The Boys Season 4 Episode 2 Recap (Spoilers)

The Boys Season 4 continued its three-episode premiere event with Episode 2, “Life Among the Septics”. It was an episode that had some major surprise cameos, as well as some unexpected storytelling reveals. 

However, three episodes dropping at once is a tall order for any series – read below for a recap and reminder of why The Boys Season 4 Episode 2 stood out! 

The Boys Season 4 Episode 2 Recap (Spoilers)

Super Boyz N’ Tha Hood – The opening of Episode 2 takes us on a jarring jump back in time to an inner city housing project. a local crew of drug dealers is handling business as usual – until a speedy blur reveals Reggie Franklin before his days as A-Train (Jessie T. Usher), serving as a literal runner for the dealers. A car pulls up and Reggie’s high school coach steps out, played by none other than Will Ferrell (a righteous cameo). Coach tries to get Reggie to come back to the sport, offering his own home as a place for Reggie to escape the street life. Dramatic music swells as Coach gives his motivational monologue, but Reggie can’t be moved by it, stating he’ll never be free of “these streets.” Next thing we hear is “Cut!” and the sepia-toned scene transitions into the usual washed-out colors of The Boys, and we see that “Dawn of the Seven” movie director Adam Bourke (P.J. Byrne) is directing his latest film, “Training A-Train.” Bourke lays it on thick for Ferrell, who is worried he’s giving off “Blindside vibes.” Bourke says that he already smells an Oscar nomination and Ferrell leaves happy; A-Train is not happy with the dramatic take on his life, a his brother was his only coach (not a white man), and that same brother/coach worked as a waiter, not a crack dealer. It’s clear that A-Train is not happy with the offensive depiction of his story, but is powerless to stop it. He retires to his trailer for a breather – or at least tries to. 

What’s My Motivation? – The new (more talkative) Black Noir shows up outside A-Train’s trailer, revealing that he’s an actor playing Noir. That actor is walking a razor-thin line, as even the most method techniques aren’t helping him get over murdering three men on Homelander’s orders (including M.M.’s ex-wife’s new man, Todd). “Noir,” comes to A-Train to get the motivation needed to get deeper into character; A-Train gets nasty, saying his motivation is being a brain-dead maniac, and orders him to keep his mouth shut and play his part.

She is MOTHER – Hughie is in an awkward, emotionally charged conversation with his mom (Rosemarie DeWitt). He finds out that his dad and mom were talking again for a year or more, and that his dad left her power of attorney over him and Hughie. That news shocks Hughie, who storms out, despite his mom promising she is good in a crisis and will help his father. 

Squad With Issues – Frenchie (Tomer Capone) wakes up in bed with Colin, his old flame from addiction recovery. Colin catches Frenchie trying to sneak away, but when they start being intimate again, Frenchie’s phone starts going off and he solemnly confirms it’s “work.” Meanwhile, Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) is off on her own, in a therapy session. Her doctor asks about how her vocal therapy is going and Kimiko sarcastically replies (via text msg) that it’s obviously not going well. But, when the doctor begins to dig into Kimiko’s family history and parental relationship as possible reasons for her muteness, she freaks out, crushes the arm of her chair, and storms out of the office. Back at Boys HQ, Butcher is coming clean about his terminal diagnosis, which rattles the group. M.M. takes Butcher out into the hallway and shockingly demands that he leave the group. Butcher is pissed that his honesty is being met this way, but M.M. holds the line and banishes him, claiming he’s now a major liability. 

[The Boys Logo Flashes Over Vought]

Marketing Homeboy – Vought’s PR team does a presentation pitching Ryan’s official debut as “Homeboy,” complete with a matching Homelander-style costume. Ashley and all the yes people in the room celebrate the debut, but Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) drops the truth bomb that it’s a lame marketing ploy. She argues that Star Wars and other pop-culture media has trained the masses to resonate with a lone “chosen one” white male archetype – meaning Ryan has to build an image independent of being “Homelander’s Son.” Homelander’s ego has trouble giving up the limelight, but Sage reminds him the goal is legacy, and building a “kingdom for your son.” Homelander signs off on the approach, but is clearly a bit unhinged about it. As Sage gets into the elevator, Ashley (Colby Minifie) tries to intercept her, warning about how fragile Homelander’s ego is. But Sage can see how Ashley has gone bald from her anxiety working with Homelander, and advises she try breastfeeding him like Madelyn Stillwell (Elisabeth Shue) used to. The Deep (Chace Crawford) enters the elevator and pitches joining Ryan on his first “solo save.” Ashley can barely contain her disrespect before she steps off the elevator. Sage gasses The Deep up, telling him not to be disrespected by his lessers (humans), and that being at Ryan’s save is a good idea. 

Investigating Sage – The Boys are analyzing the murders of the three Homelander fans during his recent trial and the riot that ensued afterward. Hughie is bitter about Butcher being out; M.M. is focused on Sister Sage, who he saw leading his ex-wife’s partner Todd and the other men to their slaughter. They hack Sage’s phone and discover plans for her to attend a Vought event in Harrisburg, PA, that night. Starlight and Hughie decide to hang back and press A-Train for a confession and keep watch on Hughie’s sick father (respectively). 

Solo Save (Practice Round) – The Deep and Black Noir work with Ryan and a team of company grunts on a training scenario for his upcoming first solo save. Ryan gets the heroic speech down, but when they re-watch the session on video, there are definite notes (like Black Noir talking too much). Homelander gives Ryan instructions on how to ‘sell the save,’ while assuring him that staged saves are part of the business – but not all saves are fake. Deep and Ashley have a confrontation about the elevator, in which The Deep finally snaps and gets vilely aggressive with Ashley, threatening her life. Deep is clearly enamored with his newfound sense of power. Homelander overhears the marketing boys discussing how they had to de-age him through VFX for “Dawn of the Seven,” while Ryan is a glowing fresh face. Again, it’s clear that Homelander isn’t able to share the spotlight easily. 

Welcome to Truth – M.M., Frenchie, and Kimiko arrive at the hotel in Harrisburg where the Vought event will be held, and find Butcher is already there, helping himself to the buffet. Butcher reveals that he easily hacked M.M. computer password (his daughter’s name and birth year); M.M. tries to bounce Butcher off the operation, but Butcher leans into his new status as a private citizen convening with his fellow alt-rights wary off the “Deep State.” Inside “Truthcon” it is a conspiracy theorist/extremist party, with everything from propaganda claiming Starlight is akin to the Devil, or that Stormfront is still alive. Kimiko is triggered by a flyer alleging there are children prisoners being experimented on – something she knows is all too true. The Boys spot Sister Sage, and pursue; Kimiko raids a fridge to binge-drink some beers. 

Meet Firecracker – Sage attends a panel hosted by Alex Jones-ish supe podcaster “Firecracker” (Valorie Curry), with M.M., Butcher, and Frenchie also slipping into the crowd. As Firecracker begins her panel spewing pro-Homelander conspiracy theories, Butcher looks visibly ill from his condition. Kimiko slips in, and she and Frenchie talk about how and why anyone would believe this tripe. 

Get It In Myself – Frenchie and Kimiko leave to tail one of Firecracker’s roadies, Splinter (Rob Benedict) who slipped away. Frenchie is distracted by a text from Colin and Kimiko steals his phone and sexts back, urging Frenchie to go for what he wants. Frenchie realizes that she’s drunk, but Kimiko keeps going, telling him she slept with a barista and he should get some as well. Frenchie keeps telling her it’s not an issue with them, and they resume the pursuit, with Kimiko confessing she’s even drunker than he thinks. In a locker room they discover the horrific sight of Splinter, a supe able to make copies of himself, in a steam room pleasuring himself (oral to anal) in a perverse human centipede line while holding a picture of Firecracker. They leave promptly. 

Political Power – Annie (Erin Moriarty) and Hughie are staking out A-Train, with Annie unwilling to fully step into the persona of “Starlight” as a political leader. Hughie wants her to inspire hope, but Annie thinks “Starlight” is too tainted of a symbol. A-Train is talking to his nephews about his heroic exploits, and they look up to him when a fan stops him for a selfie. A-Train’s brother Nathan (Christian Keyes) rolls up in his wheelchair, furious that his sons snuck off with their estranged uncle. Nathan shoots down A-Train’s hero stories, exposing that many of them were fake Vought movie productions. A-Train still can’t admit it, by Nathan tells his sons that their uncle is no hero, and all his saves were fake. The boys leave with Nathan, while A-Train tries to apologize. The speedster runs off, leaving Hughie and Starlight staring after him. 

Recruiting Crackers – Sister Sage approaches Firecracker after her panel, claiming to speak for Homelander. Sage asks Firecracker what she’s selling to the gullible masse; after some implied racism and reciting her public mantra, Firecracker admits that she’s selling the idea of “purpose” to a group that feels increasingly rudderless and disenfranchised. That “truth bomb” is enough for Sage to invite her to a secret gathering later that night. 

Butcher vs Marvin – Butcher and M.M. are recording the entire conversation between Sage and Firecracker. However, the two former BFFs get into it when Butcher wants to kill Sage on the spot; M.M. pushes him outside the venue, reminding Butcher that surveillance is their mission. All the history between from Seasons 1-3 (and beyond) comes spilling out, and Butcher madly invites the fight by calling out M.M. as a weak leader. A comment about M.M.s wife gets Butcher his beatdown; M.M. angrily confesses that he took the position so he and Butcher could get back to doing what they loved to do together, but that’s ruined now. M.M. leaves Butcher and heads back inside. 

Enough Cap! – Drunk Kimiko becomes enraged at the child trafficking political conspiracy booth and tears it down, hurling its owner across the floor. As would-be warriors start to swarm, Frenchie arrives and pulls Kimiko away, urging her not to lose it. Back in NYC, Hughie and Annie find A-Train waiting for them at Boys HQ. A-Train mocks Starlight’s angry flare-up and hands them a flash-drive clearing Starlight’s followers o the Homelander Trial murders. Before A-Train speeds off he confesses he knew they were watching him and the footage he’s sharing is a thank you for not embarrassing him in front of his family. 

His Name Is Ryan – Ryan’s staged “solo save” is unfolding in the streets, with The Deep and Black Noir pretending to be helpless against the “robber” (the same coach from the training session) who is holding a young girl at gunpoint. Ryan flies in and grabs the gunman’s arm as planned – but when he goes to formally drop the one-liner announcing his name, he’s upstaged by his dad. Homelander goes on to deliver a monologue about how they are going to save America as father and son, then commands Ryan to push the robber away – which Ryan does way too hard, splattering his coach against a wall. The girl (an actress) tries to stay in character, but Ryan is visibly traumatized. Homelander steps in and takes his son under his arm, commanding him to smile. 

It’s A Trap! – M.M., Kimiko, and Frenchie get to the room where Sister Sage is supposed to meet with Firecracker, only to find it’s a trap. Sage of course knew who they were (CIA and Supe-Killers) and that they were after her; she tells Firecracker it’s her audition for Team Homelander to kill The Boys. Firecracker and Splinter hold The Boys at gunpoint, but Frenchie notices one of Splinter’s doubles has Pink Eye from the earlier sexual centipede session. The Boys spring into action, killing Splinter’s doubles while Kimiko takes on Firecracker. Splinter starts splinting into naked doubles of himself, so M.M. and Frenchie flee into the next convention room, a Bat Mitzvah. The party goers scream when a horde of naked, gun-toting Splinters enters, and Firecracker and Kimiko come crashing through the wall. Everyone runs out of bullets, so it becomes a melee race to kill the Splinters before they can replicate. Kimiko takes a bullet to the head and is incapacitated; Firecracker tries to use the moment to go live and expose the CIA, but Butcher arrives with a crowbar and takes her out, as well as a fair amount of Splinters. Butcher is overrun, but Kimiko, Frenchie, and M.M. recover, and together they fight off Splinter long enough for Butcher to kill “Prime” Splinter, ending the entire horde. Firecracker runs away, defeated, after the clones confess they loved her. 

Not So Heroic – Ryan is in Homelander’s penthouse, sobbing, while his dad brings him a milkshake. Homelander thinks that Ryan is sad that he upstaged him, but Ryan is sad that he killed his coach. Homelander (in his sociopathic way) tries to explain that humans are like ants, and toys that break, but Ryan clearly has much more empathy (like his mom). Homelander insists that he is one of the “chosen” and must accept that fate while taking away Ryan’s milkshake. 

Political Power – Annie and Hughie are at a rally for the exonerated Starlighters they saved. Annie says that A-Train’s bravery has made her question her own, and she ignites her light in front of the crowd, signaling that she’s ready to be a true political symbol for her followers. 

Dark Ties Bind – Frenchie is relapsing with alcohol and drugs, ignoring Colin’s calls. He gets in contact with his arms dealer confidant “Cherie” (Jordana Lajoie), and confesses a dark truth: he knows Colin as the son of a judge he assassinated – along with Colin’s entire family. Cherie is mad at “Serge” for once again chasing strays. Meanwhile, Hughie awkwardly storms in on his mom, and declares that she’s not allowed to come back and act in charge; he tells her about the trauma of the day she left him, and threatens legal action against her power of attorney if she doesn’t run all decisions by him. Daphne is heartbroken over the rage she’s put in her son. At Boys HQ, Kimiko is stewing over a lead on the cabal of human traffickers that kidnapped her and heads out to do something about it. Butcher returns to HQ, and he and M.M. talk about what the real cost of leadership is. Butcher says that M.M. not making the most ruthless play (kidnapping or killing Sage) nearly got the team killed; he also admits that he only has time left for one mission: saving Ryan from Homelander, and needs M.M. to do it. Marvin doesn’t take the olive branch, claiming it’s too little, too late. Butcher leaves, looking hurt. 

[End Credits]

The Boys Season 4 is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video