The Boys Theory: Who Exploded Susan Raynor's Head?
SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for the first 3 episodes in season 2 of The Boys.
The first episode of The Boys season 2 had the gang, sans Butcher, struggling to stay hidden from every known form of law enforcement in the country. Vought has seen to it that these guys can't enter a Chuck E. Cheese ball pit without a supe zipping in to stuff a grenade up their butts. This cannot continue for our newly appointed captain, so Hughie puffs out his chest and gives a rousing speech about reclaiming their lives and contacting Raynor to gain some solid footing. The meeting gives us a moment of comfort; everything is going to be okay. They don't need Butcher. They are going to get back to their families. The wheels of justice are still spinning and Raynor will help them do wha– BOOM! Raynor's head explodes in a fountain of gore that leaves Hughie and the others scrambling to escape from phantom head bombs.
It's a surprising moment that reminds us that the Boys are still knee-deep in it. By the time we get to the end of episode 3, we realize that we still don't know who the skull-splattering specter is. We will likely find out as season 2 plays out but it's fun to speculate. Here is our The Boys theory on who exploded Susan Raynor's head.
Was Kimiko's brother the one who killed Raynor?
Remember when the most menacing sci-fi power was when Darth Vader clenched his fist at someone like a smoldering 'Success Baby' and choked people from across his boardroom table? Well, nowadays, people pay to get that kind of action, and having that telekinetic sexual prowess would just up your prices. The Boys creators know how to truly strike fear into the hearts of comic book aficionados and got right to poking at that fear with Raynor's dome erupting in a fountain of grey matter and crimson syrup.
Our first instinct was to assume that Kimiko's brother was the culprit. We did watch him float that can of energy drink through the air and crush it into a knife-like escape mechanism. He is pretty pissed off about what has been done to him and obviously blames Americans for it. Given those facts, it would make sense that he could be the one that made Raynor blow her top. That theory was quickly tossed aside, though, once we realized that he went through all his encounters with the gang and just threw them aside or chucked large objects at them. Chances are if he truly had head exploding powers, he would have used them. Plus, Raynor's death seemed less of a vendetta and more of an assassination. Kimiko's brother is out. We do have a feeling we know who it is, though.
A new supe with a devastating power
The only possibility that has presented itself so far is a hero we have yet to meet. The secret may be hiding in the trailer for season 2. A clip from the official trailer shows a woman in what looks like a hospital, clenching her fists in the air to cause someone down the hall to burst into a poof of blood. It seems highly possible that's our girl. A deep dive into the IMDB database led us to actress Ess Hödlmoser in the role of "Cindy". Now, Cindy is not mentioned in the comic books as far as we can tell, but the show has already taken some liberties, so that isn't surprising.
Chances are high that when we meet Cindy, it will be a terrifying experience. There's no telling how she ties into the whole deep state conspiracy stuff, but we theorize that she is being tapped for assassinations by Vought. That scene in the hospital hallway could be a hint that her next mission target is The Boys themselves. Season 2 is already shaping up to be absolutely insane. We are scared for the gang. The show's creators have made it clear that everyone is expendable; here's hoping it's not one of our favorites.