor had orchestrated the events around Carl’s death. He left reporters speculating about how Vought had obtained Homelander’s origins.

• Soldier Boy revealed to the congressional hearing that Homelander was his son, stunning reporters and the superheroes watching from Vought Tower.
• Soldier Boy claimed the Governor had pulled the strings behind the dispute, and that Homelander had taken The Seven to the lake for private parties to relieve stress.
• Soldier Boy portrayed Carl as a criminal who had persecuted Homelander, prompting people in the hall to turn their attention toward Pete.
• Soldier Boy left the hearing with Homelander, while Pete felt weighed down despite having blocked Homelander from entering the National Defense System.
• Outside the hall, Soldier Boy told reporters that Vought had deceived him into giving them his sample forty years earlier, then flew away.

Soldier Boy and Homelander faced the fallout from Homelander killing Carl as Ashley managed the public backlash and Hughie defended them. After Soldier Boy upgraded his flight, A-Train reported that Pete had disappeared while under surveillance.

• Soldier Boy told Homelander he did not care about public approval and stood by him as his father.
• Ashley used negative stories about Carl and Governor Pete to keep public opinion divided, while Hughie told her he trusted Soldier Boy and Homelander.
• Homelander hesitated to visit Ryan because he feared Ryan might have leaked the video, but Soldier Boy reassured him and he went down to the cabin.
• Soldier Boy spent 110 exchange points to upgrade Super Flight to Level 3 and discovered he could fly at nearly subsonic speed.
• A-Train told Soldier Boy that Pete had vanished from his house after going into the bathroom, despite A-Train searching the area.