The Boys season 3, episode 2 recap: The Only Man In The Sky

Episode 302 of the Amazon Prime series The Boys starts out with a zany “Lifetime”-style movie on VTV, starring The Deep (Chace Crawford) called “Not Without My Dolphin.” Then, after that special message, we learn about an upcoming Homelander (Antony Starr) birthday holiday special, which features pretty prominently in the story.

Meanwhile, The Boys’ leader, Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), has a dream about shooting up V24, the new invention by Vought which can give someone superpowers for a span of approximately 24 hours (which we learned about in the season premiere). Although Butcher’s semi-adopted son, Ryan (Cameron Crovetti), appears briefly, wanting to share a video with Butcher, he is more distracted by the fear that Homelander could theoretically show up at any time as a menace.

Speaking of menaces, in the next scene, Homelander visits Stormfront (Aya Cash) on his birthday, making the visit far more about himself than about her ongoing pain. We also see some of the rehearsal for Homelander’s special, and how Starlight (Erin Moriarty) gets along with her ex, Supersonic (Miles Gaston Villanueva).

However, Homelander changes Starlight’s script, much to her chagrin, so it will no longer mention her charity called The Starlight House and instead will have her perform a “sexy” version of “Happy Birthday” for him.

The Boys and a secret weapon?

Next, Butcher visits Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso) about a secret weapon to kill Homelander. They also discuss Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles), with Butcher receiving a folder of information on the mysterious supe.

Then The Boys takes us to Vought’s own Disneyland, Voughtland, where Frenchie (Tomer Capone) and Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) track down another new supe named Crimson Countess (Laurie Holden). Interestingly, Crimson Countess sings a tribute song to Soldier Boy in a performance where she showcases her superpowers.

Later, when Frenchie and Kimiko use their backstage pass to talk to her, she also shows them her (unintentionally) humorous new song, “Chimps Don’t Cry.” However, as we’ve come to expect with The Boys, things get dark as they interrogate the Countess about Soldier Boy.

She fights them off, flees the room, and, with her powers, shoots at them but kills a mascot instead! She manages to escape in the ensuing chaos.

Yes, there is seemingly no episode of The Boys without someone exploding. Basically, if you are anywhere near Vought or The Seven, you might want to bring an umbrella!

“It’s your party…”

Meanwhile, back at Homelander’s birthday fiasco, Vought head honcho Stan Edgar (Giancarlo Esposito) shows up to defend Starlight against her having to sing the “sexy” version of Happy Birthday. In fact, when Homelander whines about it, Stan even says “Hey, it’s your party, you can cry if you want to,” (paraphrasing the ’60s pop song famously performed by Lesley Gore).

Then, as another complication for Vought, A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) pesters Ashley Barrett (Colby Minifie) about rebranding to get back in touch with his “roots.” He pitches a video game about the slave trade.

What is Red River?

The Boys then get into Red River, a group home owned by Vought, intended for superpowered kids. Hughie visits the place, lying and saying he is there for Starlight, planning to adopt a child because he is sterile.

However, Hughie steals information from them and learns that Stan Edgar had actually adopted Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit). Interestingly, Teddy Stillwell (Declan and Gavin Sheedy), the son of Madelyn Stillwell (Elisabeth Shue), makes a brief appearance at Red River.

Gunpowder

The Boys also introduces a character named Gunpowder (Sean Patrick Flanery), who Butcher first speaks to in the restroom of some NRA-style gun-loving event. Butcher actually blackmails Gunpowder regarding a complaint he filed with Vought regarding Soldier Boy’s alleged sexual abuse, with Gunpowder being the victim.

Butcher doesn’t get away totally unscathed during this first encounter, getting wounded by Gunpowder’s bullet-related superpowers in the parking lot outside of the event. Later, Butcher returns for a second round, where we learn that he has indeed taken some V24, temporarily making him a rather powerful supe.

After being bested in battle, Gunpowder says his team was working with Grace Mallory (Laila Robins). Billy doesn’t just beat Gunpowder up, he punches him apart and blasts him with his newfound heat vision power (which, again, is supposed to be temporary).

Later, when Butcher gets in contact with Hughie, he approves of Billy’s brutal methods and tells him that Victoria Neumann is also a supe and the “head popper” who ruined the anti-Vought Congressional hearing.

The jumper

In another harrowing moment, ostensibly part of his birthday bash, Homelander shows up to save a woman named Chelsea (Nia Roam) from committing suicide by humping from a building’s ledge. However, while in the middle of talking her out of it, a newscast on the side of a building mentions that Stormfront committed suicide.

This snaps something in Homelander, as he now tells Chelsea to jump, saying “There is no God,” and “the only man in the sky is me.” Of course Chelsea does jump, to the horror of the people below.

In another scene, Victoria asks Hughie about his absence, and about the man who showed up asking about “Nadia” (which we know is Victoria’s name from when she was at Red River). Starlight shows up for the save, saying they got into a fight and that’s why he hasn’t been around.

Nadia tells Hughie to cut Starlight some slack, saying he “shouldn’t be afraid of a powerful woman” (we know that Victoria actually has the power to look at people and make them explode). Hughie later tells Starlight that, as part of his front while at Red River, he signed them up to adopt a child.

Homelander’s big day

The Boys keeps reminding us that Homelander’s a real jerk. After A-Train does an introduction speech, Homelander bullies him about his weight gain.

Then, after Starlight breaks from the script and announces The Starlight House for homeless youth, someone in the crowd yells out that Homelander’s “Nazi died.” Starlight begins defending Homelander, knowing his potential power if enraged, saying that he is only human and that all people make mistakes.

However, she really takes a gamble by saying Homelander is donating 10 million dollars to The Starlight House. It prompts him to refute her claims.

He also veers off script, declaring that he is not just human and that he is stronger, smarter, better, and is done apologizing and being “persecuted” for his strength. He also denounces Vought, suggesting “If they can control me, they can control you.”

It’s definitely like taking a page from Stormfront’s book and is obviously a major development for The Boys.

Other developments

As for other important moments: Mother’s Milk scares his daughter Janine (Liyou Abere) with his anger at the smoke alarm going off. Sensing his frustration, his ex, Monique (Frances Turner), tells him that he needs to go back to Butcher.

We are briefly reminded of Stormfront’s neo-Nazi fans, the Stormchasers, who are showing marching in Portland with torches. Finally, Kimiko expresses guilty feelings to Frenchie over what happened at Voughtland, pointing out how the witnesses will be traumatized for life.

What are your thoughts on this episode of The Boys? Let us know in the comment!