The Boys (Season 3) Episode 5: Recap & Ending Explained: In the fourth episode of The Boys Season 3, Butcher (Karl Urban), Hughie (Jack Quaid), Frenchie (Tomer Capone), Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) and MM (Laz Alonso) took a trip to Russia to find the weapon that killed Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles). They realized that there’s no weapon and it’s actually Soldier Boy who has been experimented upon. And now he is capable of causing massive explosions that eviscerate everything in his vicinity and render a Supe powerless. The team reached its lowest point, yet, with Kimiko fighting for her life and MM being hugely disappointed with Hughie and Butcher for using V24. Back in Vought Tower, Homelander (Antony Starr) upends the status quo by framing Stan Edgar (Giancarlo Esposito) as the villain, putting an end to Starlight (Erin Moriarty), Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott) and Supersonic’s (Miles Gaston Villanueva) coup, and later on, he even kills Supersonic.
Major Spoilers Ahead
The Boys (Season 3), Episode 5 Recap: Soldier Boy Wreaks Havoc In The City
The episode, titled The Last Time To Look On This World Of Lies, starts with MM watching a video of Russian scientists conducting all kinds of heinous experiments on Soldier Boy. Frenchie sits beside Kimiko who isn’t recovering from her wounds. Butcher pays her a visit and then goes to MM watching the video. He tries to spark a conversation by pointing out how radioactive Soldier Boy is. However, he says that that’s not their problem now because they have to tend to Kimiko. MM says that he doesn’t care about all that now. Butcher understands he’s still pissed about him using the V24 and tries to spin it as his way of saving everyone and leveling the f*cking playing field. MM reminds him that the whole point of their operation is that no one should have that kind of power. Butcher says that while MM’s head is in the land of fairies and dancing dildos, he’s on planet Earth i.e. closer to reality.
Butcher notices Hughie puking out the V24. Seeing him like that reminds him about Lenny. Hughie asks him what’s the matter since he’s looking at him weirdly. Butcher says that it’s nothing and walks away. Ashley (Colby Minfie) takes the position of the CEO of Vought International. As she starts to reminisce about her childhood, Homelander enters and asks everyone to introduce themselves. One by one, the board members start their bootlicking. But when one of them asks him a legit business-related question, Homelander goes berserk in order to hide the fact that he knows nothing about the business side of things. Even Ashley joins in, not realizing the damage she’s causing. The changeover continues with Deep (Chace Crawford) becoming the head of the crime analytics department. He gives a massive (and borderline offensive) speech that proves he knows nothing about what he’s doing and then proceeds to give everyone cupcakes.
The Boys return to the USA and Butcher sends Kimiko away with MM and Frenchie while Hughie stays with him. He tries to make sure that MM isn’t going to bail on him and all he gets is a “f*ck you”. Hughie assures Butcher that he still has him. Then we cut to Hughie watching news clips of Supersonic’s death, which they are saying has happened due to an opioid overdose. Starlight returns to the apartment and Hughie gives her a hug as she is going through hell. She says that it’s not safe for Hughie because Homelander has mustered the courage to just kill people now and experience no repercussions. Hughie puts that to the side and tries to comfort her. She asks him about Moscow and Hughie tells her that it was a dead end. So, she asks what killed Soldier Boy then? As Hughie continues to try and prepare Starlight, she realizes something is wrong. And Hughie reveals what went down in Russia.
As Starlight has a meltdown, Hughie asks her which of the two is angering her more: the fact that Soldier Boy is running around in Russia or that he took the temporary Compound V. Starlight says it’s probably a combo of both of them. She says that he could’ve died because it’s a drug made by Vought, the most corrupt company in the world. Hughie assures her that they don’t have any more of it and even if they did, he wouldn’t take it (while opening a jar of jelly, something that he couldn’t do earlier). Starlight realizes that Hughie actually liked the experience of being a Supe and Hughie says that he did. As he goes on and on about his antics in Russia, Starlight says that all that was stupid and dangerous and she can’t lose him too (after Supersonic). Hughie reassures her that this won’t happen again and they’ll figure out what they’ve to do next together. Because it’s them against the rest of the world.
We briefly see Soldier Boy making his way into a cargo plane in Russia and then cut to The Boys’ HQ where Butcher is drinking his guts out. Maeve enters and asks him about Soldier Boy still being alive. Butcher says that he isn’t just alive but running around in Russia. Maeve passes a comment on Butcher’s drinking. Butcher says that at least he’ll be sober next morning while she’ll still be a Supe. Maeve says that if Supes are so vile, why is he so eager to be one of them? Butcher fails to respond as he examines the vials of V24. Maeve asks what he’s going to do with this batch. Butcher doesn’t answer and offers her a drink. Maeve reminds him that she has been sober for four months. He says that he’s drinking after one year. So, they both get to drinking and throwing ideas at the board on how to beat Homelander. Butcher talks about what the V does to people and how every last Supe has to go. However, they get to f*cking each other’s brains out.
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Frenchie visits Kimiko at the hospital and notices that Little Nina (Katia Winter) is in there too. She basically wants him to pay up for the damage they’ve caused to her business in Russia. Frenchie says that her deal was with Butcher, so she should ask him. Nina says that she doesn’t know him, she knows Frenchie. And since he’s the one who introduced Butcher to her, he has to pay the debt. By working for her (which obviously involves killing people). Frenchie goes back to Kimiko and she starts to regain consciousness. Upon getting up, she realizes that her powers are gone because of Soldier Boy. While Frenchie looks worried, Kimiko appears to be happy about it since she always wanted to be a normal human being.
Back in the Vought tower, Starlight confronts A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) for outing the coup attempt to Homelander and for getting Supersonic killed. A-Train feigns ignorance and Starlight says that he’s a coward for being so desperate to be with people who hate him. A-Train meets Ashley who tells him that Homelander is very appreciative of the fact that he outed the mutineers. So, as a reward, he has agreed to set up a meeting between A-Train and Blue Hawk (Nick Wechsler), almost like A-Train wanted. Ashley also reveals that the meeting is happening at the moment, which takes A-Train by surprise. He gets straight to the point and insinuates that Blue Hawk’s patrolling is racist. Blue Hawk pulls the “reverse racism” card and asks if he’s being “canceled”. Ashley gives him a stern look and he asks A-Train what he can do to make amends. A-Train says an apology to the community will do and Blue Hawk agrees to do it.
It’s revealed that Soldier Boy has not only reached the USA, but he is in New York City. He sees the posters of the Supes and is repulsed at the fact that movies are being made about them. He notices a poster of Robert Singer (Jim Beaver). He sees a poster of Maeve representing the LGBTQ community and a gay couple walking around, and he reacts in a homophobic fashion. No, the excuse that he’s from a different time doesn’t work because the “times” doesn’t define a person. If someone’s homophobic, they are homophobic, period. Anyway, the sound of a Russian song hits Soldier Boy’s ears. He starts to power up again and explodes, thereby eviscerating that block. Yes, he has PTSD and that’s his outburst.
The narrative cuts to Janine (Liyou Abere) watching a clip of Homelander’s birthday outburst. MM arrives to visit and notices Todd (Matthew Gorman) allowing Janine to watch Homelander’s toxic speech. Todd says that Homelander’s language is a little salty but it’s “good for her”. MM asks him how this is good for Janine. Todd responds by saying that Homelander is America’s greatest hero and he’s standing up to the crooks, the corporation and the legacy media. He even proposes to send “some stuff” to MM via Facebook. MM reiterates that he doesn’t want Janine to watch all this. Todd says he is his favorite, though. MM gets angry and repeats his statement and Todd tells him to pipe down (yes, a father’s concern for her daughter is too much for Todd, but a White man’s rant is good for a kid).
The news of Soldier Boy exploding an entire block breaks and triggers MM’s PTSD as he starts remembering his family’s death. He bolts and Janine says that she thought they were going to the science center. MM apologizes to her and leaves. Homelander, while watching the same news, zones out for a minute. Starlight asks him what they’re going to do about it. He tells everyone to book slots in all the Sunday shows and tell the people they’ve nothing to worry about. Starlight shouts at Homelander, asking him what they are supposed to do about Soldier Boy. Homelander warns her to watch her tone. Starlight politely asks him the same question. Homelander, pretending he knows what he’s doing, tells her to save the day while he takes care of the ratings. Hughie and Butcher reach the explosion site and Hughie asks Starlight to work with Vought’s crime analytics department to zero in on Soldier Boy.
The Boys Capture Crimson Countess
Ivy (Jessica B. Hill) from the FBSA spots Hughie and asks him about his broken arm. He says that it was just a bad sprain and he is okay. After learning that Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) is on her way to that spot, he rushes to Butcher, who finds out that the place is radioactive. Hughie then spots MM inspecting the crime scene and the two approach him next. MM wonders whether Butcher still thinks Soldier Boy is Russia’s problem. MM also says that he is going to find Soldier Boy all by himself. Butcher asks MM what he’s going to do once he does find him. He requests MM to table their conflict and take care of Soldier Boy first. After that they won’t see each other again. MM reveals he already has a lead. Butcher figures out he is talking about The Legend (Paul Reiser) and that Soldier Boy must’ve paid him a visit.
Starlight, along with a Vought employee, works on finding Soldier Boy. The employee says that in order to find him, they need over a dozen analysts working double shifts, going through every single second of footage recorded by the CCTV cameras. Starlight realizes why they can’t do that. There’s nobody left in the crime analytics department because Deep has apparently fired them because they had Tweeted against Homelander. A-Train reaches the community center and meets Nathan (Christian Keyes). Blue Hawk enters next, with a camera crew and that irks Nathan. The “apology” goes horribly as the people question his actions and Blue Hawk’s racism re-surfaces. He starts saying the cliched “All Lives Matter” and “Supe Lives Matter”. A-Train tries to get him out of there but Blue Hawk gets violent and injures everyone, especially Nathan.
MM, Hughie and Butcher meet Legend and MM tells him that they need to talk. Although Legend’s mind goes in a hundred different directions, MM asks if Soldier Boy has paid him a visit. He doesn’t give a straight answer as he starts talking about his time as the VP of Vought. MM asks him again about Soldier Boy, pointing out the cocaine that’s clearly not there just for him. Legend assures him that it is because he’s writing a memoir. MM says that he can trust them to not let Soldier Boy trace the information back to him. Legend pulls out his fake leg to show the price he paid for trusting Butcher. MM reminds Legend that he owes him one because he okay-ed the cover up of Soldier Boy killing MM’s family. Legend finally gives in and says that he was there to pick up his super suit. After some more bullshitting, Legend reveals that Soldier Boy also took Crimson Countess’s (Laurie Holden) address and is headed there.
Homelander does a spot on the Cameron Coleman (Matthew Edison) show to address the threat of Soldier Boy. Coleman insinuates (under the garb of citing an opinion from Reddit) that people think it can be Stan Edgar’s doing as he wants to discredit Homelander. He says that the timing is indeed very convenient. But he urges the people to get out there, go to restaurants and movie theaters because he says that America is safe. Homelander asks Maeve if she thinks the Supe-terrorist attack is Edgar and the Mayor’s doing. Maeve says that could be the case or Homelander is a paranoid, malignant, narcissist who thinks everything is about him. Homelander says that it’s not paranoia if his hunch is true. He reveals that he can smell Butcher all over Maeve, which means she is conspiring with him. Maeve tries to calm him down but Homelander says that she is out of options now. After a tense conversation, Homelander gets her kidnapped by Black Noir.
In an alleyway, probably behind their headquarters, Butcher reveals the V24 to Hughie and MM. While Hughie looks at it longingly, Butcher explains how they need to be superpowered to catch Soldier Boy. MM rejects it and says that this is where he draws the line. Hughie says he’s in because he’s basically a junkie now. Butcher gives the V to Hughie and lets MM be as he is. Starlight confronts Ashley about Maeve’s disappearance. She says Maeve is at the Global Wellness Retreat in Malibu. Starlight tries to reason with Ashley by telling her that Homelander is out of control. She says that Homelander can come for the both of them any day and this CEO job can’t be worth her life. For a second, it looks like Ashley has got her consciousness back. But she goes back to her usual self and orders Starlight to make an appointment the next time she wants to talk to her.
At the hospital, A-Train receives the information that Nathan’s injury is so grave that he’ll probably never ever walk again. Kimiko and Frenchie watch Girl Crazy (1930) and she imagines herself singing “I Got Rhythm” and breaking into a full-on dance number in the hospital (this whole sequence is amazing BTW). When the imagination breaks, she kisses Frenchie, who is so surprised that he goes to get some coffee. But sadly, Frenchie doesn’t return to Kimiko because he gets kidnapped by Little Nina. Crimson Countess prepares for a live masturbation session for her fan (played by Seth Rogen). However, before they can climax, Butcher and MM capture her, leaving Rogen’s character to do the deed while looking at an inverted image of a monkey. Butcher duct tapes Countess’s hands so that she can’t conjure her fire balls and also shows her that he has powers. In addition to that, Butcher tells Countess that Soldier Boy is on his way to meet her and it’s not going to be a happy reunion.
The Boys (Season 3), Episode 5: Ending Explained – Hughie Chooses Butcher And Soldier Boy Over Starlight.
Crimson Countess knows that Soldier Boy was in Russia all this time. This surprises MM and Butcher. Countess says that she has to get out there right now because Soldier Boy is certainly going to kill her and then the rest of them. MM asks why he would want to do something like that. When Countess doesn’t give them a straight answer, Butcher tells her that she’s bait for Soldier Boy, as she pleads to them to let her go. Butcher, Hughie and MM prepare to take on Soldier Boy with what sounds like Halothane (a volatile synthetic organic compound used as a general anesthetic). MM says that, as per the video from Russia, it should. Starlight appears out of nowhere. Hughie asks how she found out where they were. Starlight says MM called her for backup.
As Hughie and Starlight start to bicker about taking on Soldier Boy, Butcher tells them to take their fight somewhere else because they’re on the job. Starlight asks Hughie why he didn’t ask for her help. Hughie tells her the truth. He has taken the V24. He doesn’t want Starlight to risk her life for him again. He says that he can handle himself and he can finally save her, for a change. Starlight says that she doesn’t need Hughie to save her. She needs him just the way he is. Butcher notices the geiger counter going haywire, meaning that Soldier Boy is nearby. MM goes to take his position but stumbles. He realizes that Butcher has drugged him because he won’t like what he plans to do with Soldier Boy.
As MM fades out, Soldier Boy appears, looking very dangerous in his trimmed beard, suit and shield. He recognizes Butcher and Butcher uses that opportunity to strike a deal with him. He says that he has captured Crimson Countess for him as a gesture of good faith and a step towards teaming up. Soldier Boy confronts Crimson Countess and he asks her how much she got from the Russians to get him kidnapped. Crimson Countess says that they didn’t. Soldier Boy, feeling betrayed, talks about how he hoped she would come save him from the Russians because he loved her. As a last taunt, Crimson Countess says she never loved him. She, along with the rest of Payback, hated him. So, Soldier Boy turns her into a bag of meat and bones.
Hughie and Starlight notice the explosion from afar. Butcher tells the two to keep an on MM. Soldier Boy appears. Starlight readies herself to attack him but Hughie comes between the two of them. He tells her that they wanted a weapon to kill Homelander. And Soldier Boy is that weapon. Starlight realizes that this was Butcher’s plan all along and Hughie knew about it. Hughie says that MM would’ve never agreed to do this (because of his Soldier Boy related trauma) and she wasn’t even supposed to be there. Starlight tells Hughie that he is teaming up with a murderer. Hughie tells her that this is the only way they can save her from Homelander. He even offers Starlight to join in because it’s them against the world. Starlight refuses but Hughie leaves with Butcher and Soldier Boy.
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