These are the biggest mysteries that deserve answers when backstage woes of DC, The Boys provided all the sick superheroes, spot-on satire and rectal explosions one could ask far, and has enjoyed 2 successful seasons thus far, with a third currently in production.
The Boys season 3 will debut a host of new faces to Vought's roster. Aside from the marquee addition of Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy, The Boys season 3 introduces Gunpowder, Blue Hawk, Little Nina, Supersonic, and Crimson Countess. We also know that The Boys season 3 will cover the fallout from season 2's "Dawn of the Seven" movie production, with a premiere for the troubled team-up venture among this season's new storylines. Lastly, fans can expect the long-awaited arrival of Herogasm - the Vought-sponsored superhero orgy where anything can (and usually does) happen.
Though Eric Kripke and co. will stretch The Boys in exciting new directions for season 3, there are plenty of dangling questions and mysteries unresolved from season 2 (some even earlier!) that fans want answered. From villainous backstories to the futures of our favorite heroes and villains, here's what needs answering in The Boys season 3.
Who Is Victoria Neuman (& What Does She Want)?
The biggest unknown coming out of The Boys season 2 - Victoria Neuman. Initially presented as a progressive, liberal congresswoman in the mold of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Neuman helped Billy Butcher and The Boys wage political war against Vought in season 2, apparently determined to prove that Homelander and his cronies aren't the squeaky-clean, all-American heroes Vought's PR team would have the world believe. Obtaining information on Stormfront's Nazi past from Church of the Collective leader, Alastair Adana, Victoria was able to thwart the supe's racist anti-immigrant campaign. In one final twist, however, The Boys season 2 revealed that Neuman was the mystery head-popper all along, killing Adana, Raynor, and a courtroom full of onlookers at Vought's hearing.
So who, exactly, is Victoria Neuman? Was she created by Vought and is now seeking revenge? Is she deep undercover for Stan Edgar? Or is the aspiring politician part of an as-yet-unseen collective of supes who seek to depose Vought? More difficult than guessing Neuman's backstory is decoding her motives. Killing Adana makes sense in a "loose ends" kind of way, but why did Neuman murder Raynor just as she was about to reveal Vought's big secret to The Boys? And why work so hard bringing Vought to court, only to disrupt the hearing herself?
What Is Vought's True Goal?
Billy Butcher that he endured Stormfront's racism as a means to end - but never actually revealed what that end might be.
Vought clearly isn't just another corporation trying to maximize profits at the cost of all else, nor is it trying to spread more Compound-V through the American population (that was Stormfront's plan, not Edgar's). Perhaps Giancarlo Esposito's villain has bigger aspirations - getting Vought into the White House, for example.
How Will Homelander Bounce Back?
To say Homelander suffered a tough time at the end of The Boys season 2 would be an understatement of epic proportions. The Seven's leader lost his son, his girlfriend, his popularity with the public, and his influence at Vought. The pig-headed patriot was then blackmailed into submission by Queen Maeve and her video footage of season 1's plane incident, forcing Homelander to play nice with his fellow Seven supes. And you can safely bet he's hating every second of it. A promo news video for The Boys season 3 revealed that Homelander has been hiding from the public since season 2's end, but what will his mindset be when the sulking is over?
The Boys season 2 subtly hinted at redemption for Antony Starr's character. Homelander showed flashes of his capacity to be a good father for Ryan, and also struggled to stomach Stormfront's abject racism (though obviously not enough to dump her). These slithers of goodness might set Homelander on the path toward changing his ways in The Boys season 3, as the long hard journey from rock bottom begins. But where's the fun in that? Far more likely is Homelander returning with a vengeance in The Boys season 3, milked-up and ready to go while gunning for Maeve, Starlight, The Boys, and everyone who ever dared defy him, more desperate and deadly than ever.
Who Will The Seven?
The Four just doesn't have the same ring to it. Heading into The Boys season 3, The Seven are in disarray. Homelander has successfully salvaged his job, and is now ed by Queen Maeve, Starlight and the returning A-Train. But The Deep remains out in the cold, Black Noir is currently in an Almond Joy-induced coma, and Stormfront has been outed as a Nazi, leaving her position untenable. Based on updates from the set of The Boys season 3, it's reasonable to assume Black Noir will be back on his feet before long, and Chase Crawford's Aquaman ripoff is too hilarious to stay away from the action forever. This still leaves one open spot in The Seven - who's going to fill it?
Soldier Boy would be the most obvious contender - a patriotic throwback and a direct rival to Homelander's hot-seat. Granted, the WWII supe is believed dead by the general public, but when did a detail like that ever stop Vought from getting its own way? Another option is Tek-Knight, who's rumored to finally appear in The Boys season 3. This Bruce Wayne/Tony Stark parody is a notable character from the comics and could absolutely be promoted to The Seven given the group's current hip crisis.
How Does Butcher Get The Boys Back Together?
When The Boys season 2 ended, the titular group solemnly went their separate ways. Though amends were made, Butcher's ruthlessness drove the group to breaking point - Hughie went to work for Neuman, Mother's Milk finally returned to his family, and Frenchie departed with Kimiko in tow. Only Karl Urban's Butcher was left behind to continue his supe-spanking crusade, this time with the full backing of Mallory and the U.S. government. Obviously, that split is unlikely to continue throughout the entirety of The Boys season 3 and, before long, the band are destined to get back together - but how?
The safest answer is Victoria Neuman. With Butcher serving Neuman's anti-supe group and Hughie a key figure in her political campaign, it surely won't be long before one of them suspects something amiss with the congresswoman. Unable to turn to the authorities, the only allies Butcher and Hughie could trust will be M.M., Frenchie and Kimiko, with the famous five pooling their skills to uncover the truth about Victoria Neuman. Or maybe Hughie just invites everyone to a Bruce Springsteen concert.
Where Has Cindy Gone?
Cindy was one of many incarcerated supes locked up at Stormfront's Sage Grove facility, and evidently one of the most powerful, as she used her telekinetic powers to obliterate anyone she took a dislike to - not entirely dissimilar to Victoria Neuman's ability. Though Cindy plays a peripheral role in The Boys season 2, she's later shown leaving the prison and hitching for a ride, leaving the possibility of a return wide open. How Cindy factors into The Boys season 3 remains to be seen. One popular fan theory suggests she's Victoria Neuman's sister, but it's also possible that she becomes a valuable witness against Vought or a silent ally to The Boys.
What Comes Next For Ryan?
It's not clear whether Ryan Butcher's story was wrapped up in season 2, or whether he'll continue to enjoy a sizable role in The Boys season 3. After Becca died and Homelander chose his reputation over his son, Ryan was taken into care by Mallory and might never be seen in the series again. On the other hand, Butcher is bound to be keeping an eye on the kid, if only as a mark of respect for Becca, and an emotional child with powers greater than Homelander being thrown to the next available foster parent sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. From Stan Edgar to Billy Butcher himself, there are plenty of agents in The Boys who would view Ryan as a valuable asset, and the youngster can only remain under the radar for so long.
Whoever does tempt Ryan to their side will be getting a formidable ally in The Boys season 3, but the mini-supe has unfinished business of his own too. Though it was technically him who caused Becca's death, Ryan was pushed into that situation by the terrible twosome of Homelander and Stormfront. After a little time to sit with that trauma, Ryan might be out for revenge against his biological father in The Boys season 3... with Butcher lurking in the shadows to point the boy in Homelander's direction.