The Boys Season 2, Episode 7 Review

This review of The Boys Season 2, Episode 7, titled "Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker," contains full spoilers. Amazon recently announced that it's developing a spinoff TV series based on The Boys that's described as "part college show, part Hunger Games." Check out our episode release schedule for The Boys Season 2 to find out when new episodes are debuting on Amazon. [poilib element="accentDivider"] In the penultimate episode of The Boys' second season, titled "Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker," director Stefan Schwartz and writer Craig Rosenberg dedicate an ample amount of time to examining the complexities of father-son relationships. In one of the biggest surprises of the season, Lord of the Rings and Fringe alum John Noble makes a powerful cameo as Billy's father, Sam. Noble's appearance was completely unexpected but also expertly executed in terms of the writing and the performances from both actors. Billy's dad needed to be someone who could stand toe-to-toe with him and remain intimidating even in Sam's weakened state. There's also that Lord of the Rings connection the two actors share; Nobel also gave a compelling performance in LOTR as an overbearing and uncompassionate father. Shawn Ashmore's Lamplighter briefly mentions his father before he shockingly sets himself on fire. It was sad to see him go so quickly because the hilariously awkward "porn session" between Lamplighter and Hughie in the episode's opening moments was comedic gold. It would have been nice to see those two on some more adventures together since Jack Quaid and Ashmore had a delightful rapport. [poilib element="poll" parameters="id=4a08381f-1d68-4333-984e-d3e20db7c8fe"] More daddy issues abound in the Homelander household as well, with Stormfront and her new superpowered boo convincing young Ryan to leave his mother behind. Homelander and Stormfront's insane relationship has been one of the most entertaining storylines throughout Season 2, and I'm super curious to see how Ryan will handle their toxic influence know that he's flown the coop. Will he follow in his father's footsteps or will Billy find a way to save his stepson? With only one episode left, it feels like we're going to have to wait until Season 3 to find out the answers to those questions. What really tied all of the paternal-themed scenes together was Billy's informative conversation with Jonah Vogelbaum (John Doman). This pivotal moment brought to light how influential Vought was in transforming Homelander into a monster, along with a solid dose of father abuse. While it's unlikely that Billy feels the slightest bit of sympathy for Homelander, that sinister stare he gave Jonah signified that Butcher understands the power father figures have on their children. It's a difficult issue for any show to tackle, but we're glad Kripke and his team decided to dig deeper into what makes their characters tick. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/09/02/the-boys-how-much-does-homelander-know-about-homelander"] Some of the other notable highlights in this episode include another heartwarming scene with Frenchie and Kimiko, as the two share a tender moment where she finally teaches him how to properly communicate with her. Sure, he only learns the word gun, and while that's probably not what you would consider a typical first-date scenario, this is The Boys after all. Then there's Black Noir who, after all of his prowess as a warrior and overall badass, is humbled by a tiny Almond Joy during his fight with Starlight. Looking ahead to the finale, there are still so many storylines to wrap up. And while some of them are probably going to get pushed to Season 3 (and beyond?), we're excited to see how Vought and The Boys are going to respond to all of the head-exploding madness that happened in the final minutes of this episode. There's also The Deep and A-Train subplot and their connection to the church. From what Alastair Adana told them at his birthday party, it appears that there's going to be a meeting between Adana and Giancarlo Esposito's Stan Edgar. Perhaps the Church of the Collective and Vought are in cahoots? Whatever happens, next week's finale is shaping up to be a crazy ride if the rest of Season 2 is anything go by. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=the-boys-season-2-gallery&captions=true"]