#The Boys Season 2 Episode 8 Review: What I Know

Was The Boys Season 2 Episode 8 a satisfying Season finale? I’m not so sure.

I am sure that it sets up another season with plenty of possibility, somehow wrapping up with the more pertinent season arcs in some fashion, even if not permanently.

The Boys were redeemed, all charges dropped, and despite Butcher’s very ugly streak, even he made it out unscathed.

Similarly, Homelander is still at the helm of The Seven which appears to have only four remaining members, one of which is A-Train, who made what was, at the time, a questionable decision that thrust him right back onto the team.

So how did all of this go down?

Well, much of it was due to Becca’s escape from the compound to save Ryan.

Whether Homelander and Stormfront intended to take Ryan for a short time or forever really doesn’t matter because Becca’s fear for her son was justified.

Stormfront is garbage, and her sway over Homelander took a powerful, pitiful man and made him even worse. She had big plans for the little, very strong man, but he was only on board to ensure the eruptions of Homelander from his adoring fans never came to an end.

That much was clear when Maeve dropped in on him, Butcher, and Ryan to ensure that if Homelander couldn’t do the right thing for Ryan, he would do the right thing to remain in the spotlight, reputation untarnished. His need for adoration knows no bounds.

Since the message of the season seemed to be that the right is led easily down the path of white supremecy with a few memes, it’s nice that showrunner, Erik Kripke, dropped a bone for the group by suggesting that flat out Nazism goes just a tad beyond the pale.

But not so far beyond that pale that Stormfront was killed outright and dispatched. Nope, she’s being held, probably in Room 4D like Starlight, and if I understand anything about being a Supe, she’ll grow back to one piece, eventually living to fight another day.

Because didn’t Stormfront kill Kimiko? Snapped her neck. But Kimiko just shook it off and joined in on the Stormfront action. And what action it was!

If the first half of the episode was a little slow, when the girls got their shot at Stormfront, the music was pumping and they danced a beautiful dance while trying to stop the Nazi bitch. So, yeah, there was a lot to enjoy here.

Unfortunately, Stormfront lived on while Becca, played to the hilt by Shantal VanSanten, left this mortal coil, seemingly at the hands of her Supe son in a loving attempt to save her from Stormfront’s wrath.

While that could have turned Butcher even further against the boy, when Ryan moved away from Homelander for the safety he believe Butcher provided, even Butcher was at a loss for words, tears welling in his eyes.

I know many believed that Butcher might kill Ryan as he ultimately did in the comics, but this appears to be a different story. This Butcher has some lines he won’t cross, even those he sets for himself.

Making a deal with Mr. Edgar to scurry Ryan away to safety while leaving Becca with him was a very bold and dastardly move on Butcher’s part.

But when the rubber met the road, he not only honored the promise he made to his wife to protect Ryan, but he saw the error of his ways when Becca clutched her son with all the love in the world.

Part of his reaction must come from his recent visit with his parents. Something connected, forcing him to turn on his original plan for something entirely different and unexpected.

It’s handy how it all worked out that even with his broken deal, Butcher and the Boys are still free of all pending charges, and there is an offer on the table to work under Grace on Victoria Neuman’s behalf to keep an eye on the Supes.

Yes, Victoria Neuman sure has a few cards up her sleeve. She’s a Supe! And not just any Supe. She’s the Supe who can make heads explode. Wow. I didn’t see that coming. I didn’t necessarily trust her entirely, but this was shocking.

It’s especially shocking since Hughie just decided he should strike out on his own, and he’ll be inadvertently sharing his new stage with the Boys anyway.

I have no idea how it’s all going to play out, but if Victoria is a Supe, and one who is willing to kill to improve her political standing, then it can’t possibly turn out well.

Will Hughie get in over his head? How will he reconnect with the Boys so that they all become a team again?

A whole season has passed with The Deep on the outside, with A-Train trying to regain his spot, and with very little by way of progress for Frenchie and Kimiko. An eight-episosde season, even with hour-long run times, short shifts many peripheral characters.

While that’s to be expected with any secondary characters, another byproduct is that you can start to resent their screentime because their arcs don’t resonate the same way as the main characters. And that’s how I feel here with stories that weren’t fruitful.

The obvious nod to Scientology came and went without any real purpose other than a few laughs and some Fresca advertising.

Hopefully, the side stories will mean a little more to the overall arc of the season during The Boys Season 3.

What are your thoughts on the finale and the immediate future for Supes and The Boys?

Did anything shock you?

Gather your thoughts and then drop them below in the comments.

Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film. Follow her on Twitter and email her here at TV Fanatic.