In Havana, Cuba, Charlotte is smoking crack when A-Train arrives and tells her that he's been handling business. He says that he has some good news and tells Charlotte that Madelyn is open to them going public. However, A-Train says that he has to know who Charlotte told about V before they go public. She stays silent and A-Train reminds her that their partners for life. Charlotte says that she finally told some guys and apologizes, and describes what Billy, Frenchie, and Hughie look like. A-Train tells her that he was thinking about their first date and how he thought Charlotte wasn't someone wasn't afraid to be happy. He says that he loves her and then injects her with an OD of heroin.
Once Charlotte is dead, A-Trains speeds back to the Seven Tower and tells Homelander that she's dead. Homelander tells A-Train that he knows he's been shooting up V, and the speedster insists that he's done with it. He tells A-Train that he did the right thing coming to him and he's proud of him, and calls him over for a hug. Homelander says that he'll always be watching over A-Train and tells the speedster to find the Woman.
Frenchie makes dinner for the imprisoned Woman, and asks if she can speak. He asks her to tell him who drugged her and then they'll get her back home, and the Woman lunges at him but is brought up short by the chains.
At the Believe Expo, Hughie and Starlight walk outside with Starlight wearing her original "family friendly" costume. She says that she's glad Hughie came and he doesn't strike her as the religious type. Starlight explains that she and Donna drove to religious shows and expos. Billy and Milk listen in, and Donna comes over to Starlight. Hughie explains that he's with Starlight, and Starlight says that he's a friend. Ashley comes over, interrupting them, and Hughie avoids Ashley seeing and recognizing him from the NDA meeting. Once Donna and Ashley go together, Hughie turns around and tells Starlight that he'll catch up to her after her teen panel.
Later, Hughie meets Billy and Milk at one of Ezekiel's shows. The two older men spots the guards and surveillance cameras, while Ezekiel demonstrates his stretching powers and says God chose the Supes because they believe. Billy tells Hughie that Starlight will get Hughie in to see Ezekiel at a diamond club pass, and gives Hughie a photo of Ezekiel from the sex club to use as leverage to get him to talk about using his organization to smuggle V. Milk insists that Hughie needs to be trained up, but Billy assures Hughie it'll be a piece of cake.
Homelander and Maeve attend a memorial for the passengers of Flight 37, and Homelander recites the names of the passengers. Maeve remembers walking among the passengers before she and Homelander abandoned them to their deaths, and looks at their families in the crowd. She walks away, upset, and Homelander notices. He joins her later on a park bench and reminds her of a nutjob that she stopped by killing him. Homelander notes that Maeve took action and that's what he loves about her, and says that no one wanted the plane to go down but they have to make the best of it or it was all for nothing.
As they walk through the Expo, Starlight notices the preponderance of conservative messaging. She goes to the panel and the pastor invites the teens to ask her whatever they want. One girl asks Starlight about her Hindu friend and says that it feels weird to try to bring her to Christ. Starlight quotes the scripture about loving one's neighbor, and Pastor John says that they want to save their neighbors by bringing them to Christ. Another teen asks if Starlight has had a boyfriend, and a girl asks her if they had sex. Starlight notices that Pastor John is watching her expectantly, and says that she's a virgin and saving herself for her future husband.
Billy argues with a pastor, saying that God is a cunt. Milk apologies for Billy and leads him off, and they join Hughie.
Donna talks to Starlight privately, who is unhappy that she lied to the teens. Her mother tells her that millions of kids are living up to her now that she's one of the Seven, and God made her a miracle. Hughie joins them and Donna excuses herself. Meanwhile, Billy tells Milk to keep an eye on Hughie and leaves on a mission of his own.
Starlight tells Hughie that the Expo isn't what she remembered. He imagines Robin watching him and hesitates, and then asks Starlight if she could hook him up with a diamond club pass to see Ezekiel. Starlight is surprised, and Hughie claims that his father is Ezekiel's biggest fan. Disappointed, Starlight agrees to do what she can.
Homelander arrives at the Expo and once he's alone with Ashley, tells her to get Madelyn on the line. She says that she's there in place of Madelyn, and Homelander asks her where Madelyn is.
Madelyn is taking her baby son Teddy to the pediatrician when Homelander comes down. He tells her to reschedule the appointment, and says that his speech reads like "corporate mayonnaise". Madelyn reminds him that the congressman will watch him and he needs to be humble, but Homelander insists that there's an opportunity because the people are scared. He points out that he's the one who saved the situation with Flight 37, and Madelyn irritably says that the speech is perfect and tells Homelander to trust her. Homelander tells her that Teddy is an accessory, and Madelyn tells him that they need boundaries and goes into the pediatrician's office while Homelander glares angrily at her and the baby.
Billy arrives at the home of his sister-in-law, Morgan, who lets him in. He says that she didn't tell him that she was finally burying Becca, even though the coffin was empty. Billy insists that Becca could still be alive, but Rachel doesn't believe it and says that her mother just wanted a place to talk to her daughter. He angrily says that there's nothing in the coffin, and Rachel tells him to stop. Billy and the police never found anything, and Rachel insists that Becca either was killed or killed herself. She says that they need it to be over.
A-Train watches Charlotte's movie, Terminal Justice, and looks through her things. He finds the hidden camera's flash drive in the nannycam and plays it back, and watches the two of them have sex. There's more video of Charlotte killing the landlord, and Billy and Frenchie coming in afterward. Billy's back is to the camera, but A-Train captures the image of Frenchie.
Later, A-Train and Black Noir have Trevor run a tracker on Frenchie. There's no solid record of Frenchie, and A-Train tells Trevor that it's something they're running down on their own.
Hughie goes to the VIP club and Homelander greets him by name. They make small talk, and Ezekiel welcomes all of them but particularly their special guest, Homelander. Ezekiel reminds them that Homelander is an ordained minister and says that they're going to rebaptize them. Hughie finally enters the pool and he stares at Homelander. Homelander asks if something is wrong, noting that his blood pressure is high, and assures Hughie that he's got him. He ducks Hughie under the water and holds him under an uncomfortably long time.
Afterward, Homelander thanks the donors for letting him be a part of the experience. Hughie approaches Ezekiel privately and says that he needs Christ's guidance. He's unable to get his phone to work, and says that Ezekiel fucked him in the sex club. Ezekiel denies it and grabs Hughie by the throat, and tells him that he's a filthy liar. Hughie insists that he has a video and if Ezekiel doesn't let it go, his friend will put it online.
Ezekiel releases Hughie and asks what he wants, and Hughie says that he's shipping V. He asks for all the information about them, and Ezekiel says that "they" will destroy him. Undeterred, Hughie says that Ezekiel will tell him or the video will go on Twitter. He also tells Ezekiel to stop with the "pray the gay" away shit.
A few minutes later, Hughie calls Milk on a borrowed phone. He tells him the information he got on the V shipments and one shipment is going to a midtown hospital.
Billy goes to Becca's grave and takes a hammer to the tombstone, destroying it. Milk calls and tells Billy what Hughie found out, and Billy says that he'll meet Milk at the hospital.
Madelyn is in her office and watches Homelander's speech from the Expo. He says that America was attacked and some people want him to give the audience some corporate talk. Homelander refuses, saying that he believes that God wants him to go over, find the people behind the hijackers, and render God's judgement. Madelyn watches, frowning, as Homelander says that he's been told to wait for Congress to let him go. The crowd boos Congress, and cheer Homelander as he says that he answers to a higher power. Starlight is on stage with the others and frowns, and Madelyn watches and curses as Homelander levitates up into the air. and then drops down into the crowd, and the people touch him in reverence.
Maeve visits a woman, Elena, and says that it's good to see her. She asks to come in and Elena reluctantly lets her inside. Elena says that her cat Freckles died two years ago, and points out that Maeve showed up out of nowhere. She figures that Maeve is drinking again and isn't going to AA meetings. When Maeve says that she misses her, Elena tells her that she doesn't get to say that to her anymore and orders her to leave. She insists that she's out of Maeve's life but Maeve never left hers. Maeve tries to apologize and Elena tells her to go back to Homelander. The heroine says that it's too hard and Elena asks her what happened. Maeve talks about all of the people who died, and Elena hugs her. When Maeve kisses her, Elena stops her and walks away. Maeve says that coming there was a mistake and leaves.
Cherie calls Frenchie and tells him that the Supes are coming and they're onto him. She hangs up, destroys her phone, and walks away.
At the hospital, Billy steals a nurse's key card and goes with Milk to the storage area. Frenchie calls Billy and says that he's been burned, and asks about the Woman. Billy tells him to leave her and hangs up as Frenchie protests.
Starlight talks to Donna privately and says that going out for the crowd doesn't feel right. She wonders if she's changed, but doesn't tell Donna what happened since she joined the Seven. Donna says that she's waited decades and it is about her because she raised Starlight to be a Supe. She begs Starlight to go TV because her friends in Des Moines will be watching.
Frenchie packs and tells the Woman that the Supes are coming and he's been ordered to leave her. He complains that he's not a weapon to be pointed and fired, but Billy sees him that way and the Woman is the same as him. Frenchie unchains the Woman and she runs off.
At the Tower, a drunken Deep watches a newscast about his botched attempt to rescue a dolphin. He changes the channel to Starlight addressing the Expo crowd. She reads the teleprompter about how she accepted Christ, glances over at an approving Donna. and then tells them to stop playing the inspirational music. Donna wonders what her daughter is doing, and Starlight tells her that she has no idea what she's been through. She explains that she's reading from a script and doesn't know if she believes them. Starlight insists that he loves God but the problem is how certain everyone is around there.
Starlight wonders how anyone knows how to get to Heaven, and says that having sex before marriage isn't immoral but human. She says that a man shoved a dick in her face, and a watching Deep and Madelyn curse. Starlight glances over at Donna and then says that anyone who tells them they know the answers is lying. She admits that she's just as scared and confused as the rest of them, and she's done pretending and taking shit. Starlight walks off-stage and Hughie, who is in the audience, applauds before going after her.
Billy and Milk find the V... being fed into a baby. The baby briefly opens its eyes, emitting beams of energy, and Billy realizes that the Supes are made in a lab.
Hughie approaches Starlight and tells her that she gave a great speech. Starlight asks how his time was with Ezekiel, and Hughie tells her that his girlfriend died. He apologizes for involving Starlight, and figures that there's nothing he can do to make it better. Hughie tells her that the only thing that makes sense is what she said on stage. Starlight apologizes to him for what she said, and they hug.
Billy takes a sample of the V being injected into the baby, and two agents come in and open fire. Milk and Billy take cover, and Milk keeps them busy while Billy grabs the baby. When it opens its eyes, Billy aims the eye beams at the agents and killing them. Billy puts the baby back in its incubator and leaves with Milk.
Madelyn watches a newscast about Starlight's speech. She sees a security feed of Homelander out in the corridor watching her with his x-ray vision, and tells him over the intercom that she sees him. Madelyn invites him in and once he enters, apologizes for neglecting him. She tells him that he can't be bad and give a speech like he did, sits on her couch, and unbuttons her blouse. Madelyn calls him over, and he lies down and puts his head in her lap. She tells him that he has to be good and listen to her, and then they'll both get what they want. Madelyn puts her fingers in his mouth, holds his head to her breasts, and says that Homelander is her good boy.
Frenchie goes to his car and sees Black Noir on the rooftops. He hides and then goes back, and Black Noir drops down onto a nearby car. The Woman knocks the Supe into a dumpster, then nods to Frenchie. He runs away, and Black Noir recovers and the Woman fights him hand-to-hand. He implants a blade in her foot, pinning her to the alley floor, and then guts her with another blade. The Woman collapses, bleeding out, and Black Noir runs off.
Coming back, Frenchie kneels by the Woman's body. As he covers her with his jacket, the Woman gasps in air and Frenchis watches as her wounds heal. She grabs his arm, and Frenchie takes her hand and says that she's a miracle.
Written by Gadfly on Aug 10, 2019