Summary
“The Big Ride” is an impactful opening for Season 2 with new foundations laid for the characters.
This recap of Amazon’s The Boys season 2, episode 1, “The Big Ride” contains significant spoilers.
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The opening
Stan is holding a meeting with a military agency; the agenda includes who the heroes report to, Compound V and limitation of collateral damage. Homelander is holding a memorial, announcing that a Super Terrorist named Nakib has been eliminated. He dedicates his speech to the fallen Translucent and claims that the hero told him to stop the Super Terrorists. Starlight then sings — she seems to be leading The Seven with Homelander now. From a bar, The Seven is distraught that The Seven cut him out of the memorial. The start of “The Big Ride” seems to suggest nothing has changed but we soon find out that is not the case.
Secret subway
Hughie and Starlight secretly meet on the subway. He asks her if she snapped the sim card — Hughie is fretting because he’s on the wanted list. He passes her a target and Starlight knows who it is. Hughie then mentions that he saw her on Instagram with another actor and she starts to withdraw from the conversation. Hughie leaves and Starlight tells him to get some sleep. This brief conversation suggests there are still feelings between them as Hughie is bothered by who Starlight spends her time with.
Most Wanted
Billy Butcher has been framed for killing Madelyn. The Boys are all over the news and are wanted. Hughie wants to discuss solutions but Mother’s Milk tells him it is over. Billy’s whereabouts are unknown at this point in “The Big Ride”
Ashley takes the helm…
Ashley has taken Madelyn’s role at the company. She tells Homelander that she’s found a hero that is perfect to replace Translucent. The new suggested hero is blind but he has super hearing. Homelander tests the man’s ability and explodes his eardrums — he tells Ashley that she’s dispensable and that she reports to him. Homelander wants to decide who joins The Seven and calls her recommendation “A cripple”. As we open the second season, Homelander’s thirst for power is more apparent than ever and his language and disregard for human life is evident.
A fetish
In a strange scene, a man named Deco wants his arms chopped off in a private room by another man. After it’s chopped off, it regrows. Starlight records this moment from outside. Deco clearly regenerates and offers a proposal — chop off his d*ck for more money. He’s feeding people’s fetishes.
A Super Terrorist
The Boys have a situation during the halfway phase of the premiere, “The Big Ride”. Two men enter their secret establishment and one of them is severely injured and they ask for help. A Super Terrorist threw a cargo boat at them — this Super Terrorist must have been smuggled into the country.
Offering The Deep help
The Deep has ended up in prison after causing a commotion at a waterpark. Eagle The Archer bails him out. He tries to help him with his “rock bottom” and introduces him to Carol. They discuss his drinking and self-esteem issues. Eagle The Archer and Carol want to help The Deep get back into The Seven. This is a weird scene, with suggestions of a church — there’s this bizarre belief spread on Eagle The Archer and Carol’s face.
This is all I have
Hughie is worried that the Super Terrorist is going to hurt more people. He recommends that they call Starlight for help. Mother’s Milk manhandles Hughie due to his stupidity of meeting her. Hughie declares that he doesn’t have anyone and that all he has is “This”. What a sad scene for the character who has seemingly lost everything in his life and now he only has crime left.
Stop lying
Starlight meets Deco in a cafe. Deco reveals he works at Vought International and sees her poster everywhere. The pair catch up. She asks Deco to steal a sample of Compound V — he makes out like he doesn’t know what it is and she calls him a liar — she threatens to publish the video of him doing sexual fetishes as a side hustle on social media if he doesn’t.
I’m the new member
Stormfront walks on to a set while The Seven is recording. She tells Homelander that she’s the new member and that Stan approved the appointment. Homelander seems irritated by this news, wondering how she’s able to make this announcement on social media. It seems that Homelander is not as in charge as he’d like to think.
An unexpected head explosion
“The Big Ride” then offers a shocking moment in the season 2 premiere.
The Boys meet Susan Raynor from the CIA. Mother’s Milk asks about his family and he learns that his daughter is now playing soccer. They give her the description of the Super Terrorist they saw on the CCTV footage. Suddenly, Susan gets angry, suspecting there is a coup attempt from inside and then, her head explodes and The Boys freak out and drive off.
You are not our most valuable asset
The Boys season 2, episode 1 puts Homelander in his place but at what cost?
Homelander confronts Stan about the Stormfront announcement. He then threatens to allow his contract to expire at the end of the year. Stan asks Homelander what he knows about Frederick Vought, the founder; he gives him a history lesson on the man. Stan states that they are not a superhero company, they are a pharmaceutical company and that Homelander isn’t their most valuable asset — he then accuses Homelander of releasing Compound V into the wild. Homelander is angry but Stan tells him he doesn’t have to tell him anything. A power struggle has begun and season 2 teases who will come out on top.
The ending
As the episode draws nearer to an end, Homelander visits Becca Butcher’s house. He asks to see his son. The Boys return to their hiding spot; Mother’s Milk believes someone was following Susan. Starlight rings Hughie and excitedly tells him that she is getting a sample of Compound V and is ready to take the organisation down. She senses that Hughie is lying about something and asks for the truth. Hughie claims he isn’t lying but obviously, she can sense lies so ends the phonecall. We must wonder at this point if Starlight has gained new powers and can sense when people are telling the truth OR whether she’s been lied to so many times, she instinctively can tell.
Billy Butcher then returns and Frenchie says they need a leader again. Billy announces that “Daddy is home”. This was not a dramatic return and it could have been more creative, but The Boys are back at least. Episode 1, “The Big Ride” is an impactful opening for season 2 with new foundations laid for the characters.
Additional points
- Vought International hold test audiences to find out what the best terminology to use i.e. Super Terrorist or Super Villain.
