Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Boys season 3.
"Herogasm" has happened, and the destruction left in its wake is sure to shake up the landscape of The Boys as fans know it. The Deep found himself, as usual, caught in an uncomfortable position, though he's far from the only one.
As the show moves towards the end of its third season, it's easy to imagine The Deep being pushed to limits he's never been near before, with Homelander torturing him and tensions brewing between The Deep and his wife, Cassandra. He remains a comedic highlight of the show with the potential to deliver some emotional moments for the audience.
Losing His Spot on The Seven
Through his own reprehensible actions, The Deep lost his coveted position on The Seven. It was a shock to him and a real blow to his ego as well, one that sent him into an alcohol-aided depression and then into a cult. His disbelief at his new circumstances made it all the more hilarious to watch.
Though none of the of The Seven are without flaws, The Deep can be particularly scummy. It was a great moment when Starlight spoke out against him, and it was clear that losing his position was truly difficult for him.
The Damage He Causes To Sea Life
With his particular set of powers, The Deep has many sea creature friends. Unfortunately for them, he has an uncanny knack for getting his aquatic pals killed in various horrifying ways. From the dolphin rescue gone wrong to Homelander forcing him to eat Timothy, The Deep has probably ended more fishy lives than saved them.
It's always a mixture of absurdly hilarious and subtly disturbing when it happens. What makes it all the more harrowing to watch is The Deep's genuine despair every time it happens. The tally is sure to rise as The Deep continues to seek more validation and control.
Despair and Antics
After losing his coveted position and being banished to Sandusky, Ohio, The Deep loses all his composure. He goes on a bender and winds up at a water park, terrorizing children with a drunken tirade.
It's easy to laugh at The Deep, more often than not he's treated as more of a comic relief character but the way his emotional reality comes through makes it easy to feel pity for him. Since his entry into the Church of the Collective, his spiraling has halted, but it can only be a matter of time before he finds himself in hot water again.
His Proclivities
There have been plenty of toe-curling, uncomfortable hints at how intimate The Deep's relationships with sea life go, but after "Herogasm" there is nothing left to wonder about.
All the way back in season one there were hints, including one of Homelander's best lines telling The Deep to "go f*** Shamu in the blowhole" and implications in The Deep's own dialogue with a now-dead dolphin. Still, it always seemed like something the show would toe the line with, especially after a scene between him and Cassandra when he's clearly more interested in an octopus than his wife.
Commitment To The Cause
Early on, it seems the only thing The Deep cares about is maintaining his spot in the limelight and enjoying all the perks that come with being a member of The Seven. His attention broadens and there's a brief moment where it seems he actually wants to do something to help all the creatures he can commune with.
Pollution and captivity are two key battles The Deep wants to wage. However, his plans quickly fall apart and he gives up just as fast. He does little to stop pollution other than filming a commercial where they end up putting pollutants back after a failed take, and his rescue attempt ends in an innocent dolphin's death.
A Fickle Friend
Having a mostly laid-back personality, The Deep maintains very casual friendships with a lot of the other characters. Of course, these friendships come and go like the tides, being based on surface-level values and personal gain.
For instance, The Deep is on friendly with fellow Seven member A-Train, a more low-key villain (and sometimes hero) up until Homelander is able to play their fears and insecurities to pit them against one another. For someone as consumed with popularity as The Deep, friendships only matter if they're profiting him in some way.
Homelander's Abuse
Most of the time it's hard to feel bad for The Deep, as he tends to cause his own problems. However, Homelander has been putting audiences to the test in season 3, forcing The Deep to suffer all kinds of tortures.
The most egregious thus far has definitely been Homelander inviting The Deep to a seafood dinner and serving him his live octopus pal, Timothy. Homelander has been abusive to everyone since the beginning, but the fish feast was difficult to watch.
The Way He Treats Women
In the very first episode, The Deep sexually assaults Starlight, one of the worst things The Deep has done to date. It's not until a later season, while high on psychedelics and having a hallucinatory conversation with his gills, that it's revealed this was not the first time The Deep committed non-consensual acts.
He suffers an assault of his own prior to this revelation, and though his own mind suggests he commits these crimes due to deep-seated confidence issues surrounding his own body, there's no excuse for treating women the way he does.
A Strong Lack Of Intelligence
The Deep is easily one of the dumbest characters on the show. In a world with so many clever and conniving players, it's a miracle he's gotten as far as he has. In one of the best episodes of The Boys, The Deep inadvertently sacrifices a whale while attempting to stop The Boys in a ploy to get himself back into The Seven.
Things are constantly going over his head until someone (usually Cassandra) spells things out for him. All that seems to really occupy his mind is sex and popularity. As the people around him continue to scheme, it will be interesting to see how The Deep gets through whatever challenges are in store for him next.
Longing To Get His Spot Back
After his brief bout of despair, The Deep set his mind on getting back in The Seven and it has been his main crusade ever since. The Church of the Collective has been instrumental in helping him achieve this goal, both through his hip and departure.
Cassandra, his new wife, clearly also has her sights set high and her assistance has been furthering The Deep's goals swiftly. As usual, The Deep may find himself worse off with each new step. His proximity to Homelander is just the sharp tip of a dangerous iceberg, and if The Deep doesn't wisen up soon, he could suffer a far more terrible fate than anything he's dealt with yet.