Season 5, episode 2 of The Boys brings back Soldier Boy as The Boys seek out ways to test their Supe-killing virus. The episode begins with an over-the-top megachurch parody memorial for A-Train, followed by a private, somber monologue from a lonely Homelander. Said loneliness leads him to wake Soldier Boy and send him after Butcher. Additionally, The Boys, as a team, retread similar ground in their dynamic as they attempt to test the virus on the Teenage Kix member, Rock Hard. Mother’s Milk connects with Countess Crow as the team figures out how to make Rock Hard, a mound of hardened molten, breathe. Simultaneously, Hughie, Butcher, and Kimiko are interrupted on their way to transport the virus by the remaining Teenage Kix members and Soldier Boy. The virus is successful on Rock Hard and Jetstreak, and while it appears to work on Soldier Boy, the episode concludes with him waking up.
On the whole, “Teenage Kix” was a decent step-up from the season premiere, namely in its pacing and concise story. However, it yet again shows the detriments of the show’s seemingly insecure obsession with consistency, as most character dynamics remain recycled. For example, Hughie and Butcher argue throughout, making claims that both of them have changed, even though their bickering is nearly identical to how it’s been throughout the show. Additionally, Frenchie and Kimiko’s slow-burning relationship has, unfortunately, culminated in them being the butt of kissing jokes. That said, Kimiko’s decision to stay and fight despite the risks was a highlight of the episode. M.M’s relationship with Countess Crow and Starlight’s gradually darkening morality were other highlights. Straight’s guilt and willingness to let Countess Crow die were genuinely engaging progressions of her character. Finally, the reveal of Ashley’s second head was interesting and puts her in a much more engaging position going forward.
While the character work remains average in this episode, the plotting was generally very predictable, and the action was distractingly uninteresting. As for the plotting, it was very clear that Countess Crow was to be spared, and that Soldier Boy was going to survive. Soldier Boy’s fakeout death, specifically, read like a shortcut into getting him believable on Homelander’s side, given the finale of season 3. That being said, the cannon fodder of Rock Hard and Jetstreak in this episode were good enough, having identifiable personalities and designs. However, Rock Hard’s vulgarity, at this point, felt extremely tired, as he acted like an overwhelming majority of characters in how he was the butt of sexual jokes and a mouthpiece for crude remarks. While this personality worked for Rock Hard, it was unfortunate to see it buried beneath all the other characters who act and talk like him. As for the action, the frantic cutting and shaking camera made the fight between Kimiko and Sheline nearly impossible to engage with. This is a particular shame, as both Kimiko’s established skills and the potential of a feline-based opponent could have absolutely made for a much more visually creative fight scene. “Teenage Kix” told a more engaging story than the premiere, but failed to be an all that interesting episode of The Boys on most conceivable levels, representing how the once-shocking show has become predictable.
Rating: 5/10