Who dies in The Boys season 3?

Amazon Prime Video’s The Boys It wrapped its third season with gore, bombast and bluster on July 8. Prime Video actually released the finale episode Thursday night, allowing fans to get an early start on all the discourse on Homelander’s (Antony Starr) latest sociopathic turn and spitballing theories about who’s actually dead after the big showdown at Vought Tower.

[Ed. note: This post goes into detail about the end of season 3 of The Boys. Consider joining Soldier Boy in his deep freeze if you don’t want to be spoiled.]

Now that the dust has settled and Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) is back in the hands of the Russians — though not before making some crass joke about Jane Wyman that reintroduced the Oscar winner to the masses — it’s time to go over the body count. Every season has one, but this latest installment claimed a member of the Seven, a politician, and maybe even the Boys’ hopes of stopping Homelander.

Black Noir has reached the end.

Image: Amazon Studios

Black Noir was almost as secure as Homelander during the second season. He was certainly as threatening, at times — an immovable murder machine who terrorized the Boys and any member of the Seven who might be plotting against Homelander. His season 2 finale saw him being taken out by Queen Maeve, Dominicique McElligott, and an Almond Joy. This proves that it is the worst candy bar ever, no matter how Starlight might say otherwise. Black Noir returned to action in season 3 and we learned more about his background: He was previously Irving (Nathan Mitchell), who was a member Payback, the super team headed by Soldier Boy.

After being freed from some Winter Soldier-like deep freeze, Soldier Boy was out for revenge against his old team, who turned him over to the Russians — a move sanctioned by Stan Edgar (Giancarlo Esposito), who was ready to replace Soldier Boy with his own son (a baby Homelander, in one of the season’s more shocking revelations). Black Noir briefly goes into hiding, but returns to Vought Tower to take on Soldier Boy, with some help from Homelander (and Noir’s animated animal buds). But Homelander had his own change of heart: He no longer saw Soldier Boy as an enemy, but instead as the family he’s always wanted. Homelander decimates his ex-teammate after confirming that Black Noir had kept the information from him. He leaves him with his stomach open and he is left to die. There’s probably no coming back from that.

R.I.P. Maeve(’s eye)

Image: Amazon Studios

Maeve started off the season working with Billy to take down Homelander, providing him with Temp V. Things didn’t quite go according to plan, though, and Maeve eventually ended up imprisoned by Homelander in Vought Tower (where he was going to harvest her eggs against her will, because he is just the Worst).

In the finale, Starlight’s (Erin Moriarty) very public disclosures against Homelander and Vought create an opportunity for Maeve to free herself, and she comes back ready to do what it takes to end things. Maeve is able to hold her own in a third act slugfest with Homelander. She does lose an eye, but she’s still prepared to sacrifice herself to stop Soldier Boy from killing Starlight and the Boys, becoming a hero once more. The final moments reveal that Maeve survived the blast, though she’s lost her powers. But she has Elena again, and another chance at a normal life — well, as long as Ashley (Colby Minifie) actually deleted the security footage of M.M. Maeve is saved by Kimiko and Laz (Karen Fukuhara).

Lamar Bishop gets beaten by the Deep

Image: Amazon Studios

We know what you’re thinking: who?? Lamar Bishop (Graham Gauthier), ends up being a crucial part of this season. Bishop had been expected to run mate Dakota Bob (aka Secretary of Defense Robert Singer) in the presidential election. Homelander then sends The Deep (Chace Warren) to kill Bishop. His death was attributed as accidental drowning. Victoria Neuman, Claudia Doumit’s vice-presidential candidate, has this opportunity to make a comeback. Not only has she teamed up with Homelander, she’ll also have the kind of security that’ll make it impossible for the Boys to get to her.

So long to the Boys’ chances of taking down Homelander (for now)

Image: Amazon Studios

Let’s face it: Temp V was no silver bullet against Homelander. The temporary version of Compound V may have given Billy and Hughie enhanced abilities for a while, but it turns out it’s lethal after a few doses. Hughie appears to have stopped in time. Butcher receives a grim diagnosis at the end: He has only 12-18 months left to live. It wasn’t a total wash, we suppose — Butcher has maybe, finally, realized the dangers of becoming that which he hunts. And, though he doesn’t have much time, he’s ready to work with a team again, including Starlight, who’s now just known as Annie.

As a result, the Boys’ odds look more dismal than ever: They’ve lost a superpowered ally (Maeve) and the advantages of Temp V. Plus, Victoria Neuman traded Ryan’s location for a political assassination, which suggests she’s just as cutthroat as her new partner in awfulness, Homelander. And while Ryan (Cameron Crovetti) was able to convince Homelander to temporarily leave Billy and the gang alone, father and son are looking more threatening than ever after Homelander delivers his version of “shooting someone without losing votes.” What’s even scarier is the way Homelander’s supporters (including creepy Todd, Janine’s stepdad) cheer and applaud cold-blooded murder.

After the finale’s climactic melee, The Boys He returns to the status-quo, only this time the Homelander-hating supes have no leverage. He’s got Ryan by his side, as well as a frenzied fan base — and, somewhere, his dad, Soldier Boy. The Seven may be the Three now — The Deep and A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) are sticking around — but Homelander’s hardly at a loss.

There are some big questions looming: Is Ryan a lost cause now that he’s going to be raised by Homelander? In order to save the world, Billy must break his vow to Becca. Will A-Train’s new heart (“donated” by the racist, now-dead Blue Hawk) hold up? How on earth can Homelander become even more “sociopathic”? Amazon’s already ordered a fourth season of The Boys, so we’ll have answers soon enough.