Jack goes to the sink to wash Translucent's blood off, while Billy and Frenchie shovel the remains into garbage cans. When Jack joins them, he apologizes for the damage. Billy says that he did them a favor and Frenchie assures him they've already disabled the tracking chip. Jack tells them that he's going home to get his clothes, and they point out that he just killed America's sweetheart. Undeterred, Jack insists that he has to go home and Billy agrees but says that Frenchie goes with him. Once Jack leaves, Frenchie points out that Translucent's skin won't burn and asks how Billy is going to dispose of it. Billy says that he can't but he'll slow Homelander down a bit.
Billy tosses the garbage bags holding Translucent's skin into a case, drags it out, and then blows up the restaurant.
At the Tower, Starlight goes to Madelyn's office for her meeting. Ashley ushers her in and Starlight discovers Madelyn is with two men and a woman. Madelyn tells Starlight that the date rape girl saw the video and came forward to thank Starlight. Ashley tells Starlight that she's boosting through the roof with men and women, and Madelyn says that it's great for Starlight and Vought. She introduces the men from Marketing--Seth and Evan--and they describe how they want to build up Starlight's reputation as a feminine icon. They have a new skimpy costume for her to wear, and Starlight says that she can't wear it. The woman, Isadora, says that she designed Homelander's suit as well as Starlight's new suit. The marketing men insist that it's empowering and tells her story of what she's going through. Starlight asks how they know what she's going for and says that she's fine with her new outfit. Madelyn tells her that Vought isn't, and says that she'll be kicked out of the Seven unless she wears the new costume.
ESPN prepares to present the race between A-Train and Shockwave for the title of Fastest Man Alive. Jack returns home with Frenchie and Jack has Frenchie wait outside. Jack gets new clothes and looks at all the Seven merchandise he has in his room. Disgusted, he smashes his A-Train bobble head and then the rest of the merchandise in a fit of rage. Jack finds a picture of him with Robin and looks at it.
Hugh comes in and asks if Jack is going somewhere. Jack says that he is but doesn't know where, and Hugh has the name of a psychiatrist that Jack can talk to. His son tells him that there is no normal to go back to, and says that he's never told Hugh everything. He hates staring at the TV and eating pizza rolls, and starts to walk out. Jack apologizes and then goes. Frenchie tells him that when he was 10, his bipolar father tried to smother him.
At a juvie prison, a fight breaks out between two inmates. The warden, Marvin--Mother's Milk--goes out and tells them to stop. He reminds them to take turns playing Pong, and notes that they cut in line. Milk lectures them on using proper language and has them put their names on the bottom of the list. Back in his room, Milk finds Billy waiting and irritably asks what he wants. He asks why Billy is there, and Billy asks if he'd like to come back and have another go. Milk insists that he's good and Monique is back in his life. Another fight breaks out ad Milk yells at them to stop or he'll come out there. Billy says that Milk's talents are wasted there, but Milk tells him that they were into bad stuff even before the Mallory situation. Billy tells him that they killed Translucent and Milk asks how. The other man says that Translucent gave them information that could let them bring down the Seven and Vought. Milk is intrigued at the idea of taking down Homelander, and figures that it's about Becca. Billy says that it will be different and the Mallory shit won't happen, and Milk warns that he can't work with Frenchie. The other man lies, saying that he hasn't seen Frenchie in years, and Milk agrees.
Madelyn and Homelander watch a newscast about Calhoun changing his vote, and Madelyn tends to her baby. Homelander says that Translucent's chip went dead and he could be hurt, and Madelyn assures him that her people are on it. She gives him new talking points now that the bill is out of committee. Homelander insists that he can sell his way into the military on his own. Madelyn tells him that Mr. Edgar wrote them personally and invites Homelander to talk to Edgar personally if he wants to disagree. Homelander takes the sheet with the talking points and glares at the baby when Madelyn's back is turned.
Billy takes Milk to a U-Haul truck that he's rigged with surveillance. Jack and Frenchie arrive, and Milk and Frenchie go at each other. Billy breaks it up, saying that it's water under the bridge, and Milk tells him to talk to Mallory's grandkids and see if they think it's water under the bridge. Frenchie insists that it wasn't his fault, and Monique calls. Milk takes it and says that he'll pick up something for dinner. Once he hangs up, Frenchie bursts into laughter and Billy joins in. Billy finally stops and tells them to make up because they've got a job to do. He introduces Jack, and Milk isn't impressed until Billy tells him that Jack killed Translucent.
Frenchie spots Popclaw coming home, and they watch as the landlord--Aleksy Lutz--reminds her about the rent. They prepare to plant a bug, and Jack says that all they have to do is hack into Popclaw's computer. All he needs is five minutes inside to get the IP and then they can access every camera in the apartment.
Jack and Milk go to Popclaw's apartment saying that they have the new router and her manager is having the whole building upgrades. Milk shows her a fake work order and Popclaw invites them in. As Jack goes to work, Milk tells Popclaw that they're a fan of her movie work. Once she leaves, Jack accesses her computer and finds a wallpaper of A-Train kissing her. Milk tells Jack to focus and get to work. As he waits, Milk notice something on a cabinet shelf.
Once Jack gets the IP\, Frenchie and Billy access the cameras. Billy admits that Jack is full of surprises, and Jack leaves with Milk. Jack bumps into A-Train as he goes down the hall, and Jack stares at the Supe in surprise. A-Train asks if he wants an autograph, and Jack asks if they've met before. The Supe admits that he looks familiar but says that he meets a lot of people. Milk quickly hustles Jack out.
At the Tower, Maeve is sparring with three men. She takes them down and then answers her phone. It's Homelander, who asks to meet her. He tells her his concerns about Translucent's absence, and wonders why no one is concerned. Maeve says that if the public learns that something happened to Translucent, they'll panic. As the couple go in to deal with a sniper, Homelander figures that it's an attack on the Seven... and him. The Supe flies in and takes out the shooter, and Maeve takes the elevator. Once she arrives, Homelander says that a missing teammate is more important than A-Train's race. Maeve reminds him that Edgar wants them there to roll out his talking points, and Homelander wonders why they jump when normal snap their fingers. Maeve tells him that he'll eventually go to the race, and Homelander says that he loves her because she's the only one who tells him the truth. They break into the office and take out the sniper. Homelander punches his hand into the man's chest and gently tells him that it's all over, and complains about the blood on his hands. The Supe apologizes to Maeve for taking her collar and shoots at Maeve with the sniper's gun to "prove" that they acted in self-defense.
The team watches Popclaw kisses A-Train's foot. He finally stops her, complaining that it tickles, and says that he's worried that he'll lose to Shockwave in the race. A-Train says that Madelyn told him that if he loses then he's out of the Seven. He asks where the Compound V is, and Popclaw reminds him that it tends to amp him up and he ran through a girl. A-Train insists that he needs it so he can win. He promises that he'll come back to see her after the race and asks where the V is, and she realizes that he won't reveal that they're a couple. A-Train says that he has to get his leverage back first.
Milk figures that Compound V is some kind of performance enhancer, and Jack realizes that A-Train was juiced on it when he killed Robin. Popclaw gives A-Train a bag with the V, and Billy figures that they can prove the Seven are roid heads. Frenchie tells them that he needs to take it himself to test it, and Billy says that first they have to get some.
The men drive to the racetrack, and Milk asks Jack how he killed Translucent. Jack claims that he was just lucky, and tells Milk that it felt kind of good. Milk says that he knows how the job made him feel, and warns Jack that the rush is no different than V. Jack remembers the last thing he said to Robin, and figures that he'll pay whatever price is necessary to avenge Robin.
Popclaw watches as Vought presents the race pre-show. Jack poses as a report while Billy and Milk infiltrate the crowd and Frenchie crawls through the ducts to A-Trains locker. He watches as A-Train's coach and brother, Nathan, asks if the Supe has it. Once A-Train goes out, Frenchie sees the bag with the V.
Black Noir and Starlight come out for the crowd, while Maeve does an interview about how the Seven should be part of the armed forces. The crowd cheers her, and Homelander flies down to join the interview.
Starlight and Noir sign autographs, and a girl shows up wearing Starlight's original costume. She takes a selfie with Starlight, and the girl says that she's saving up for Starlight's new costume. A heckler yells at Starlight to show them her tits, and Starlight notices the girl is upset. Starlight starts to go over to the heckler, but Ashley stops her and says she shouldn't press her luck. The heroine tells the girl that she likes her old costume much better and tells Ashley that she needs a minute.
Homelander and Maeve wave to the crowd, and Homelander talks about how they used to fly to Paris on a whim. He wonders why they ever broke open, and Maeve refuses to discuss the tawdry chapter in their history. Homelander tells Maeve that he couldn't handle it if he thought she had fallen for someone else, grabs her by the neck, and says that the two of them are different.
A-Train goes out past the reporters and waves to the crowd, and Billy tells Frenchie that he's in the clear. French drops down into the locker room, while Starlight walks past Jack and he recognizes her from the park. He goes after her just as she opens the locker room door and turns away before she can see Frenchie. Billy tells Jack over the earbud that he's surprised Jack knows Starlight, and tells Jack to stall. Jack offers to buy Starlight a beer, and she agrees.
Frenchie goes through A-Train's bag but doesn't find the V. Billy tells him to continue his search.
Jack and Starlight go for beer and nachos, and Jack talks about how normal she was.
Jackie continues searching but doesn't find the V. Meanwhile, Starlight tells Jack that it was nice to talk to someone who doesn't know who she is. She figures that Vought just wants her to look like a hero, not be one. Jack jams the earbud frequency so Billy can't hear their conversation, and realizes that Starlight said she hated her job as a superhero. He suggests that she quit, and Starlight says that she has to get back rather than respond. Starlight offers her number but jokingly says that committing a crime would get her quicker.
Shockwave and his support team come out, and Nathan notices that A-Train looks wired. Billy and Milk notice and figure that A-Train shot up and they missed it. Milk brings up the video feed from Popclaw's apartment and sees her take the vials of V out of a kit. He tells Billy that he'll check in later and is going to see about a girl. As he leaves, Billy glares up at Homelander. Homelander notices that Billy is the only one watching him as everyone else looks at the track.
The race begins and is over in less than a second. The cameras reveal that A-Train won. When Homelander looks back, he realizes that Billy is gone.
As they drive away, Billy asks Jack how he knows Starlight. Jack says that they met on a park bench, and admits that he got her number. Milk calls and says that Popclaw has the V, and figures that she took A-Train's stash.
Popclaw watches a post-race interview of A-Train. A reporter asks if he has a special girl, and A-Train avoids mentioning Popclaw. She scowls and injects the V, then starts lifting huge weights. Billy and the others watch via the cameras, and Milk says that he recognized the kit as a fix kit and figured Popclaw had experience with V.
In the apartment, Popclaw pops her claws and shadow boxes. Aleksy arrives to get the rent and she invites him in while she writes the check. He comes in and Popclaw flirts with him, and they end up having role-playing sex where Popclaw is the superheroine and Aleksy is the robber. She sits on Aleksy's face, loses control, and crushes his head. Popclaw finally realizes that he's dead and screams in horror. Billy holds Jack back from intervening, and Jack realizes that Billy let Aleksy die even though he didn't do anything wrong. The older man says that Aleksy was already dead, and points out that Jack couldn't have done anything and Popclaw would have killed him. He figures that they got Popclaw right where they want her: they can ruin her reputation. Billy and Frenchie leave, and Milk reminds Jack that he said he'd pay any price.
Billy and Frenchie enter Popclaw's apartment and Billy says that they'll help her sort out her mess. In return she has to tell them everything they know about V.
Homelander calls Madelyn into the board room where the Deep is with him. The Deep says that a porpoise found Billy's case at the bottom of the harbor. Madelyn looks inside and finds Translucent's remains, and wonders how they got through the Supe's skin. Homelander says that the killer was no maniac, and has the Deep confirm that he can't see through zinc. The case is made out of zinc, and Homelander figures that the killers were just buying time. On the lid is a handwritten message saying "Coming for you", and Homelander figures that the killer just declared war.
Written by Gadfly on Aug 4, 2019