Amazon Prime's The Boys season 1, episode 2 recap: Cherry

Episode 2 of Amazon Prime’s ‘The Boys’ shows a Senator blackmailed, Starlight in trouble for being heroic, and a man who specializes in hurting superheroes.

[NOTE: The Boys is rife with dark humor and offensive language and situations. So if you are easily offended, you probably shouldn’t watch it.]

The premiere episode of The Boys introduced us to the darker side of superheroes, which includes abuse of superpowers or total negligence of safety. In the process we met Hughie (Jack Quaid ), whose girlfriend (Jess Salgueiro) was literally run through by a speedster named A-Train (Jessie T. Usher). Hughie teamed up with the mysterious Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) to bring A-Train to justice. However, Billy and Hughie seemingly killed a malevolent “hero” named Translucent (Alex Hassell). What will be done with him?

As this episode begins, we learn Billy is not a Federal agent. Also, Translucent surprises them by not being dead, after he starts thrashing around in the trunk of their car. Billy is actually an independent contractor of sorts and now turns to a man named Frenchie (Tomer Capon) for help.

Frenchie is a self-professed expert at incapacitating people with superpowers. However, some of his methods lack finesse, such as zapping Translucent with a cattle prod. Translucent is then placed in an electrified cage. Billy Butcher sidesteps Hughie’s ethical concerns, saying he previously worked at Guantanamo Bay. Hughie rages out, punching a wall until both fists are bloody.

Not all heroes are heroic

Photo: The Boys.. Jan Thijs/Amazon Prime Video /

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Meanwhile, The Boys reveals more about the twisted world of “The Seven” ⁠— a cadre of highly popular (and highly corporate) superheroes. A-Train visits a kid in a hospital’s cancer ward, but the kid’s bummed that he isn’t Translucent. In attempting to console him, A-Train unwisely says, “If you get better, I’ll teach you to run as fast as me,” to which the boy asks, “You’ll teach me to outrun cancer?”

Madelyn Stillwell (Elisabeth Shue), the head of Vought International (and sort of The Seven’s wrangler) is annoyed by him being off-script ⁠— similar to what frequently happens with politicians.

Even more scandalous, Starlight (Erin Moriarty) is teamed up with The Deep (Chace Crawford), who previously sexually assaulted her. However, she refuses to be intimidated by him, saying “You’re just the fish guy,” due to his aquatic powers. Then, after demonstrating her own powers, she threatens to burn his eyes out if he ever touches her again. They team up against minor criminals on a boat who hid drugs in a superhero plush toy. Basically, it’s just a photo-op for them.

Meanwhile, The Seven’s primary “supe,” Homelander (Antony Starr) and Madelyn Stillwell discuss the Mayor of Baltimore, who had tried to blackmail her over a substance called Compound-V. She mentions the scorch marks found on the engine of his crashed plane, and that she knows it was his laser vision. Homelander reluctantly admits it, but she chides him for his terrorist deed: “Gods are pure and perfect and above it all, and they need to stay that way.” Shortly after this, Homelander meets The Deep, intimidating him into saying he never saw anything wrong with the plane (and never will).

Blackmail/Starlight’s in trouble (for being a hero)

Stillwell later meets with Senator Calhoun (David Andrews), who keeps rejecting superheroes for national defense. As a dirty blackmail trick, she sends a woman named Rhonda (Aniko Kaszas) to seduce him. However, as the Senator is blindfolded, Rhonda transforms into a man. He is later revealed to be Doppelganger (Dan Darin-Zanco), a shape-shifter, and he records their dalliance to blackmail him in a sex scandal (it’s explained that Calhoun serves a socially conservative state). We also see Homelander use his super vision to see through a wall and perversely spy on Stillwell (though it’s implied she may be aware of such activities).

There is some actual heroism in The Boys, however. While in civilian attire, Starlight prevents a rape of a woman (Carol Huska) by some apparent frat boys (Matt Jensen, Connor Lucas-Loan). To most, it seems like a perfectly heroic thing to do. However, her agent Ashley (Colbie Minifie) verbally chastises her for it, citing a video of it revealing Starlight’s identity as Annie January. Even more damning, the video does not show the rape attempt itself, but just her attacking them! Will she ever get a break?

Meanwhile, back at the torture cage

Billy Butcher doesn’t want Translucent alive, so he tries a special bullet on him. Frustrated, he takes a quick trip to Agent Susan Raynor (Jennifer Esposito) for the so-called “Mallory Files,” but he gets no help. While Billy’s away, Hughie tries to be humane, giving Translucent a glass of water. It’s a nice gesture to someone who recently tried to kill him, and Translucent sees it as a possible weakness. He tells Hughie that his power isn’t just invisibility but his ability to watch. He urges Hughie to run for the hills from Homelander. Indeed, Homelander gets Translucent’s last known position and promptly flies away.

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In an uncomfortable twist, Frenchie realizes how he can destroy Translucent: Planting a bomb where the sun doesn’t shine. Sensing his life in danger, Translucent offers information, telling them to seek “Popclaw” (Brittany Allen) for info on A-Train. As Homelander draws near, Translucent escapes by shorting out his electric cage with his own urine. However, Hughie shows up again, threatening to detonate his butt-bomb if he stays out of the cage. The big moment: As Billy and the rest distract Homelander with a nearby explosion, Hughie detonates Translucent, ending his career (such as it was). Will Hughie forever be changed?

What are your thoughts on The Boys? Let us know in the comments!

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