The Boys Episode 7: That massive Soldier Boy and Homelander twist, explained

The Boys is nearing the end of Season 3, and Episode 7 just dropped a huge twist between Soldier Boy and Homelander. 

The third season of Amazon’s diabolical comic book show may just be its best yet. From the get-go, everyone has been at the top of their game: Antony Starr has never been more terrifying as Homelander; the translation of Herogasm from page to screen was immaculate; and we’ve had one of the best superhero fights in any medium.

Ahead of its release, there was one character above everyone else who invited the most speculation: Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy, a stars-and-stripes hero who’s essentially an unhinged Captain America, but way worse than US Agent.

Since his explosive debut earlier in the season, he’s been a runaway highlight of each episode; in particular, his brief “you think you’re strong?” encounter with Homelander was one of the most scintillating scenes of The Boys. However, Episode 7 has changed their dynamic in a massive way.

Spoilers for The Boys to follow, obviously… 

Amazon Studios

Soldier Boy and Homelander faced off before, but things may change now.

The Boys Episode 7: The Soldier Boy and Homelander twist that changes everything

Here’s what we knew about Soldier Boy and Homelander before Episode 7: the former was Vought’s first all-American mascot who seemingly stormed the beaches of Normandy, and served as the leader of The Seven until his Payback team rebelled against him. The latter was his replacement; stronger, crazier, and born out of a tube.

• Read More: The Boys Episode 6: Soldier Boy fights Homelander, but who wins?

The latest episode follows Soldier Boy, Butcher, and Hughie as they try to track down Mindstorm, a former Payback supe capable of putting people in an endless nightmare that’s essentially a coma.

Butcher falls into his trap and relives his traumatic childhood memories, and just after Hughie convinces Mindstorm to bring him out of it, Soldier Boy lobs a knife through his eyes and pulverizes his face with his shield. Just before, he’s told something which evidently leaves him a bit rattled.

Near the episode’s end, Homelander receives a call from Soldier Boy, who tells him: “The situation’s changed, I thought we should have a conversation.”

Homelander starts go off about how he got lucky at Herogasm because he was “ambushed” – but it quickly becomes clear that’s the least of Soldier Boy’s priorities.

“Fall 1980, I get called into Vogelbaum’s lab for an experiment – some s**t about genetics. I still remember the penthouse I used. June. Danielle Deneux. Bush like a Pomeranian,” he says. “I beat my meat into a cup. Turns out… Vogelbaum made a kid, born Spring 1981. A boy.”

The Boys Episode 7: Soldier Boy is Homelander’s father

Johah Vogelbaum – earlier played by John Doman – was a Vought scientist who directly oversaw the creation of Homelander. He was killed in the Season 2 finale after his head was popped at Congress.

Soldier Boy then tells him: “You know what the b**ch of it is? If they’d have just kept me around, I’d have let you take the spotlight. What father wouldn’t want that for his son?”

That’s right: The Boys has introduced its own Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader (or Buzz and Zurg, for the Toy Story 2 fans out there) twist. Soldier Boy is Homelander’s daddy.

Earlier in the episode, as we’re learning more about Black Noir’s past, we find out he was ordered to take down Soldier Boy by Stan Edgar. “Vogelbaum has a replacement. Just a child, but they’re convinced he’ll be stronger than Soldier Boy – and he can fly,” he says.

What does this mean for Soldier Boy and Homelander now?

Well, given Homelander’s Pandora’s Box of issues (we see him erotically guzzle cow’s milk straight from the udder), and his past relationships with parental figures (he hugged his “mother” to death in the lab), we can expect him to be shaken by this. Whether it’ll escalate conflict between them remains uncertain.

• Read More: Homelander brands Starlight an “insurrectionist” after anti-Vought livestream

Similarly though, it could go either way from Soldier Boy’s perspective: he’ll either flip sides and team up with Homelander, putting Butcher, Hughie, and the whole world in peril; or he’ll have the extra incentive to put him down, knowing the full extent of how dangerous he is and how his son’s creation was his own undoing.

The finale of The Boys Season 3 will hit Prime Video next Friday, July 8.