Striking an agreement with Russian mob boss Little Nina, Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and ‘The Boys’ travel to Russia to seek out the mysterious supe killing weapon ‘B.C.L. RED’. And their discovery has unexpected and world-shattering consequences. Then there’s the brewing internal coup that is forming around unhinged and psychopathic superhero Homelander (Antony Starr), which is led by Annie January/Starlight (Erin Moriarty), and it’s getting dangerous for everyone’s favourite superheroine.

We’re right on track with Episode 20 of The Boys, and it’s time for a bit of road trip action as ‘The Boys’ gear up for a mission in Russia as they seek to unearth the mysterious supe-killing weapon B.C.L. RED, which might just give them the edge in their fight against Vought and Homelander. This shift in setting gives audiences a greater look at the context of superheroes and Vought in a larger international setting, and Homelander doesn’t appear to be getting a lot of love from the Russians. However it’s not as simple as just infiltrating a secret laboratory and discovering B.C.L. RED, because Butcher and the crew have a little job to do first. And it falls to Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) to deal with it.

As ‘The Boys’ resident supe, Kimiko is sent in undercover to kill a rival mob boss for Little Nina, and it gets deranged, sexual and bloody in very quick succession. A tribute to the twisted creativity of showrunner Eric Kripke, Kimiko performs this incredibly gory assassination thanks to an assortment of supe-themed sex toys and it gets twisted and bloody fast. This gore meets absurdity aspect of The Boys has always been one of the series’ most integral parts, and each time there’s a good dose of blood and guts, the audiences are in for something wild. And that’s exactly what we get with this scene. But this gory fight scene is also a moment of critical revelation for Kimiko and it’s a character-defining moment.

Then of course there’s the infiltration of a top-secret government base where the Russian government have been trying to craft their own superhero. And they’ve had some very interesting results. Again it’s a great space for Kripke’s twisted mind to go to work, and the absurd violence is zany to witness. Butcher also showcases his newfound V24 powers, and ‘The Boys’ are not impressed. But the biggest revelation comes with the resurrection of Solider Boy (Jensen Ackles), who has been seemingly locked away as a prisoner test subject by the Russians. And he’s not very happy about it.

Back on the mainland, a new conspiracy is building around Homelander, but as expected it doesn’t turn out the way it was originally planned out. Now firmly in the grasp of an unhinged psychopath, Annie January/Starlight is trying to do everything in her power to resist Homelander’s cruelty. The tensions within Vought International come to the forefront in ‘Glorious Five Year Plan’ and the final moments of this episode is packed full of personal horror, and cements the reign of terror of Homelander. And it’s just the way he wants it.

It’s getting interesting in The Boys, and just when you think you know where this narrative is going a wild card is thrown in for good measure and it’s these unexpected moments that truly take the audience by surprise. Our characters are all facing a significant uphill battle at the moment and I’m certain that it’s gonna get worse for all of them before there’s even a hint of it getting better. And that’s just the way we like it with The Boys.

The Boys streams every Friday on Prime Video

Image: Prime Video

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