The Boys Season 5 wastes no time showing us how much Starlight has changed, and she makes two shocking decisions in Episode 3 — both of which further drive that point home. After Starlight flies off and leaves Hughie behind at the end of The Boys Season 4, she rallies a resistance movement to combat Homelander’s regime. When Season 5 picks up, it’s obvious she’s become more numb to their losses and more ruthless in her tactics. The two-part premiere even sees her agreeing with Butcher for a change. Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Boys Season 5, Episode 3.
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The Boys Season 5, Episode 3 features one of Starlight’s most brutal decisions yet, and it also sheds light on what’s driving her choices in this chapter. She makes two surprising moves in a row, and they both do a lot of character work in just two scenes. First, Starlight kills Cindy. Second, she flies away from Hughie and The Boys team yet again, leaving viewers to question if and when she’ll be back.
Why Starlight Killing Cindy Is So Important
The Boys is not a series to shy away from death, but Starlight killing Cindy at the end of this week’s episode feels like a turning point. After all, while Butcher and Homelander are more than happy to take lives to achieve their ends, Starlight is a character who’d normally hesitate to do so. She doesn’t kill as readily as the others, which makes her snapping Cindy’s neck without a second thought so much more shocking. She’s obviously become more accustomed to losses and more accepting of extreme measures. This moment is further proof of that.
Of course, Starlight’s guilt and fear are also driving forces behind what she does to Cindy. She feels like she can’t protect her followers in The Boys Season 5, something she laments while speaking to Frenchie in the prior installment. And in this episode, her worst fear nearly becomes a reality: being unable to protect Hughie. It briefly looks as though Cindy has killed Hughie, which causes Starlight to act. She’s becoming faster to prevent more damage — no matter the cost — and seems more open to avenging those she can’t save.
Why Starlight Flies Away From Hughie At The End Of The Boys Season 5, Episode 3
Starlight breaks down right after killing Cindy, and although she initially seems calmer when The Boys regroup, she isn’t really. Losing people in this war against Homelander is clearly weighing on her more than she’s letting on. And now that she’s reunited with Hughie and The Boys, that weight is heavier. Losing allies is one thing, but losing the people she cares most about is something she can’t grapple with. That’s why she flies off at the end of the installment, telling Hughie, “This was easier when I was on my own.“
For Starlight, focusing on the mission is simpler when she’s not consumed by worry about the people around her. She’s guilty about the Starlighters sacrificing themselves for the cause, but she’s grown somewhat numb to it. But despite how hardened she’s become since Homelander’s takeover, she doesn’t think she’ll “come back from” something like Hughie dying. Cindy nearly killing him makes that possibility all too real for her, and she distances herself from it and him. It seems unlikely her separation from The Boys team will be permanent, but she may spend time away from the group for this reason.
What Starlight’s Actions Mean for The Boys Season 5’s Endgame
Part of Starlight’s transformation in The Boys Season 5 is her acceptance of her own death. She’s willing to use the supe virus to kill Homelander, even if she doesn’t survive the fight against him — a truth that aligns her with Butcher. She’s clearly not willing to sacrifice Hughie or her human friends to the cause, however, which doesn’t bode well for The Boys‘ ending. It’s looking increasingly likely that Starlight and Hughie won’t end up together, or that the path there will be more tumultuous than anyone expected.
Starlight’s detachment and quick, merciless decision-making also makes her more dangerous, suggesting she’ll be a big contributor to taking down Homelander. She may even wind up working more closely with Butcher than the rest of the team, as they’re finally on the same page. Of course, her behavior also underscores Hughie as her weakness…something that could be used against her, even if she’s away from the team.
What do you think of Starlight’s behavior in this season of The Boys? Leave a comment and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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