Small Details You Missed In The Second Trailer For The Boys Season 3
The highly anticipated third season of "The Boys" is almost upon us and fans have gotten another look at what's in store. The Season 2 finale ushered in a host of changes for the characters: Starlight was reinstated into the Seven, the Boys were cleared of all criminal wrongdoing, and Hughie (Jack Quaid) accepted a position with Congresswoman Victoria Neuman (played by Claudia Doumit), who's actually the head-exploding assassin behind a series of shocking murders. With Hughie, Billy (Karl Urban), Mother's Milk (Laz Alonso), Frenchie (Tomer Capon), and Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) seemingly going their separate ways, it's natural to wonder how the narrative will bring them back together.
Thankfully, another Season 3 trailer was released on May 16, giving viewers a sneak peek of what they'll see in Season 3, including an appearance from former "Supernatural" star Jensen Ackles, who's practically unrecognizable as Soldier Boy. The trailer is so action-packed that you might not have noticed the little hints that show what's coming when "The Boys" Season 3 premieres in June. Let's take a look at the small details in the latest trailer to see what they might mean for the titular Boys and all the heroes at Vought International.
All signs point to Butcher going Supe
Ever since viewers first met him in Season 1, Billy Butcher has been committed to exposing Vought's corruption and ending superhero supremacy once and for all. However, it seems the events of the last two seasons have taken a toll on him, especially after his wife Becca (Shantel VanSanten) was accidentally killed in the Season 2 finale. A key moment in the trailer comes when Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott) brings Billy something that she believes will help level the playing field against Homelander and the other Vought heroes: a version of Compound V that gives the user power for 24 hours.
The trailer shows Billy injecting the drug into his system, his eyes emanating the signature glow viewers have come to associate with laser vision. Mother's Milk confronts him, telling Billy that the reason they've been risking their lives is to take power out of the hands of those who abuse it. After failing time and time again, it seems that Billy is willing to try anything to vanquish Homelander (Antony Starr), even going against his own beliefs to make it happen. We've seen Billy commit violence before, but it's still jarring to see him decimate people with his new powers. Billy is one of the show's most dynamic characters, so it will be interesting to see how Compound V alters his personality.
First Swatto sighting
Swatto is a minor antagonist from the comics who appears briefly in the latest trailer. As a member of the superhero team Payback, Swatto fights alongside Stormfront, Soldier Boy, Crimson Countess (Laurie Holden, who also appears in the trailer), Mind-Droid, and Eagle the Archer in the comics. From the footage shown, it appears as though Soldier Boy will play a key role in Season 3, so it makes sense for the show to introduce the other members of the Payback team. If Soldier Boy, seen in the trailer using his shield to brutally beat someone, is any indication of how the Payback team operates, their introduction could mean more trouble for our protagonists.
In the latest trailer for Season 3 of "The Boys," Swatto can be seen spreading his wings in what looks like an attempt to escape a volatile situation. The character's costume is similar to the version seen in the comics, with his signature bug-eyed helmet and wings. The comic book version of the character can't actually talk, he just buzzes, so it will be interesting to see whether or not the television adaption gives Swatto a speaking voice.
What's with the green V?
Viewers will recall that every time we've seen Compound V in "The Boys" or its animated companion, "The Boys Presents: Diabolical," it's a vibrant blue color. However, the version of Compound V that Maeve gives Billy in the trailer, which gives the user superpowers for 24 hours, is bright green. Perhaps the color simply indicates that this new formula has different properties than the original, but on the other hand, the difference could indicate that the green version of the drug was produced by someone other than Vought International. Considering the fact that Vought prides itself on having a monopoly on the world's strongest heroes, a secondary source of Compound V could be the company's downfall.
On the other hand, if Maeve did get the green Compound V from Vought, it makes you wonder what the company would want with a less potent version of the drug. Why give someone superpowers for 24 hours if there's an option to make the change permanent? It's possible that Vought has a new plan in store, one that requires people to have powers for only brief periods of time.
Still no sign of Herogasm
Last year fans learned that Season 3 will be adapting one of the comics' most risqué storylines after "The Boys" showrunner Eric Kripe revealed on Twitter that the sixth episode in Season 3 will be titled "Herogasm." The title comes from a comic book limited series that branches off from the main storyline. In the first issue, Homelander explains that all the superheroes are headed off-planet to defeat an extraterrestrial threat. In reality, all the world's heroes are heading to an exclusive orgy (via Entertainment Weekly).
We've seen the superheroes' depths of debauchery before. In the very first episode, titled "The Name of the Game," Billy takes Hughie to an underground "supes club" where the younger man witnesses firsthand that the so-called heroes use their powers for all kinds of depraved activities. The club scene was pretty raunchy, so we can only imagine what the heroes get up to when no one's watching (or so they think). Chances are viewers will get a glimpse into how Vought's mightiest heroes unwind when they're off the clock, although there was no sign of the "Herogasm" storyline in the trailer.