The Boys
Season 4 – Episode 4
Episode title: Wisdom of the Ages
Original release date: June 20, 2024
Plot: Homelander returns to the laboratory where he was raised, confronting the workers who were involved in raising him. When Barbara, the head researcher, tells him that Vought Psychologists had raised him to be obsessed with being loved to control him, Homelander slaughters everyone except Barbara, trapping her inside his old confinement room. Hughie and Daphne are told Hugh has suffered from Brain death. Daphene approves for Hugh’s feeding tubes to be removed so he can pass away in a few days but Hughie is distraught by this decision. Hughie and Kimiko meet with A-Train to give them a dose of Compound V so Hughie can save his father but they are attacked by the Shining Light Liberation Army cell after A-Train leaves. The two manage to escape after Kimiko confronts an old acquaintance from Shining Light. Firecracker gives a public talk, organized by Sage, to discredit and provoke Starlight, during which she leaks information on Starlight’s first rescue where she accidentally blinded a mother with her powers and medical records of Starlight having an abortion 6 months ago. Enraged, Starlight attacks Firecracker live on TV further destroying her public perception. M.M reinstates Butcher into The Boys. Frenchie and Butcher investigate Firecrackers trailer where they are attacked by Ezekiel. Butcher blacks out and upon waking up, discovers Ezekiel brutally killed and Frenchie unconscious. Frenchie returns to Colin’s to recover where he confesses he was responsible for the murder of his family, to which Colin says if he ever sees Frenchie again he will kill him. Butcher overhears A-Train giving the V sample to Hughie and tries to talk him out of giving it to his father, confessing that he himself had already taken a sample of Compound V to counteract his own terminal illness but it only shortened the time he has left to live. Hughie returns to the hospital and injects his father with Compound V anyway, causing him to recover and awaken.
* * *
Who wants their balls crushed?
Me.
[all crying out]
This isn’t what it looks like.
You’re done. Grab your shit and get the fuck out.
The Boys is mine.
[Mother’s Milk] Says a dying man with one last bluff.
The Seven is getting even stronger.
Put your hands together for Firecracker.
What have I done to make you hate me so much?
You really don’t remember me, do you?
And Sister Sage!
[cheers and applause]
Fascist!
[A-Train] She’s the world’s smartest person.
Uh-huh.
[both moaning]
[Frenchie] You remember Colin Hauser?
So, what happens when he finds out you murdered his family?
My dad, he had a stroke.
I’m really sorry. Really.
Mom?
I want to flip A-Train. He’s right there, he’s ready.
Enough!
[Homelander] You’re never gonna be your true self
until you transcend your humanity.
You need to go back to the start.
You need to go home.
[indistinct voices in distance]
[tense music playing]
[guard] Hey, Marty.
The security cameras upstairs just went black.
Hey, Phil, you copy?
Phil? Anyone up there?
[elevator bell chimes]
Call Vought, tell them we have a breach.
[elevator bell chimes]
[guard] The line’s dead.
[elevator bell chimes]
[elevator bell chimes]
[chiming continues]
[elevator dings]
[dramatic music playing]
Hello, everyone.
[scientist] Hi.
[Marty] John.
Homelander.
Just Homelander.
Hey, Marty. Good to see you.
You, too, uh, Homelander.
Oh, my God, this is just so surreal.
I never thought I’d be back here.
So many memories.
Oh, I, uh, I brought a Fudgie the Whale.
Do me a favor, could you get a plate and some forks?
Thank you so much.
I see some new faces.
But a lot that I recognize. Frank.
And-and Assistant Director now, Marty.
I still remember when they had you wiping out the stool sample containers.
[weak chuckle]
You remember?
Yeah. [sighs]
Oh…
Where’s Barbara?
Last I checked, she’s still Director?
She’s off-site today.
Oh, bring her in, would you? I’d love to catch up.
Tell her… Tell her it’s a little reunion. [chuckles]
Terrific. All right, everyone, dig in.
Come on, don’t be shy. Before it melts.
Please. Come on in. There you go.
[Homelander chuckles]
[Becca] What are you doing?
Come on, get up. Butcher, the world doesn’t end
just because your shitty life does.
[muffled] Get up.
Get up.
[Hughie] Are you fucking kidding me?!
I’m sorry, your father’s condition meets the criteria for brain death.
It might not seem like it, but it is the most humane thing.
Humane? You’re pulling his feeding tubes so he starves to death, right?
Hughie, it’s what he wanted.
[somber music playing]
How long before, um…
A couple of days at most.
Mom. Don’t.
I’m sorry.
Hughie…
[TV announcer] V52 Expo.
Come meet The Seven in person,
and get an exclusive sneak peek of Training A-Tr…
[TV announcer 2] Tonight, 8:00/7:00 Central on The Whole Truth…
After their bloody campus rampage, Marie Moreau
and the other Godolkin Four have seemingly vanished
into a dark, gaping hole.
With his newly announced anti-Superhero legislation,
Bob Singer has just shown the American people
who he really is.
A deranged fascist hellbent on ruling the country…
[Annie] You should hear what they say about me.
Give us the room.
Miss January, the only thing I really want to hear is
“We found a way to kill the head-popping bitch.”
Mm-mm.
Then this will be a quick meeting.
You need my help, sir.
I read the draft of your Supe-control bill.
Let me guess, it’s perfect, but you know just how to fix it.
If you get it passed, that’s a stake through Vought’s heart.
Gets ’em out of the military, policing,
tanks their stock, buries ’em in lawsuits.
See, it sure sounds like I don’t need your help.
But that’s if you get it passed.
You need… what? 50 million constituents
demanding Congress get off its ass?
No offense, but your PR department is kind of shitting the bed.
I just okayed a huge marketing spend.
Yeah, your ad-buys during CSI: Las Vegas are definitely winning over
the “left the TV on ’cause they’re dead” demo.
So, what is your suggestion?
I can get people into the streets all over the country,
and they’ll demand that the bill gets passed.
You’ll do it as Starlight?
Yes.
I’ll even make another fucking… Supersuit if I have to.
And what do you get for this?
Just a promise.
Promise me you’ll finish what you started.
Once and for all… we put Vought into the ground.
[♪ Ray Charles: “Crying Time”]
♪ Oh, it’s crying time again ♪
♪ You’re gonna leave me ♪
♪ I can see that faraway look in your eyes…
Colin, what is this?
Oh, who’s uncultured now?
Ray Charles, his country western phase.
My dad used to play this all the time in the car,
and I’d fall asleep to it in the backseat.
You never told me about them.
Your family.
It’s, uh…
not exactly my favorite story to tell.
No. Désolé.
No, it’s fine.
When my mom wasn’t on my ass for my grades,
she was a federal judge.
She dealt with really violent cases,
like, the worst of the worst.
And there was this Russian mafia thing in Brighton Beach.
Their boss was this woman.
My mom was gonna make an example out of her.
So they made an example out of my mom.
Some guy broke in, and they found my parents first.
Then my little sister.
You were there?
The gunshots woke me up.
I heard ’em coming down the hallway,
so I just hid under my bed.
All I saw was his ankle.
He had these scars, or these burns maybe.
Ugh, a lot of nightmares about those.
I’m sorry.
[sighs]
♪ And as sure as the sun comes up tomorrow ♪
♪ Tomorrow ♪
♪ Crying time will start ♪
Breakfast?
♪ When you walk out the door ♪
♪ And it won’t be long before it’s ♪
♪ Crying time ♪♪
Hey, how are you? Hey, Janet.
[indistinct chatter]
Hey, guys, let’s call in Stacey and Mark.
We need to get an announcement ready.
What?
[intriguing music playing]
What are they doing?
That bitch.
VNN is handling the launch of Firecracker’s show,
simulcast across all Vought networks.
The troll farms are already digging up fringe anti-Starlight content
and injecting it into the mainstream.
So far, “Starlight’s Progressive Jihad”
and “#ArrogantWhiteFeminism” are showing promise.
We need the algorithm to find the most receptive users,
then blast the articles to the top of their social feeds
until 100 million people are outraged by Starlight
for reasons they can’t even explain.
Dope.
[phone vibrates]
Heroes, you have your talking points,
so, everyone, get to it.
Hey, can we talk?
No.
Hey. So, I was thinking over lunch we could order some of those
fried pickles from Flavortown,
or just skip straight to the flounder pounder special.
I find you repulsive in a way that’s difficult to quantify.
And I’m fucking amazing at quantifying, so…
So, big day. You ready?
You have no idea.
I’ve been waiting for this my whole life.
One last piece of the puzzle.
Figured this could be your big finish.
You know, when I first met you,
I thought you were kind of uppity,
but you’re one of the good ones.
Well, we are the new kids in The Seven.
Mm-hmm.
Gotta look out for each other.
[rock music playing]
[cheers and applause]
Hello, Patriots!
[cheers and applause]
Now, I know a lot of you probably know me from my podcast,
but VNN gave me the next six hours
to bring you the truth about Starlight
and her house of horrors.
Where dozens of trafficked children…
Here, grab your bags and come with me.
Sweetheart, don’t forget this. Here you go.
Okay.
We’ll sneak the kids out through the back.
Okay.
Are you sure about this?
[Annie] Yeah.
Just please tell Sasha to have them go easy on the room service, okay?
That card is almost maxed out.
You got it.
Thank you.
Now…
Firecracker’s celebrity friends are arriving.
I saw Jon Voight.
[scoffs]
What the fuck is he doing here?
Bringing him back in.
No. No, no, no, no, no. I don’t trust him.
I don’t. And you’re insane if you do, okay?
And you can drink yourself to death
in whatever dark hole you crawled out of.
That’s a good idea. I might just do that.
Good.
Okay, wait a minute.
Hold on a second, Butcher.
Look, Lord knows I got problems with the guy, too
We both do, but this is bigger than us.
That shit Homelander and Sage are talking about,
that’s some end-of-time shit.
Team is shy one total asshole. Now, we need this motherfucker.
I mean, I’m…
Annie, this is my call. It’s done.
[cheering over TV]
Well, all right then.
Happy we got that sorted, eh?
Now, can someone please explain to me
what makes you Firecracker’s Moby Cunt?
I have no idea.
Bollocks.
I don’t.
Now, what’s our next move?
You get me 50K from the Company, and in three hours
I’ll have all the dirt we need on Little Miss Guns and Ammo.
Butcher, there’s no way I’m letting you out of my sight
with 50 grand.
All right.
But I’m warning you, you ain’t gonna like it.
[sighs]
And Kanye West!
[cheers and applause]
But first, a sermon by Ezekiel,
Starlight’s childhood pastor before she fell from God’s grace.
[scoffs]
We’ll be right back with that, y’all. You stick around.
[man] U.S.A.!
Hey, Frank, come on over.
How about a game of wastepaper basketball?
I’m sorry?
Uh, first of three, and tell you what,
make it interesting,
you win, I’ll let you knock off early, go see the fam.
Um, okay.
Excellent.
I’ll start.
You know, I learned this game from you, Frank.
[Frank] I don’t understand.
I once saw you take a shot at a waste basket, and you nailed it,
and… and you don’t remember.
No.
Yeah, well, I sure do.
Yeah, you were sitting there,
and, well, I was in this oven here.
And you made the shot.
You did a little fist pump to celebrate,
and then you turned up the temperature
to see if you could burn my skin.
You remember that, right?
[eerie music playing]
[chuckles] Your turn.
Fun fact. Um, even though my skin didn’t char,
it still really hurt.
I mean a lot.
Yeah, I was in there, screaming in agony,
and my tears just sizzled away.
Yeah.
I remember there was, uh, people standing here
taking notes, but behind them
I saw you make that shot.
It really was a great shot, Frank.
I was just doing my job.
Hmm.
You know, I had nightmares about that exact moment,
and you can’t even remember it.
It’s funny, isn’t it, how people can have such a different memory
of the exact same thing.
It’s all a matter of perspective, I guess.
Hey, Frank?
This is my last shot.
Why don’t you go watch from in there?
John, why don’t we…
“Homelander.”
Get in the oven, Frank.
[chuckles] Please.
[door creaks]
Get in the oven or your family goes in with you.
Please, Homelander,
you don’t have to do this.
Marty.
[eerie music playing]
Thank you.
I’m sorry.
I’m so, so sorry.
You’re sorry?
Now?
But why?
You were just doing your job, right?
[Frank] Homelander…
Don’t do this! No.
[oven whirring]
[gasping]
♪ ♪
And I bet you would’ve won.
[woman] Oh, my God.
Oh, my God.
I forgive you.
♪ ♪
[seabirds chirping]
[ship horn blows]
Uh, I don’t know, he should be here any minute.
Thanks, by the way, for being my muscle.
Yeah.
What the shit is this?
Where’s the talking goatee with the gold chains?
It’s okay.
I’m the one that called you.
[A-Train] Are you crazy?
Sage is on my ass, stares at me like I’m fucking dinner.
[distant] But you thought this was a good time to be seen together?
I need a dose of Compound V, and I need it today.
[A-Train] Oh!
Is that all? For what?
What do you care?
Homelander has every vial of V
locked up in his apartment.
Hundreds of them. Nobody gets it.
[Hughie] Okay.
Well, he’s not gonna miss one vial, then.
You got to find a way.
No.
It’s too dangerous.
No, hey. Fuck that!
You owe me.
I owe you?
I just saved your fucking life.
Every single fucked up,
horrible thing that’s ever happened to me, to all of us,
it all started with you, ’cause you took away someone I loved.
And now you’re gonna give someone I love back.
What?
My dad’s about to die.
V is the only thing that can save him.
This is your chance…
[distant]…to finally make things right.
What makes you think I give a shit?
You tell me.
If I do this…
we’re good?
Forever?
Yes.
Ow! What?
Kimiko, I’m sorry, but it’s my dad.
What else was I supposed to do?
[gunfire]
[screams]
[shouts] Fuck!
[panting]
Who the fuck are those guys?
[suspenseful music playing]
No, I can’t. I can’t. My ankle.
My… [grunts]
No, no, no. Oh, Jesus.
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Who the fuck are those guys?
Light. Shining Light? Like…
Shining Light. Shining Light?
Why are they after us?
Fuck.
Okay, what do we do?
[Hughie grunts]
No, I-I can’t run anywhere. I can’t.
[suspenseful music playing]
[exciting music playing]
No, no, no.
Whoa.
Easy. All right.
Okay.
Okay.
I got it.
♪ ♪
♪ Love lift us up where we belong ♪
♪ Where the eagles cry ♪
♪ On a mountain…
[horn blaring]
[song continues in distance]
Not a word about that 50 grand and what happened to it to Mallory, motherfucker.
Straight up Webweaver’s stinky spider?
Heroin enemas don’t come cheap, my son.
I’ll never unsee that nasty shit.
Well, I fucking warned you, didn’t I?
Anyway, don’t matter.
Got what we needed. Job done.
Uh-huh.
You ever gonna tell me what happened with that gash on your face?
[eerie music playing]
M, I got a favor to ask.
Think you’re in a position to ask for a favor?
If I can’t get the job done before I, uh…
I need you to get Ryan away from Homelander.
Oh, Butcher.
I got to be realistic.
Some days I can barely even fucking stand.
Get him out of there. Raise him.
Raise him?
You’re the best dad I know, M.
The best fucking anyone.
That might be one of the nicest things you’ve ever said to me, but…
what if Ryan doesn’t want to go?
Then you’ve got to make him.
White trash walking.
[clapping]
[Butcher] Top-notch show, love.
Just weren’t sure whether you wanted us to kneel
before your cross or burn it.
Oh, you’re those motherfuckers that killed my friend.
Yeah, crying shame, that.
But if it’s any consolation, he’s up there with God,
noshing on his holiest of holies as we speak.
I’m gonna shut your fucking face…
All right, all right.
Keep your hair on, love.
We just want a little chin wag’s all.
Talk American.
Right.
You remember that magical summer when you was 28,
working as a counselor at the Capes for Christ Bible Camp in Davie, Florida,
and you met that lovely 15-year-old boy
who tickled your fancy, and, well, then, tickled more than that, didn’t he?
Hmm? Ring any bells?
Here’s a little keepsake snapped by the Broward County Sheriff’s Department
that you can stash in your wank bank.
You and your little Bieber edging in the back of your RAV4
in the car park of Buca di Beppo.
[Mother’s Milk] Whatever voodoo Vought’s lawyers pulled
to get your statutory charges dropped,
I don’t think they’re gonna matter too much
to your evangelical audience back there.
[Butcher] You’re gonna tell us everything you know
about Sage and her grand plan,
or I hit this little tweet button here.
[dramatic music playing]
How about I just send it myself?
Fuck around and find out.
[Ezekiel] “Starlight.”
That’s nine letters,
or is that six… upside down?
“Annie January,” 12 letters, that’s two more sixes.
6-6-6. What more proof
could you possibly need?
[applause]
I’m sorry, I got to interrupt.
I’m so sorry.
I need, I need to make a confession.
[Ezekiel] A confession?
I need to confess my sins.
[Firecracker] Ain’t no way to sugarcoat this.
I had…
…inappropriate relations
with a sweet young man.
[exhales] Damn, that smile.
But that young man, he was 15 years old.
Oh… But the moment of my greatest weakness
was also the moment
that pushed me to my eternal salvation.
I was born again,
and my sins were washed away
by the tears of His love.
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
[applause]
Now, I-I believe
that our Lord Jesus Christ put that young man
in my life to lead me to the path of righteousness.
[applause]
Oh, my God.
You got to choose to turn in to the light of His love.
And that’s what Starlight, she just didn’t do.
Y’all ever hear that story about her very first save?
She was only 13 years old,
and, well, a gunman came into Walmart and took hostages.
Well, Starlight, she came in a’blasting.
But what they don’t tell you
is that she blinded one of those hostages that day.
A mother of three, just trying to buy Crunch Berries for her kids.
But Starlight, she just went on,
smiling for those cameras like none of it ever happened.
Starlight’s no hero.
[somber music playing]
She never was.
I was still learning how to control my powers, I…
[gasps]
Mademoiselle Annie.
[door slams, locks]
Well, whatever you attempted, it seems you have failed.
Not so fast, Frenchie.
Keys to her trailer.
Go give it a toss, will you?
[exhales]
[whirring nearby]
[dark music playing]
[Ashley] A-Train.
What the fuck are you doing here?
Taking V, huh?
What the hell are you doing in here?
Nothing.
[chuckles] You left a floater in his toilet?
That was there when I got here.
That is the most pathetic clapback that I have ever seen.
And you know, if Homelander knew,
that’ll be the last shit you ever take.
Oh, yeah?
If Homelander knew you took that V, he would flay you alive.
Looks like we both have a problem.
[contemplative music playing]
Looks like we do.
So, what do we do about it?
[atmospheric music playing]
[whispers] Marty.
Yeah?
Come here for a sec.
I’d like to apologize.
For Frank.
[exhales] Look, I guess I-I got a little grumpy,
and I-I’m sorry.
Can you forgive me?
Of course.
These things, these things happen.
Thank you. [sniffles]
You were always one of the kinder ones.
That’s right, John.
“Homelander.”
Homelander. We were friends.
I was always nice to you.
[laughs] Yeah, that’s right.
You were. Mostly.
[atmospheric music playing]
Well, you remember the nickname you had for me, right?
Mm-mm.
Really?
“Squirt.”
[chuckles] Yeah, you called me Squirt, silly.
You remember why?
No.
Oh, f… Marty, okay.
But you do remember, though,
that I used to be left in there
for hours, days on end.
Completely alone. Right?
Only… I was never really alone, was I?
Mm?
Big Brother was always watching.
[chuckling]
[laughs] You were always watching, weren’t you, Marty?
Huh?
But… growing boys have…
certain needs, shall we say?
So I figured out that when you did your rounds at night,
I had about a couple of minutes to myself to, uh…
well, to, uh, to do what boys do.
[chuckles]
And-and that would be the only time of day
that I would feel anything good.
So this one night, uh, I couldn’t get finished in time.
And you caught me with my pants down.
You had a really, really good laugh at me.
Remember?
That’s when you nicknamed me Squirt.
I got to be honest with you, Marty…
[sighs]
…you really hurt my feelings.
I am very sorry.
What’s done is done.
Water under the bridge.
Ha.
[chuckling] But stay there a sec.
[clears throat]
I do want you to jerk off in front of us right now.
Hey, uh, guys, come on over here.
Come on. Yeah.
We’re all gonna laugh at you. Okay?
Yeah.
That way, you will know how it feels,
and I think I’m gonna feel better.
[nervous laughter]
Homelander…
…I am really very sorry.
[Homelander] I know, I know.
Thank you.
Now, don’t be shy.
Take your pants down.
Now.
Mm-hmm.
That’s the spirit.
[laughing]
[hysterical laughter]
Marty, it looks like you’re shucking a little mushroom.
Oh, that poor little thing.
[grunting]
[laughing]
Cheer for him. Come on.
Squirt. Squirt. Squirt.
Aw.
Not off to a great start, huh?
Tell you what, I’ll give you a little motivation.
You get hard right now,
or I’m gonna laser your dick off.
Okay?
[snickering]
Something to play for now. Mm?
Use it or lose it, Marty.
Your life is literally in your hands.
Come on, Squirt.
[Homelander laughing]
Yes!
More spit, Marty, more spit. That’ll work.
Come on!
Put your fucking back into it. Attaboy.
I can’t.
Come on, Marty!
I’m sorry.
Oh, oh, okay, okay, okay.
It’s okay. Honestly, it-it happens to a-a lot of guys.
Truly. Not me, of course.
[chuckles] Ah…
[screaming]
[maniacal laughter]
[groaning]
That’s a fucking squirt, Marty.
Whoa, whoa! You’re getting dick blood on my boots, Marty.
[maniacal laughter]
[woman] Stop it, John.
Barbara.
Um, the cake’s melted, I’m afraid.
[sighs] Please put him out of his misery.
[Homelander sighs]
I forgive you, Marty.
[crunching]
Can we talk in private?
[Homelander] That’s a great idea.
I know just the place.
Um, it’s more comfortable in my office.
[Homelander] No, I think in here is better.
[grunting]
Kimiko!
Holy shit!
[grunting]
[yelling]
[footsteps approaching]
Ah!
Oh, shit.
[grunting]
[yells]
Ah!
[yelps]
[grunting continues]
[pained groan]
[blade slices]
[yells]
[straining]
[Hughie panting]
[pulsing music playing]
[grunting]
[speaking Japanese] Do you remember?
After you offered me ice cream,
then threw me into that trunk?
You took me to the camp,
dragged me into the fighting pit.
I could either fight
or die.
Then you left me with these.
I hate you.
[somber music playing]
Kimiko…
[cheering in distance]
Bonjour.
[intriguing music playing]
[Firecracker over TV] Now, y’all heard a lot tonight
about who Starlight really is.
But you still haven’t seen the true monster behind the mask.
And the truth…
…oh, it is so much worse than you could ever imagine.
Oh, no.
Six months ago,
Starlight visited a clinic.
She wasn’t going for a checkup.
What the fuck?
[Firecracker] She found out
that she was pregnant,
and she had an abortion.
Are those my fucking medical records?
[Firecracker] She was raised a Christian.
She knew the difference
between right and wrong.
She knew exactly what she was doing.
So you won’t tell me that those teens over there,
that they’re safe with her.
With that baby killer?
[intense music playing]
Annie, wait.
What do you think you’re doing?
[Frenchie over earpiece] I’m sorry. I must’ve gotten lost.
Fucking hell. Frenchie.
[Ezekiel] Who are you?
It is so embarrassing.
I am Firecracker’s biggest fan.
I was just looking for a souvenir…
[groans]
[Firecracker] She could have given it up for adoption.
But no. She murdered it.
So you finally came to deb…
[grunting]
[groans]
[Butcher] Oi.
[shouting]
[pants]
How’s that for “uppity,” cracker?
[Mother’s Milk] Stop.
Look.
[Firecracker coughing]
[Firecracker groans]
Look.
First pebble down the mountain.
Let’s get out of here.
[Firecracker coughs]
[Mother’s Milk] Come on.
[groans, gasps]
[choking]
[Becca] Get up.
Billy, come on, get up.
Come on. Billy.
You don’t get to quit.
Get up!
[yelling]
[crunching]
[groans]
[sighs]
[somber music playing]
Fucking hell.
[Annie] What the fuck?
[Mother’s Milk] Oh, shit.
[gasps] Frenchie!
Oh, shit. Oh, my God. Frenchie.
What the fuck happened?
Come on, let’s get the fuck out of here.
[grunting]
What the fuck?
[sirens wailing]
It’s funny.
I-I remember it being so much bigger.
You know why I used to call this The Bad Room?
It was just a room, John. It’s neither good nor bad.
That’s easy to say from the other side of the door.
Now…
Did you come back here just to torment those people?
Doesn’t that feel a little… a little small?
They were just following orders. Dr. Vogelbaum’s, Stan Edgar’s and mine.
Yeah. But they followed them.
Not one of them had the backbone to stand up and say, “This is wrong.”
‘Cause they were scared.
I was a child.
They were scared.
You know…
I was there the day that you were born.
They paid some poor runaway two grand to carry the embryo to term.
But you lasered her guts open from the inside.
You rose in the air with your umbilical cord still attached,
like some creature out of myth…
or nightmare.
You killed three doctors and a nurse while you were at it.
And then, just trust me, it was downhill from there.
So, yeah, yeah, everybody was terrified of you, from your first breath.
But you weren’t?
Hmm.
We have no physical power over you. We never did.
You could’ve broken out of here anytime you wanted.
We couldn’t have stopped you. But you didn’t.
Because you couldn’t stand the idea that we would be disappointed in you.
Your need for approval and for love.
Vought brought in the best psychologists in the world.
Developed the protocol to carefully engineer that need
so that you would be obedient.
In many ways, that was our greatest success.
I don’t need any of it anymore.
Doesn’t matter what you do to me or the rest of the staff here.
Your need for love is so deep, it’s so human,
you’ll never be able to overcome that.
That’s where you’re wrong.
I’m not human. And neither is my son.
And I’m going to raise him so that he knows it.
You know, I really do want to share with you why I called this The Bad Room.
Oh…
[Colin] Hey. Hey.
Welcome back. You okay?
[Frenchie groans]
Wow.
I feel like I’ve been fixing you up so much lately
I should bill your HMO.
Colin, please.
All right, I got to get you up.
Colin, don’t, please. Stop! Stop being so fucking nice to me!
It was me.
W-What was you?
It was you?
[eerie music playing]
I’m sorry.
[breathes shakily]
[grunting]
You’re a fucking psychopath.
[grunting]
[moaning]
[choking]
Come on.
Do it.
[gasping]
[groans]
If you come near me again…
I’ll fucking kill you.
[gasping]
[somber music playing]
Yeah, so, you wanted to see me?
Got you some of those fried pickles and ranch from Flavortown.
This your way of apologizing?
I need a favor.
[scoffs]
I don’t get you, dude. Like, at all.
You start off, you’re a total bitch,
and then you tell me I’m, like, a superior being…
which of course I like and that you’re down to pound,
which obviously I will…
I know.
Most people, their brains grow till they’re about 25, then stop forever.
Mine doesn’t. It regenerates, constantly.
Stab me in the heart, I die.
But stab me in the brain and the little fucking bitch grows back.
I want you to put this inside me.
[chuckles]
That’s the worst dildo
I’ve ever seen, but…
No.
In my eye. Here.
I am down for, like, a lot, but…
It’s temporary.
Hmm?
You give me a frontal lobotomy
and I don’t have to fucking be me for a couple hours.
Uh, that’s just… fucking gross.
I’ll let you ass-fuck me while we watch the Kim and Ray J video.
Okay, so where do you want me to put it? Just right there? Sit down.
Now, avoid the eye itself. I don’t want to go blind.
[Sage groans]
Ooh.
Now, use the hammer.
The hammer? Fuck.
Mm-hmm.
Tap, tap.
[clanging]
[groaning]
Again.
Okay.
Oh, sorry.
Hammer down.
Now…
Scrape.
Scrape it?
Scrape my fucking brains out.
Oh…
That’s weird.
[squelching]
[moaning]
[moaning]
Okay, okay, okay.
You can take it out.
Oh, God…
[whimpers]
Hey, are you okay?
Uh-huh.
So… Hey.
I have another Flavortown for you.
My pussy.
Yes.
♪ Face down, ass up, that’s the way we like to fuck ♪
♪ Face down, ass up, that’s the way we like to fuck ♪♪
Today’s events have sadly confirmed my suspicions.
While I respect President Elect Singer,
it’s disheartening to see him align himself with Starlight,
someone so clearly out of control.
What’s even more troubling is that I considered Starlight a friend.
But her violent, out-of-control attack on Firecracker was
someone I simply don’t recognize. I won’t speculate on…
[door opens]
[gentle music playing]
[Neuman] And President Elect Singer needs to wholeheartedly…
Hey.
[Annie] Oh, Jesus.
What happened to your leg?
It’s okay. I’m fine.
But, look, I saw the Firecracker thing. That fucking asshole.
No, no, I shouldn’t have lost it.
How could you not lose it?
That was, like, the most private thing between you and me.
And to fucking broadcast it like that,
that’s a fucking violation.
Hughie.
It’s not helping, okay?
Right, sorry, you’re right. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
I agonized over that decision.
Agonized. And you know I did.
I just wasn’t ready.
I know. I mean, neither was I.
And now when people look at me, whether they’re…
supportive or judging or-or angry,
I have to relive it. Over and over and over again.
And my mom…
Have you talked to her?
She won’t return my calls.
Okay. Come here.
It’s none of her business. Okay?
It is nobody’s business but yours.
[phone vibrating]
Oh, shit.
I’m sorry, I have to take this.
It’s okay. Um…
I, um, I have to pick up something for my dad.
We’ll talk later, okay?
Okay.
I love you.
Love you, too.
Hello?
You know, friends tell friends the truth, and…
The Supe Control bill would’ve passed with flying colors.
But after what you pulled today…
might as well call it the Psycho Starlight Baby-Killer bill.
Are you still there?
I’m sorry.
Sorry doesn’t bring back all the Republican votes you just torched.
I can’t be affiliated with you anymore.
[line clicks, beeps]
[sobbing]
[sighs]
[sonic boom]
It’s bullshit, right? You’re not gonna forgive me.
Yeah. Thought so.
Wait.
You’re right, I…
I was gonna tell you to go fuck yourself.
But I changed my mind.
We’re good.
[dog barking in distance]
[Butcher] You fucking dog-wanker.
Jesus. How long have you been standing there?
Long enough.
How could you?
I-I didn’t, I didn’t do it for him.
I don’t want to spend the rest of my life hating anybody.
What you gonna do with that, then?
I mean, you’re probably the only guy that would understand,
but I was going to give it to my dad.
Oh, Hughie.
Look, I know.
I know it’s insane and terrible, but what other choice do I have?
Any other fucking choice, you twat.
You’re really telling me that you wouldn’t take some
if you were in his shoes?
‘Cause you kind of are.
There’s enough here.
It’d save you, too.
It’s got to beat dying of brain cancer, right?
I already took some.
Nicked it out of Frenchie’s desk four months ago.
Thought it might cure me.
Jesus.
Do you have powers?
No.
All it did was bring up the big day.
I’m telling you, quit while you’re behind.
You’ll only make matters worse.
What happened to me back there?
[melancholy music playing]
[man] [over P.A.] Radiology, please call extension 1401.
Radiology, please call extension 1401.
[tense music playing]
[woman] [over P.A.] Tech Services, call extension 6334.
Tech Services, extension 6334.
[breathes shakily]
[Daphne] Oh, hey.
[gasps] Hey.
You okay?
Yeah, I just tripped.
How is he?
Well… [sighs]
The doctor said any time now.
[Hughie] No, no.
Um…
I just need some air.
[liquid pouring]
[somber music playing]
[ominous music playing]
[monitors beeping]
What the fuck?
[monitors beeping rapidly]
[elevator bell dinging]
[dinging continues]
[elevator bell dings]
[Deep and Firecracker] ♪ Love lift us up where we belong ♪
♪ Where the eagles cry, on a mountain high ♪
♪ Love lift us up where we belong ♪
♪ Far from the world below ♪
[Deep] ♪ Up where the clear winds blow ♪
♪ Some hang on to “used to be” ♪
♪ Live their lives looking behind ♪
[Firecracker] ♪ All we have is here and now ♪
♪ All our lives, out there to find ♪
[Deep] ♪ The road is long ♪
♪ There are mountains in our way ♪
♪ But we climb a step every day ♪
[Deep and Firecracker] ♪ Love lift us up where we belong ♪
♪ Where the eagles cry, on a mountain high ♪
♪ Love lift us up where we belong ♪
♪ Far from the world we know ♪
[Deep] ♪ Where the clear winds blow ♪
♪ Time goes by ♪
♪ No time to cry ♪
♪ Life’s you and I ♪
♪ Alive today ♪
[Deep and Firecracker] ♪ Love lift us up where we belong ♪♪
