“Herogasm”

The Boys continues to blur the lines of morality as various conflicts come to a head and alliances fracture.

One possible reading of this season is that it’s a battle for Annie’s soul. Everyone and everything around her is encouraging her to compromise her principles in the name of defeating Homelander. The idea according to those around her is that in order to win she will have to stoop to his level and then pick up the pieces after victory has been achieved. Morality runs through every plot and decisions are made based on how a given character interprets the situation. Everyone’s morality is being tested by a world that doesn’t seem to support people being their best selves.

Ever since the first episode, Annie has been the heart of the show. Together with Hughie, she is one of the main point of view characters who were inducted into the larger world that they have been a part of without making a major impact on it. As time goes on that role has to change and it definitely has where both are concerned. Annie remains the heart of the show but she is emerging as the moral centre of it as well. My personal preference is that superheroes be virtuous beacons of hope who protect people along with inspiring them. Heroism like that is practically unheard of in this universe but Annie is an advocate for it and having her be the one championing that approach provides appropriate nuance while preventing the show from being relentlessly bleak.

Annie’s morality is tested throughout this episode. Most prominently is the scene she shares with Victoria where an alliance is proposed. The main problem is that such an alliance would require Annie to compromise what she believes in; something that she has consistently been unwilling to do. She is definitely compromised in some ways in that she is playing along with Vought and Homelander until the time is right and has done things she isn’t proud of in earlier seasons. Playing along with Vought and Homelander is a mild compromise as she isn’t actively doing anything that runs counter to her values. It’s a smokescreen designed to throw them off the scent as she figures out her next move, or at least that’s how she justifies it to herself.

Her conversation with Victoria represents a turning point as it pushes her to breaking point upon realising that everyone is asking her to stoop to their level in order to defeat Homelander. She passionately declares that she’s done with turning the other cheek and becoming an accessory to morally repugnant actions in service of what others consider to be the greater good. Compromise doesn’t sit well with her and working with Victoria will represent a betrayal of what she believes in.

Adding to Annie’s decision is Victoria’s attitude. Her shift in personality when she sheds the facade that was being previously presented is striking. She is completely real with Annie which includes flaunting what she can do and gaining support through fear. Annie doesn’t let Victoria intimidate her and feels confident that her popularity protects her to some degree. Victoria acknowledged this for now but ends the conversation by stating that Annie’s popularity doesn’t make getting her out of the way impossible. Her only condition is for Annie to keep their conversation to herself which ends the conversation with a compromise for Annie. It’s a clear unpalatable way to go about things and a statement of Victoria’s intent to use fear as her greatest weapon. Victoria is mistaken as she went into the conversation assuming Annie had a binary choice so is surprised when she takes a third alternative that involves her refusing to compromise even if it means she has no allies. She wants to make things better and do it on her own terms which means she can’t be associated with Victoria because doing so would taint her and have her be a hypocrite after the dust settles.

The morality debate is further explored through Annie and Mother’s Milk. He’s on the verge of compromising his values in some way because his obsession with getting revenge on Soldier Boy is so all-consuming. The general situation has deteriorated to the point where Annie feels that Mother’s Milk is the only uncompromised person she can ally herself with so she’s determined to ensure that he doesn’t fall into the trap of stooping to the level of those he’s trying to stop but it’s a difficult ask at this point as Mother’s Milk is approaching the end of his tether. The re-emergence of Soldier Boy has triggered his obsession and filled him with anger that impacts his objectivity.

Annie does everything she can to make sure he doesn’t compromise who he is and stays true to what he stands for. Part of that involves listening to him open up about his experience of losing his grandfather to Soldier Boy. This adds much-needed context to his vendetta against Soldier Boy as well as his reason for hating Supes as much as he does. His tale establishes that he blames himself even though it’s an unfortunate case of his family being collateral damage. He also identifies this as the start of his OCD as the experience motivated him to obsessively check in case Soldier Boy came back to finish off his family. On some level, he is always obsessively checking for that and the condition worsened to the point it is now. It’s a really fascinating and vulnerable account of the experience that formed his vendetta against Soldier Boy as well as providing a practical example of the collateral damage that Supes create every day. It isn’t simply statistics or things to be covered up, it’s real people losing loved ones and having their lives forever changed. Hughie’s experience was unique but along a similar theme and he has been forever changed by A-Train’s careless actions.

Mother’s Milk gets to have a confrontation with Soldier Boy which only serves to reinforce how powerless he thinks he is. The attack did nothing and was laughed off by Soldier Boy who then goes on to shrug off Mother’s Milk’s loss by asking which family he is referring to. Soldier Boy has gotten away with either directly or indirectly killing so many people that he has no concept of how many it is. They aren’t remembered on an individual level so the loss Mother’s Milk has been fixated on since it happened was nothing to Soldier Boy. This will surely reinforce Mother’s Milk’s motivation to rid the world of Supes as well as intensify his hatred for Soldier Boy. It’s heart-breaking to see Mother’s Milk so casually disregarded and makes a strong case for his mission being the right one.

The scenario puts him in direct conflict with Butcher as he is furious that he would work with Soldier Boy. He uses the word “hypocrite” in reference to Butcher which isn’t an unfair accusation considering everything that has been said so far but, as before, Butcher is willing to shoulder the burden of his decisions as he identifies Soldier Boy as a valuable asset against Homelander so is content to point him in the right direction and hope it pays off. He doesn’t leave the outcome to chance as he shoots up with powers in order to join the fight but Soldier Boy is an important part of the plan and he isn’t going to let Mother’s Milk stand in the way of that. Mother’s Milk taking advantage of Butcher having powers so that he can beat him with a baseball bat without actually hurting him is a moment of catharsis albeit a pointless one as it doesn’t resolve anything. Butcher isn’t deterred by the realisation he has deeply hurt his friend. There is evidence that he cares but it’s not enough for him to stop what he has convinced himself is the right thing to do.

Soldier Boy is a less than reliable asset and that becomes evident very quickly. He has his own revenge plan and the best that can be hoped for is that he might go after Homelander. There are no guarantees but Butcher hopes he can manipulate him into doing his dirty work. Taking out Homelander would only be a small part of the overall problem as Vought would still be operating and Soldier Boy is someone that would have to be dealt with once he outlives his usefulness. This is something he will likely be aware of which ramps up the threat he represents.

He is characterised as being a man out of time in terms of his attitude. In particular, he passes comment on the modern version of what makes a man and expresses very old-fashioned views in that regard. Hughie has a strong reaction to this rhetoric because he doesn’t see himself measuring up to Soldier Boy’s version of manly. Despite his questionable views he is established to have his own version of a moral code. He points out that the explosion wasn’t intentional nor does he remember it; something that is confirmed when he has no awareness of the energy released during Herogasm. This establishes that he only hurts people he feels deserves it or those who get in the way of people who deserve it. He also has a very clear reason to be seeking revenge and it has to do with feeling betrayed by the country he fought for. This is a shallow yet clear commentary on the treatment of veterans by the United States government following major conflicts. Soldier Boy laments being forgotten and betrayed by those he put his life on the line to fight for. He considers his old team to be complicit in that which is why he wants to track them down and lethally punish them.

Homelander’s dated views on what makes a man is part of his conflict with Homelander. The preamble to the fight has them call out how they both perceive Homelander. Soldier Boy sees him as an imitator far inferior to what he once represented and Homelander wants to see himself as an upgrade. He needs to win the fight to prove that he’s the improved version of what Soldier Boy once was. It’s something that is never proven one way or another because Homelander is overwhelmed prior to escaping. The decisive fight will likely be saved until later in the season but for now, it’s an unanswered question.

The self-image Homelander takes into the fight is part of the unravelling that has been the foundation of his characterisation this season. His conversation with his reflection is one of the rare times he’s truly honest with himself. His reflection calls him out on his self-doubt and forces him to admit how he really feels. It reveals a number of deep-seated insecurities such as wanting to be loved while recognising it never works out for him along with the examples of the failures prior to this point. He also wants to be above human but can’t shake what he identifies as human characteristics. These include caring about what others think of him and desiring universal acceptance. Until he rids himself of that self-doubt and self-loathing he won’t ever rise to his full potential, or at least as far as he sees it. He also feels that taking over Vought might have been a bad idea as it hasn’t been the ideal situation that he hoped. All of this establishes that Homelander’s greatest obstacle to success is himself and his insecurities may be the key to his defeat.

Hughie’s insecurities are tearing apart his relationship with Annie. He enters Herogasm with the intention of reducing the collateral damage. He has more compassion than Butcher who would happily see all attending Supes be slaughtered as it aligns with his own goals. Hughie has a more nuanced view so is there to find that compromise. He ends up being sidetracked and prioritises saving Annie even though she has made it clear she doesn’t need him to save her. They have an open conversation where Annie confronts him on this desire he has to save her and brings up his earlier promise that the power imbalance wasn’t an issue for him. He admits that it bothers him and that he resents her being the strong one while he remains weak. Annie believes she is finally seeing him for who he really is and it’s not a flattering image. She sees him as insecure and jealous which is naturally no basis for a relationship. Hughie isn’t yet able to fully comprehend the meaning of what she is saying and has some reflecting to do after the fact but Annie’s observation is devastating and very accurate considering Hughie’s current mindset.

His powers lay him bare both literally and figuratively. Using them means that he teleports out of his clothes which leaves him literally naked but the attitude that comes with them leaves him figuratively naked. He can no longer hide behind excuses or deflections around how he really feels so Annie gains an understanding of how he really sees the power dynamic in their relationship. It isn’t a partnership and possibly never was because he may have always seen her as strong and him as weak.

His unhealthy attitude is exemplified through his interaction with A-Train who offers him a believably genuine and heartfelt apology for carelessly killing his girlfriend. It’s an attitude shift for A-Train who has had his mind opened slightly by suffering a personal tragedy and gains some empathy for those who have suffered similar. This allows him to understand how Hughie might be feeling and expresses genuine regret. This isn’t what Hughie expected or wanted and he reacts by attacking A-Train. He can’t handle that he would show remorse and wanted him to express apathy so that attacking him would be justified. It’s a really strong reaction and is only possible because Hughie is now powerful enough to lash out; something he really wanted to do.

The idea of powers revealing the reality of the person who has them is covered to a lesser extent through Kimiko and Frenchie being kidnapped. Kimiko resolves the situation with a violent outburst that ends with her brutally stabbing someone and covered in blood. This occurs without her powers so she concludes that the awful things she has done are nothing to do with the abilities she once had. She worries that she’s a terrible person because she’s capable of inflicting so much harm even without her powers. Frenchie reassures her but Kimiko is already convinced so has a lot of soul searching to do. This plot in particular seems extraneous as it adds to an already busy episode. It may support other things on a thematic level but it’s very rushed and inelegantly tacked on to make a particular point without organically fitting in.

Herogasm itself is something that will be difficult for many viewers to watch. The framing of the event is that it’s a disgusting display of debauchery amplified by the superpowers involved. It’s incredibly graphic and disgusting but the visuals are in service of highlighting that it is something to be condemned. It also supports the notion that getting rid of Supes altogether is the right thing to do though it isn’t acknowledged that it’s a dialled-up version of things that go on between those who don’t have superpowers. It’s realistic that such a thing would exist in a world where superpowers are common. Speaking as a squeamish viewer, it made for unpleasant viewing.

The episode ends on a very bleak note. Herogasm ends up almost being a massacre with many killed and others injured, the Boys are fractured because of Butcher’s betrayal of the values he’s supposed to be fighting for, Hughie and Annie’s relationship is all but over and there’s a general sense of defeat in the air for those trying to do the right thing and tangible emotional consequences to the events of this episode. At the very least, Annie holds onto her morality and is able to encourage Mother’s Milk not to give into his desire for revenge. She appeals to his better nature and encourages him to help those who are in need of it rather than going after Soldier Boy. She brings him to Herogasm because she refuses to let anyone be served up to Soldier Boy regardless of how she feels about them and when it’s over all she wants to do is help.

She ends the episode by making good on her declaration of being done with people asking her to compromise and does a live stream telling the truth about Vought, Homelander and the re-emergence of Soldier Boy. Annie puts herself forward and openly declares that she is no longer willing to play the game which doubtlessly puts her in the line of fire for Victoria, Homelander and anyone else who stands to lose out with the truth being told. Her decision has the potential to change the world in a major way and makes for an excellent cliffhanger.

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Verdict

A strong episode that entirely delivers on the promise of debauchery that Herogasm offers, increases tension through constant tests of morality along with the breakdown of relationships and explores the ongoing themes brilliantly. This episode feeds into the idea of the season being a battle for Annie’s soul. Her morality is tested throughout this episode. The most prominent example is the scene she shares with Victoria where an alliance is proposed that would require Annie to compromise what she believes in. Her conversation with Victoria represents a turning point as it pushes her to breaking point upon realising that everyone is asking her to stoop to their level in order to defeat Homelander. She passionately declares that she’s done with turning the other cheek and becoming an accessory to morally repugnant actions in service of what others consider to be the greater good. Adding to Annie’s decision is Victoria’s attitude. Her shift in personality when she sheds the facade that was being previously presented is striking. She is completely real with Annie which includes flaunting what she can do and gaining support through fear. Annie doesn’t let Victoria intimidate her and feels confident that her popularity protects her to some degree. Victoria acknowledged this for now but ends the conversation by stating that Annie’s popularity doesn’t make getting her out of the way impossible. The morality debate is further explored through Annie and Mother’s Milk. He’s on the verge of compromising his values in some way because his obsession with getting revenge on Soldier Boy is so all-consuming. The general situation has deteriorated to the point where Annie feels that Mother’s Milk is the only uncompromised person she can ally herself with so she’s determined to ensure that he doesn’t fall into the trap of stooping to the level of those he’s trying to stop but it’s a difficult ask at this point as Mother’s Milk is approaching the end of his tether. The re-emergence of Soldier Boy has triggered his obsession and filled him with anger that impacts his objectivity. Annie does everything she can to make sure he doesn’t compromise who he is and stays true to what he stands for. Part of that involves listening to him open up about his experience of losing his grandfather to Soldier Boy. It’s a really fascinating and vulnerable account of the beginnings of his vendetta against Soldier Boy as well as providing a practical example of the collateral damage that Supes create every day. Mother’s Milk gets to have a confrontation with Soldier Boy which only serves to reinforce how powerless he thinks he is. The attack did nothing and was laughed off by Soldier Boy who then goes on to shrug off Mother’s Milk’s loss by asking which family he is referring to. The scenario puts him in direct conflict with Butcher as he is furious that he would work with Soldier Boy. He uses the word “hypocrite” in reference to Butcher which isn’t an unfair accusation considering everything that has been said so far but, as before, Butcher is willing to shoulder the burden of his decisions as he identifies Soldier Boy as a valuable asset against Homelander so is content to point him in the right direction and hope it pays off. Mother’s Milk taking advantage of Butcher having powers so that he can beat him with a baseball bat without actually hurting him is a moment of catharsis albeit a pointless one as it doesn’t resolve anything. Butcher isn’t deterred by the realisation he has deeply hurt his friend. There is evidence that he cares but it’s not enough for him to stop what he has convinced himself is the right thing to do.

Soldier Boy is a less than reliable asset and that becomes evident very quickly. He has his own revenge plan and the best that can be hoped for is that he might go after Homelander. He is characterised as being a man out of time in terms of his attitude. In particular, he passes comment on the modern version of what makes a man and expresses very old-fashioned views in that regard. Hughie has a strong reaction to this rhetoric because he doesn’t see himself measuring up to Soldier Boy’s version of manly. Despite his questionable views he is established to have his own version of a moral code. He points out that the explosion wasn’t intentional nor does he remember it; something that is confirmed when he has no awareness of the energy released during Herogasm. This establishes that he only hurts people he feels deserves it or those who get in the way of people who deserve it. He also has a very clear reason to be seeking revenge and it has to do with feeling betrayed by the country he fought for. This is a shallow yet clear commentary on the treatment of veterans by the United States government following major conflicts. Soldier Boy laments being forgotten and betrayed by those he put his life on the line to fight for. Homelander’s dated views on what makes a man is part of his conflict with Homelander. The preamble to the fight has them call out how they both perceive Homelander. Soldier Boy sees him as an imitator far inferior to what he once represented and Homelander wants to see himself as an upgrade. He needs to win the fight to prove that he’s the improved version of what Soldier Boy once was. The self-image Homelander takes into the fight is part of the unravelling that has been the foundation of his characterisation this season. His conversation with his reflection is one of the rare times he’s truly honest with himself. Hughie’s insecurities are tearing apart his relationship with Annie. He enters Herogasm with the intention of reducing the collateral damage. He has more compassion than Butcher who would happily see all attending Supes be slaughtered as it aligns with his own goals. Hughie has a more nuanced view so is there to find that compromise. He ends up being sidetracked and prioritises saving Annie even though she has made it clear she doesn’t need him to save her. They have an open conversation where Annie confronts him on this desire he has to save her and brings up his earlier promise that the power imbalance wasn’t an issue for him. He admits that it bothers him and that he resents her being the strong one while he remains weak. Annie believes she is finally seeing him for who he really is and it’s not a flattering image. His unhealthy attitude is exemplified through his interaction with A-Train who offers him a believably genuine and heartfelt apology for carelessly killing his girlfriend. It’s an attitude shift for A-Train who has had his mind opened slightly by suffering a personal tragedy and gains some empathy for those who have suffered similar. This isn’t what Hughie expected or wanted and he reacts by attacking A-Train. He can’t handle that he would show remorse and wanted him to express apathy so that attacking him would be justified. The idea of powers revealing the reality of the person who has them is covered to a lesser extent through Kimiko and Frenchie being kidnapped. Kimiko resolves the situation with a violent outburst that ends with her brutally stabbing someone and covered in blood. This occurs without her powers so she concludes that the awful things she has done are nothing to do with the abilities she once had. She worries that she’s a terrible person because she’s capable of inflicting so much harm even without her powers. Herogasm itself is something that will be difficult for many viewers to watch. The framing of the event is that it’s a disgusting display of debauchery amplified by the superpowers involved. It’s incredibly graphic and disgusting but the visuals are in service of highlighting that it is something to be condemned. It also supports the notion that getting rid of Supes altogether is the right thing to do though it isn’t acknowledged that it’s a dialled-up version of things that go on between those who don’t have superpowers. The episode ends on a very bleak note. Herogasm ends up almost being a massacre with many killed and others injured, the Boys are fractured because of Butcher’s betrayal of the values he’s supposed to be fighting for, Hughie and Annie’s relationship is all but over and there’s a general sense of defeat in the air for those trying to do the right thing and tangible emotional consequences to the events of this episode. At the very least, Annie holds onto her morality and is able to encourage Mother’s Milk not to give into his desire for revenge. She ends the episode by making good on her declaration of being done with people asking her to compromise and does a live stream telling the truth about Vought, Homelander and the re-emergence of Soldier Boy. Annie puts herself forward and openly declares that she is no longer willing to play the game which doubtlessly puts her in the line of fire for Victoria, Homelander and anyone else who stands to lose out with the truth being told

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