02x04 - Nothing Like It in the World

[bunniefuu]

REPORTER: Federal authorities have initiated

a manhunt for William Butcher.

SUSAN: It's Vought. It's a f*cking coup

from the inside.

I know who k*lled Raynor.

Something to do with the Supe t*rror1st

smuggled into Jersey.

Her brother.

I just want me wife back.

MALLORY: Bring Langley the t*rror1st and you'll have her.

BECCA: I was told he would never know about Ryan or me.

That was the deal.

You need to make him leave.

Because if you don't, I'm gonna take Ryan

and I'm gonna run.

Superheroes are not born, but made, via Compound V.

We got a Supe t*rror1st below deck and sh*t could go sideways just like...

[WHALE SINGING]

Ah, f*cking diabolical!

[SCREAMS]

[SCREAMING]

HOMELANDER: I said he was mine.

STORMFRONT: You snooze, you lose, Gramps.

REPORTER: Our newest hero,

Stormfront, stopped the t*rror1st

before he could take more innocent lives.

Communication is everything.

Steve and I had been dating for two years when he asked me to marry him.

At the rehearsal dinner, my dad said we should look into a account for our kids.

Steve laughed and said that was nuts and that we were never having kids.

[LAUGHS]

Which was, um, news to me.

Yeah.

Long story short, um, the caterer was totally cool with everything, but the Marriott did keep our deposit on the banquet room.

So...

Yeah.

Communication.

["LE TEMPS" BY KAARIS PLAYING]

[CLATTERS]

...details are still emerging about the Supe t*rror1st whose senseless att*ck on an apartment building

left people dead and over injured.

His name? Kenji Miyashiro,

a Japanese expatriate living in the Philippines.

Miyashiro was radicalized by the extremist group

Shining Light Liberation Army.

Witnesses who caught a glimpse of the k*ller described him as dead-eyed and unemotional as he rampaged through the apartment building

- k*lling indiscriminately.

- It wasn't your fault.

Many of the victims have not yet been identified...

Kimiko, look at me.

...to notify their families.

Look at me.

Investigators have so far not disclosed

further details about the att*ck,

but officials have announced

they will hold a press conference later this week.

I-I didn't mean to.

I'm sorry.

I was just...

[CHOKING]

[PANTING]

NNC ANCHOR: No one can debate

that New Yorkers owe their lives to the brave actions taken by Stormfront.

Earlier today, Stormfront made an appearance

at a New York City park.

STORMFRONT: How many more people have to die?

You guys, I have been shouting up and down the hallways at Vought, and you know what they're doing to stop another att*ck?

Jack [BLEEP].

Let's show Vought what they have to do.

Tomorrow morning, Vought Square.

[ECHOING]: Be your own hero.

Make your voice heard.

I am counting on you to show us the way.

Don't let me down.

MADELYN: There you are.

I was beginning to worry.

[MOANS]

I've missed you...

...so much.

Are you thirsty?

[MOANING SOFTLY]

[GRUNTS]

My good boy.

[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]

I ever tell you about my recurring dream?

I'm on stage, alone, at Carnegie Hall.

The audience is made up of every poor bastard who got k*lled by the superheroes.

BUTCHER: What are they doing?

Nothing.

They're all just watching me.

Waiting for me to do something.

We hit a dead end on Raynor.

I'm sorry.

Christ, I don't want to hear sorry.

Sorry's not an option.

We can't have anonymous skull-exploding assassins walking around.

What if they hit the speaker next?

Or the president?

BUTCHER: Liberty?

You mentioned her before.

Second-tier Supe, active in the ' s.

She was all over Susan's private server.

Get Marvin to talk to this Liberty.

Address on the back. North Carolina.

BUTCHER: All right.

We'll see what we can find.

MALLORY: Wait.

I found Becca.

Or, at least, our best guess where she is.

Vought facility, armed to the teeth.

Won't be easy.

We had a deal.

I didn't come through.

Jesus, Butcher, I'm just giving it to you.

It's my fault you stopped searching for her.

I put a target on Homelander's back and pointed you right at him.

I didn't know Becca was still...

It'd be good to have one less person in that audience staring at me.

Hey!

See?

You get disrespected over and over and over, that's what happens.

I mean, how much sh*t is he supposed to take?

- Everybody respects you.

- [EXHALES]

f*cking t*rror1st was my save, not hers.

It was mine.

What?

Now that-that media whore i-is the face of the Seven?

- No, she's not.

No, you are.

- Come on.

And it's not just her, it-it's the entire team.

- No.

- Yes, it is.

It-It's a whole chain of weak links.

[SIGHS]

I-It's very hard not to take it personally.

- Oh, I know.

- [EXHALES]

I know.

[SHUSHES]

[GRUNTS]

I'll tell you one thing.

- You wouldn't put up with this sh*t.

- Mm-mm.

One little raise of the eyebrow, and you would've knocked them - all back in line.

- Yeah.

God, I miss that about you.

You don't need me to do that.

The Seven is your team.

You nurtured them, you watered and fed them.

- That's...

I did.

- Yes, and if they can't respect that or you, well, it may be time to tear out the weeds and start all over again.

[GRUNTING, GROANING]

[GASPS]

Change back.

Change back!

I'm sorry!

I can only hold a shape for so long before it really hurts.

Change the f*ck back now, Doppelganger!

[STRAINING]

[MADELYN SHOUTS, EXHALES]

Yeah, it's okay.

Come here.

It's all good.

Oh, my little boy.

Come on.

Okay.

[PANTING]

It's okay.

I love you.

I love you.

You're the most powerful man in the whole wide world.

And there's nothing that you cannot do.

MOTHER'S MILK: Storming an off-the-books Vought compound alone?

Butcher, how is it possible that you're dumber than you look?

- Mate, it's Becca.

- No sh*t.

But win or lose, you ain't coming back.

Course I am.

That's bullshit.

Look, it's not like Vought's

gonna let us settle down in Orlando.

We got to get gone and stay gone.

What about us?

Hmm?

We're the Spice Girls, right?

You're in charge now.

Mazel tov.

m*therf*cker, I don't want to be in charge.

Matter of fact, I don't even want to be here.

I gave up my family for this.

For you.

When do I get them back?

You find this Liberty slag.

See what you can rumble.

You jump through a few hoops for the colonel, and she'll help you the same way she helped me.

She always liked you more, anyway.

And what about Frenchie?

He's been high as kite for days.

- He won't even notice I'm gone.

- Hmm.

And Hughie?

Kid's a weeper.

Don't want him to get snot all over me jacket.

♪ ♪ [ELEVATOR BELL CHIMES]

Hey, Homelander.

[LOW THUDDING]

Maeve begged me to spare your life.

So I gave you a second chance, and... you failed me.

What are you talking about?

No more lies.

[SCREAMS, GRUNTING]

You go ahead and scream.

As much as you want.

What... what did I do?

I told you to k*ll Hugh Campbell, and you hesitated.

I-I said that we should go to the police.

You disobeyed my orders because you're with him.

f*ck you.

Hughie Campbell broke my f*cking heart.

Worse than anyone ever has.

And part of me wants to blast his f*cking face off, so no, I'm not "with him".

But if you want to k*ll me because I'm not a m*rder*r and I won't straight-up execute someone, then go ahead.

So, tell me, am I lying?

[ELEVATOR BELL CHIMES]

You're not lying.

Ooh.

Black Noir.

Hi.

Would you like an Almond Joy?

Um, do you mean William Butcher?

- Okay.

- [TAPPING KEYBOARD]

Well, he was definitely on the yacht with the t*rror1st.

Some of his known accomplices were, too.

We lost him in these storm tunnels.

So, yeah.

There you go.

I'll keep you posted when we find them.

Or I can look right now.

Just, uh, run a facial recognition search.

[TAPPING KEYBOARD]

Or you can join me.

[BIRDS CHIRPING]

- Hey.

- [CHUCKLES]

- Thanks for coming.

- Hey.

- Oh, you're so bruised.

- Oh, no, it's fine.

It's okay.

That was all me?

It's cool.

Really.

I mean, you know, chicks dig bruises.

You know, I was in...

When I was in fifth grade, I took a tetherball to the face.

And Amy Burtenshaw, she brought me Jell-O Pudding Pops for, like, two weeks.

I'm talking way too much.

I could've k*lled you.

But you didn't.

Um...

[CLEARS THROAT]

I got your voice mail.

Oh, God.

Can...

Oh, God.

Can we just chalk that up to a-a drunk dial?

I-I'm okay, really, it's just, uh...

Do you just mind, you mind - if we just don't talk about it?

- Okay.

So, we got the Compound V out there, and Vought is still kicking, so we risked our lives just to make the world way worse.

Yeah, but no, no, no.

That's not true.

I mean, you know, these things, they...

Look, Annie, they take time.

[SIGHS]

How much time?

[PHONE RINGING]

Just...

Sorry, just give me one second.

Um...

Hey, M.M.

Raleigh?

Like, the one in North Carolina?

Yeah, okay, okay.

Jesus, I was just asking.

Um, yeah.

Yeah.

Um, just pick me up at, like, st and-and Central Park West.

Okay, okay, all right.

Um, I have to go.

What's going on?

Can I call you later?

[SNIFFS]

Are you just gonna...

hang out?

Here?

Yeah, I...

I just...

I can't go back to the Tower right now.

Why?

What happened?

I can't...

[CRYING]: I can't do this anymore.

MOTHER'S MILK: Are you f*cking insane?

She can't come with us, Hughie.

She's chipped.

So, I have a second cousin who lives around there.

I could tell Vought that I'm going to visit.

HUGHIE: And we'd be out of the city, away from the cameras.

I mean, no one would see us.

No.

Even her standing here is dangerous.

Maybe he's right.

I...

[SIGHS]

This is a bad idea.

If we're gonna go knock on some Supe's door, don't you think it makes a little bit of sense for us to have one of our own?

[QUIETLY]: Look, she's in rough shape.

She needs this.

You mean you need this?

Hey.

How you doing?

Cool.

- What's up, man?

- [ELEVATOR BELL CHIMES]

[QUIETLY]: Oh, f*ck!



Don't bullshit me,

- Ashley.

- Shockwave is just here to talk about Vought for Tots.

I swear to God.

What the f*ck is Vought for Tots?

It's a new fitness outreach for toddlers.

Apparently, they're getting obese.

Well, sh*t, I f*cking love fat kids.

Use me.

Oh, good, you're here.

You tell him yet?

Tell me what?

I thought we were gonna have a strategy meeting.

A-Train, you're out.

Out of what?

Out of the Seven.

You did great, but we're going in a different direction, so...

you're out.

What the f*ck?

You just said everything was fine.

You're gonna have a whole year of parades.

Tribute concerts.

You're gonna hit the talk show circuit.

You're-you're gonna have your own reality show on Vought+.

The outpouring of love and gratitude is gonna be off the charts.

Oh, this is bullshit!

You used to get my f*cking coffee!

Oh, f*ck this.

I'm not going.

A-Train...

you can't run.

Yes, I can run.

- I just...

I-I just...

- Buddy?

[QUIETLY]: You think I don't know what's been going on?

It's your heart.

I doubt you're even cracking the top anymore, and that makes the Seven... me...

look pretty ridiculous.

I do want you to know, though, this was really hard for me.

Okay?

It's nothing personal.

Uh, we'll always be friends and, uh...

[SIGHS]

Et cetera.

Attaboy.

[DOOR OPENS, CLOSES]

Does anyone mind if I put on some music?

Yeah.

- STARLIGHT: ♪ Defended by our heroes ♪

- Oh, God.

- ♪ You stood among the best... ♪

- You have a really good voice.

[CHUCKLING]: You can do that, like, wavering thing they do on American Idol.

- Vibrato.

- [CHANGING STATIONS]

- STARLIGHT: ♪ And thanks... ♪

- You've got to be kidding me.

- No.

No.

- ♪ From the stars. ♪

♪ It was always burning since the world's been turning ♪

There it is.

Yep.

♪ We didn't start the fire ♪

♪ No, we didn't light it, but we tried to fight it ♪

♪ Birth control, Ho Chi Minh, Richard Nixon back again ♪

♪ Moon sh*t, Woodstock, Watergate, punk rock ♪

♪ Begin, Reagan, Palestine ♪

♪ Terror on the airline ♪

♪ Ayatollah's in Iran ♪

♪ Russians in Afghanistan ♪

♪ Wheel of Fortune, Sally Ride ♪

♪ Heavy metal su1c1de ♪

♪ Foreign debts, homeless vets, AIDS, cr*ck, Bernie Goetz ♪

♪ Hypodermics on the shores, China's under martial law ♪

♪ Rock and roller cola wars, I can't take it anymore. ♪

Hey, hey!

This ain't no little Vegas road trip, okay?

Y'all ain't on no date, either.

Just... chill.

I'm not your g*dd*mn chaperone.

[SCOFFS]

CASSANDRA:

They say if you love someone,

you should set them free.

But that seems crazy to me, because if you love someone, you will never let them go.

Never.

Have you heard of the Lovers of Valdaro?

They were alive, like, , years ago, and they were found in this tomb in Italy.

These two skeletons with their arms around each other.

That's love.

[LAUGHS]

[SOFTLY]: Open up the door.

Bonjour.

You smell like a wet dog.

Oh, you want a drink?

Mm-mm.

Whoa.

Who says I'm alone, assh*le?

So... are you gonna tell me what's wrong?

Or you just gonna stain my clean sheets with your sweaty despair?

I tried to kiss her.

Kimiko?

Her brother d*ed.

I wanted to make her feel better.

You thought a kiss would make her feel better or you feel better?

She was in pain.

I wanted to help.

You always want to help.

So?

[EXHALES]

You think that by saving her, you can make amends for all the people you hurt.

For those children that Lamplighter b*rned.

- Okay.

- You don't know anything.

Look, she's not a kitten up a tree.

Just leave her alone.

Hmm?

Let her grieve.

What good does grieving all alone ever do?

VNN ANCHOR: And in our continuing coverage

of the recent revelations over Compound V,

protesters all over the Middle East

have taken to the streets demanding...

- Thank you.

- I'll be right back.

[ANCHOR CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY]

Meanwhile, at the United Nations,

governments from all over the world have voiced their anger

at the Compound V revelation.

- Mm.

- Today, Russia and China

referred to the superheroes as weapons of mass destruction

and accused the United States

- of terrorism...

- Mm.

You two want a room?

You and the doughnut.

Oh.

[LAUGHS]

I'm sorry.

It's just, um, my mom never let me have this stuff.

- Hmm.

- It's just... weight gain in our household was a capital crime.

But my dad, um, he'd take me to Dunkin' on the sly.

And he would get me a chocolate cream-filled doughnut, and he'd ask me to tell him about my day.

And he'd... he'd listen.

Baskin-Robbins.

Every Sunday after church.

My pops, he'd always ask for samples.

Now, this place had flavors, and that man would taste each and every flavor every time we'd go up in there.

There'd be a line all the way out the door.

People would be mad as hell.

Yelling.

- [LAUGHING]

- Cussing.

"Yo, my man, get your f*cking ice cream and bounce!" You think that stopped him?

Hell, nah.

He would stand right there and order another sample.

"Can I please try the Jamoca Almond Fudge, please?" [STARLIGHT CHUCKLES]

My ass was so embarrassed.

I'd be sitting there, wishing the floor would just open up and just swallow me whole.

Man.

Course, now I'd give a year off my life just to be able to see that man going through spoon after spoon just one last time.

When did he...

years ago.

To fathers and sugar.

To fathers and sugar.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Are you dry wiping?

Am I what?

Come here.

Listen, any part of your body, - and I mean any part...

- Mm-hmm.

When you dry wipe, you're not cleaning anything.

You're just smearing sh*t all over your skin.

Here.

Got to use wet wipes.

There you go.

- You just carry these around with you?

- Damn right...

[TIRES SCREECH]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, please!

They're hurt!

- They need help!

- No, please.

No, no, no.

This is not the time to be a Supe.

Okay?

We're low-key, not with us here.

- Annie?

- I...

There's a ton of people here.

Okay, that guy, he's calling .

It'll be okay.

Come on.

Come on, we gotta go.

- This was a bad idea.

- Just calm down.

- This was a stupid idea.

- Calm down.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

[INSECTS TRILLING]

Any place around here without a million bloody cameras?

♪ ♪ [SHORT LAUGH]

[SOBBING]

Are you okay?

- Did he hurt you?

- No.

I'm okay, I'm fine.

I thought you were dead.

I stopped looking.

I shouldn't have stopped.

I couldn't call anybody.

I can't imagine what it must've done to you.

I'm sorry.

I'm so f*cking sorry.

No, you've done nothing wrong.

Look at you.

My girl.

Always.

[QUIET LAUGH]

Billy, it's not safe for you to be here.

[SNIFFLES]

If he finds you, he's gonna k*ll you and you know that.

f*ck him.

I got out of the last scrape all right, didn't I?

That was a one-time deal.

What did you say to him?

I said if he hurt you...

I would k*ll myself in front of Ryan.

And my last words would be, "Your father did this to me".

He seems desperate for a relationship with his son, so it worked once.

Well, it's a good thing he don't know your tells.

I wasn't bluffing.

I'm gonna get you the f*ck out of here.

Yeah, how?

Over the fence, the same way that I came in.

No, no.

Ryan-Ryan can't climb that fence.

Right.

I saw his-his eyes glow.

I thought he might...

Don't he got no powers?

N-No, I-I mean...

Yes, but I'm not... I'm not raising him like that.

Hey.

There's a garbage truck.

It comes by the house every morning at : .

I doubt anyone checks the hopper.

You sure it's not a f*cking compacter?

Yes, I'm sure.

Okay.

Then that's the plan.

Yeah, yeah.

I have to go.

They get suspicious when I'm gone too long.

[SNIFFLES]

Wait here, I'll be back.

Okay?

[DOOR CLOSES]

[ENGINE STARTS]

[INSECTS TRILLING]

Okay, so, we got two rooms.

There's three of us, so I guess I'll be, uh...

...bunking with M.M., naturally.

Good choice.

[SNORING]

[VEHICLES PASSING OUTSIDE]

[PHONE CHIMES]

Mmm.

- HUGHIE: Is that an Almond Joy?

- Mm-hmm.

Nobody likes Almond Joy.

Jeffrey Dahmer...

That's it, he's the only one.

This in my top three for sure.

What are your other two?

Mm...

Charleston Chew...

and Bit-O-Honey.

Jesus Christ!

Those are the, like, three worst candy bars - in the history of candy!

- [LAUGHING]

That's it, you're-you're sick.

In the brain.

[HUGHIE CHUCKLES]

Hey, what's up with M.M.'s OCD?

Wait, what-what OCD?

You know, when he changes lanes, he taps the steering wheel three times.

He stirs the coffee three times.

The antiseptic wipes...

Really?

You haven't noticed any of this?

No, but wow, you're right.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

It's just control over things he can't control, I guess.

- [HUGHIE SCOFFS]

- I mean...

I should be the last one talking about that.

Says the girl who's just stress-eating all day.

Oh, my God!

- That was...

I...

- [STARLIGHT SHUSHING]

Was so good, that was really good.

I enjoyed that.

It's harder than it looked.

Nah.

I think, you know, actually, I think I went the other way with the eating.

I think I lost, like, seven pounds.

Mm.

I did not have seven to lose.

Well...

oh, I sleep about four hours a night.

I wish I slept four hours a night.

I mean, I'm too busy chewing my fingernails down to the quick.

I don't know, whatever a...

I don't know what a quick is, but...

Here's one.

[CHUCKLES]

I walk around the Seven Tower with this...

knot in my gut.

Just wondering if Homelander is waiting around every corner to k*ll me.

It's like living with a loaded g*n in my face.

Do you feel that way now?

[QUIET LAUGH]

[BOTH MOANING]

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

I got it.

[QUIET LAUGH]

But I still want to see you.

WOMAN: Love is a leap of faith.

Like, my last boyfriend was obsessed with Ed Sheeran.

Yeah, I know.

But he was obsessed.

"Shape of You", "Galway Girl", whole catalog.

So, he asked me to get one of these with him.

[SMACKS LIPS]

Two weeks later, he broke up with me.

I f*cking hate Ed Sheeran.

[INSECTS TRILLING SOFTLY]

[VEHICLE APPROACHING]

[PANTING, MOANING]

Took you ages to quit.

All them little patches, eh?

[CHUCKLES]

Do you want one?

No.

[SHORT LAUGH]

The beard's new.

Fancy it, eh?

Eh, haven't decided yet.

How long you been here for then, eh?

Since I gave birth.

[WHISPERS]: f*cking hell.

[QUIET LAUGH]

How you holding up?

Yeah, you know, you forget about reading the news or...

going to a restaurant...

smoking pot on the couch and eating Cheetos.

I just act like, you know, Carol f*cking Brady all day.

It's okay.

You know, Ryan's happy, and...

that's what matters.

You're gonna like him.

He's sweet...

and very smart and...

so kind.

I know you hate kids and all, but I think that he's pretty...

Oh, no, no, no, I don't, I don't hate kids.

Just...

I'm not a very good role model, am I?

How have you been?

[SMACKS LIPS]

Oh, you know, all right.

Started a private security company.

[BOTH GRUNT]

You know, weddings, bar mitzvahs...

Bullshit.

Homelander said you were "a man possessed".

He said you've been chasing after him for years.

Well, I thought he k*lled you.

So... yeah.

I've been on a bit of a warpath.

But on the bright side, I'm sleeping in a basement beneath a pawn shop in East Flatbush.

I'm sorry.

I never wanted that for you.

What was I supposed to do?

Hmm?

Let him get away with it?

What was I before you?

Nothing.

And you saved me.

And here you've been, f*cking living in this sh*thole for all this time, and I haven't been here for you.

I'm gonna make it up to you.

I'm gonna make it up to you from now till the day I die, I swear to God.

♪ ♪ Is the supervillain thr*at real?

Hundred percent.

Very real.

But the Seven will protect you.

That's right, right. Always listen to Maeve.

She always tells the truth.

And we're grateful every day.

On a related subject, Compound V.

Did either of you know about it before the news broke?

No.

Absolutely not.

Madelyn Stillwell, she lied to all of us.

Turns out she was a monster.

We're-we're just as hurt and upset and confused as everyone else.

Let's talk #HeroesSoWhite.

The numbers are rather startling.

% of heroes are Caucasian.

African American, six percent.

Latin and Asian, each one percent.

Why doesn't Vought want diversity?

Wow.

These are real hardballs, Maria Menounos.

[WEAK CHUCKLES]

But check your facts.

Let's, uh, take the Seven, for example.

We've got A-Train.

He's a black man.

We got Black Noir.

He, um...

Well, he doesn't identify with any race, really, so... they're covered.

[CHUCKLES]

And... we have a gay hero.

Really?

Who in the Seven is gay?

Queen Maeve.

Mm-hmm.

Scoop for you, Maria.

Maeve here is a strong, proud lesbian

with a beautiful girlfriend, Elena.

Hispanic girlfriend.

And I, for one, am so proud of her.

MAEVE: Where's Elena?

What did you do to her?

She's fine.

What did I do to her?

I set her free.

And you.

You've been living in the shadows so long, doesn't it feel good to be out in the sun?

Hold on.

Me and Elena are just friends.

- Oh.

Just friends?

- Yes.

Because, see, I heard you two talking on the phone, and it sounded a little more than friends.

So, I did a little digging, and imagine my f*cking surprise.

Okay.

- We had a relationship once.

- Hmm.

Once.

A relationship...

"Relationship".

That's such a vague word.

What does that mean to you?

What, long walks in the park?

A shoulder to cry on?

Scissoring each other raw?

I ended the relationship when I joined the Seven.

When I met you.

Stop f*cking lying to me.

I am at my wit's f*cking end with the lies.

We're together.

And you love her?

Hmm.

I see.

Well, best of luck to you both.

Oh, is it so hard to believe that I want you two to be happy?

And in love?

Honestly, Maeve, I am really, really happy for you.

[CHEERING, APPLAUSE OVER TV]

And have you seen Vought's "Saving America" ads?

Don't they make you feel all warm and squishy and patriotic?

[HIGH-PITCHED RINGING]

Vought wants you to feel calm and safe so that you continue to buy their shitty toys

and drinking their shitty energy drinks

- and going to see their shitty movies.

- [BOOING]

But maybe we shouldn't feel so calm.

Or safe.

One Super t*rror1st has already gotten through.

More will come.

And for all we know,

these maniacs could already have flown over our borders and be standing next to you,

just waiting for their chance to k*ll us all.

So what are we gonna do?

We're gonna sit around and cross our fingers that Homelander's gonna save us when he's not on Maria Menounos?

CROWD: No!

STORMFRONT: Or will we demand

that Vought do better?

[CROWD CHEERING]

That our government do better!

What do you say?

[CHEERING, APPLAUSE]

No.

Mon coeur, please.

You will not survive.

CROWD [CHANTING]: Stormfront! Stormfront!

Stormfront! Stormfront!

FAN: Marry me, Stormfront!

[SHOUTING, CHEERING]

Let's go home.

[CLEARS THROAT]

- Hello?

- HUGHIE: Uh, hello, um...

I'm Hughie.

Is-is there, by any chance, a woman living here who used to go by the name of, um, Liberty?

No.

Okay, we have the right address, right?

Is that...?

- Please leave.

- Miss, I'm sorry if my friend offended you.

But we just want to ask just a couple of questions.

Just leave me alone.

I took your damn money, I signed your damn papers, and I have kept my mouth shut.

You think we're w...

We're not with Vought.

Okay?

We...

[LAUGHS]

We just want to learn what we can about Liberty.

That's it.

Then y'all are just some damn fools.

It sounds like you know her.

Or knew her.

You're wasting your time.

- Okay?

- Miss, Miss, Miss.

Hear us out.

If, after that, you want us to leave, we'll go.

Go ahead.

My father was a lawyer.

Small-time, very smart. And aggressive.

When I was a kid, something happened between my family and Vought, which I'd rather not talk about, but it was bad.

Now, see, my dad, he believed in the law and that nobody was above it, not even Vought.

So he went to work.

He got after their asses.

He had one of those...

Remember those little black typewriters, manual ones with the keys?

I'd go to sleep at night to all that noise, my father banging away at that thing.

Wake up the next morning, he'd still be hammering away.

All night.

But see, Vought wasn't about to let this one black man put his foot on their necks.

Mm-mm.

So they hired teams of lawyers.

Paid off judges.

But my father never gave up.

Till one morning I woke up and...

I didn't hear those keys anymore.

Just found him hunched over that typewriter, dead at .

WOMAN: I'm so sorry for your loss.

MOTHER'S MILK: I'm not here for your sympathy.

But I am gonna tell you that his fight got passed down to me.

And I'm gonna make Vought pay for what they did to him and, ma'am, from what I gather, what they've done to you, as well.

I mean... it's been years.

What good is dredging all this stuff up now gonna do?

Honestly we don't know.

But we still need to hear it.

[SIGHS]

I tried to get people to listen.

[LAUGHS]: Lord knows, so many times, I tried.

But a little black girl accusing a white superhero of m*rder in these parts?

Yeah.

[VALERIE SIGHS]

It was during one of those summer rains that you just knew was coming by the smell in the air.

I was years old, asleep in the back seat of my folks' Ford.

My brother Myron, he was driving.

[TIRES SCREECH]

MYRON: What's the trouble, ma'am?

LIBERTY: Get out.

MYRON: Hey.

LIBERTY: Your car was involved in a robbery tonight.

No, it wasn't.

I-I had it.

I don't know nothing about any robbery.

LIBERTY: Just confess.

MYRON: Why are you doing this

to me, lady? Ain't you supposed to be a hero?

LIBERTY: I am a hero.

For k*lling a black piece of sh*t like you.

[MYRON WHEEZING SOFTLY]

I wanted to go to the police.

But my folks, they thought it was pointless.

So when that man from Vought, when he showed up and he offered us that money, we just took it.

$ , .

That is what my brother's life was worth.

Just $ , .

But y'all have got to promise me that you won't tell anybody that I sat here and I talked to you.

Because if that woman finds out that I opened my mouth, she's gonna k*ll me.

Ms. Hunter, that woman, L-Liberty, n-nobody's seen her since .

I mean, she's probably dead by now.

[CHUCKLES]: Oh, no, no.

I...

[MUTTERS SOFTLY]

Right here.

That's her.

Right there.

That's Liberty.

HUGHIE: Valerie was just a little girl,

and she said it was raining, so she could be wrong.

She seemed pretty certain.

Yeah, but if Liberty and Stormfront are the same person, then that makes Stormfront, like, what, like, years old?

- More?

- Yeah, but who knows what Compound V can do?

I mean, maybe she doesn't age like a regular person.

Okay?

This is the same Stormfront that just became - America's favorite two-fisted Supe.

- Mm-hmm.

And might've popped Raynor's head for getting too close.

- Oh, my God.

- What the f*ck is going on?

I didn't know that about your dad.

Sounds like he was a real hero.

I thought so, but...

Nah.

He's just a man with a disease.

He passed it down to me, and if I'm not too careful, I might end up passing it down to my...

[SIGHS]

HOMELANDER: Who the f*ck do you think you are?

What, you think I don't see it?

Trying to undermine me, steal my team...

- Hold on a minute.

- Let me tell you right now, it won't work.

I'm the face of the Seven!

Not you!

Me.

I still score higher in every demo that counts.

to , to , to , they all love me.

Well, congratulations.

I mean, this constant need to be loved by everyone is kind of pathetic, but, um, yay.

Okay.

[SOFTLY]: Okay.

Calm down.

I clearly pushed you a little far.

I'm sorry.

Look, I'm...

I'm just trying to help.

Really?

How?

By taking what's mine?

Let me tell you something right now: I built this team from the ground up, and there is no f*cking way that anyone is gonna take it away from me.

You spent $ million on that "Saving America" bullshit, and I am running circles around you with five guys on laptops churning out memes.

I practically pay them with Arby's gift cards.

You...

You can't win the whole country anymore.

No one can.

So why are you even trying?

You don't need million people to love you.

You need five million people f*cking pissed.

Emotion sells, anger sells.

You have fans.

I have soldiers.

Look, I know that you probably won't believe this.

I think that you are the best of us.

I think that you are everything we should be.

You just need a little help connecting with your audience.

You know, change with the times.

God knows I did.

I don't need help connecting with my audience.

Thank you.

Okay.

Well, just know I'm always here, door is always open for anything.

You're late.

Where's the kid?

Babe, we got to get in the truck or we'll miss our chance.

I'm-I'm not leaving.

What are you talking about?

Of course you are.

Grab the kid and let's go.

You don't really want Ryan to come with us.

Of course I do.

I said I'd take him, didn't I?

And I wanted to believe you.

Then believe me.

Now come on, we've got to get a shift on.

Listen, if the three of us leave, you're gonna find a way to get rid of him.

I know it.

[STAMMERS]

It won't be in an obvious way, and it won't be right away, - but you will.

- No, Becca, no.

Billy, I know you.

I know you better than anybody, and I saw it in your face last night.

I see it now.

He's a billion-dollar piece of Vought property.

They are not gonna let him go.

You and me, Becca, you and me, we've got a chance.

Babe, it's Ryan they care about, not us.

Yeah, and then what?

And then Vought raises him without a mother, right?

Then we have Homelander all over again, then there's two f*cking assholes in this world.

We could disappear, all right?

Just start again, - start a new family.

- I have a son!

He's a f*cking Supe freak.

[SIGHS]

f*ck.

I'm...

Listen, I...

I'm sorry, I d...

I didn't mean that.

Becca.

Becca, please come with me.

You were wrong about me, do you know that?

You put me on this pedestal, and the truth is, I never knew how to save you.

You were always one-one bad day away from pounding someone to death in a parking lot.

That's not true.

Billy.

He r*ped me, and when I found out I was pregnant, I went to Vought.

I didn't come to you.

I didn't come to you because I was scared, 'cause I knew that you'd chase after him and you would seek revenge and it wouldn't be good for anybody.

I love you.

[CRYING]: I love you.

But the hate that you carry and the warpath that you're on, it started so long before me.

I can't.

Becs, I'm not leaving without you.

You have to go, please.

Every guard in this g*dd*mn place is gonna be here in seconds.

You have to go.

[CRYING]

- I'm sorry.

- [CAR ENGINE STARTS]

I'm so sorry.

Oh, sh*t.

- Small token of the trip.

- Mmm.

You know, John Wayne Gacy used to give those out to kids when he was a birthday clown.

Whatever, I still love them.

Thanks for letting me come.

It was fun - until it got so horrible.

- Yeah.

- What can I say?

It's my specialty.

- [CHUCKLES]

Well, um, listen, if you're ever in the mood for another Almond Joy, just-just sh**t me a text.

[CHUCKLES]

That came out so gross.

I'm sorry.

Hughie...

we can't do that again.

No, no, no, no.

No, we can't.

Why, though?

I mean, th...

this is...

this is good.

But that's just it.

I mean, we can't afford to feel good or to feel safe or to let our guard down.

You can't go through this on your own.

We're all alone.

That's the truth.

But it doesn't have to be like that.

Goodbye, Hughie.

I believe the secret to a great relationship is to be willing...

to do anything for your man.

Anything.

I'm a feminist, but I'm also very sexual, and I don't see that as contradictory.

What's wrong with giving pleasure and receiving it?

Thank you for coming in, Gianna.

Yeah, we appreciate your candor.

DEEP: Thank you so much.

Anytime.

It was really great meeting you.

Really great.

So great.

Bye.

[CHUCKLES]

Her.

Gianna.

I choose her.

I mean, she's the one, no question.

CAROL: No, she isn't.

Wait, what?

She was, like, hands down the winner.

It was not even a contest.

It's Cassandra.

Cassandra?

The one... the one with the hair and the creepy skeletons hugging each other story?

Yes.

That's your wife.

Oh...

But...

but I thought I got to choose.

You do, and you're choosing Cassandra.

Congratulations. Yeah, but, I mean, Gianna...

Is lovely.

She's lovely.

She's a valued member of the Collective, but this marriage isn't about satisfying your base desires.

It's about rehabilitating your image and getting you back in the Seven.

That is what you want, isn't it?

There you are.

I was beginning to worry.

Oh, I missed you.

Are you thirsty?

Want some?

Aw, I want you so bad.

Are you okay?

Would you like me to be someone else?

I can be whoever you want.

[GASPS]

No.

I don't need anyone...

...but myself.

Like what you see?

See how hot you are?

Hmm?

Come on.

How much do you want this?

How much?

I'm gonna suck your cock so f*cking hard, so good, and you're gonna look in your own eyes when you come.

It's not even gay if it's with yourself, right?

[CHUCKLES]

Oh, you're so special, the most special man on the planet.

Everybody loves you.

Everybody.

Their love is your strength.

You're pathetic.

I don't need everyone to love me.

I don't need anyone.

I don't need you!

[NECK SNAPS]

[BODY THUDS]

[FIRE CRACKLING]