Movies News Talk
The season 4 finale of The Boys revealed shockingly when Homelander, the apparently perfect leader of The Seven, revealed Victoria Neuman's secret to the world. For Neuman, this action had terrible effects that resulted in her sad death and a significant change in the power relations on the show.
The sly and aspirational Vice President-elect, Victoria Neuman, had painstakingly hidden her head-popping superpower—a secret she had kept under close control over the series. Her ascent to prominence was deliberate, contingent on her ability to keep this secret. But Homelander's choice to show her on live TV destroyed this carefully put on front, shocking and disbelieving Neuman.
Actress Claudia Doumit, who plays Neuman, says of this revelation: "It's so perfect that Homelander did it, and that he did it in that way. He hardly even uses s---t. He knows; he is not bothered. That is absolutely amazing. It means everything to her. It is everything she has laboured so hard to hide from the world. She has kept this secret all her life; in ten seconds, it is all gone.
The startling disclosure by Homelander started a series of events that fundamentally changed the direction of the show. Suddenly vulnerable and exposed, Neuman was in a dangerous position. Her painstakingly created and closely guarded political aspirations were dashed in an instant.
As Homelander, driven by a mix of anger and insecurity, threatened Neuman with his laser vision, her own fear for her safety grew stronger. Neuman had few choices and was driven into a frantic search for a means of regaining control of her circumstances by this horrific show of force.
Stripped of her well manicured image and political influence, Neuman turned to Hughie Campbell, a member of The Boys, a group of vigilantes committed to revealing the corruption of the superhero universe, for comfort and support. Homelander's actions revealed her fragility, which set Hughie into a desperate need for help. But fate intervened in a terrible turn of events as The Boys' leader, Billy Butcher, killed Neuman with his newly acquired Compound V-induced powers, so negating her political influence.
When Homelander revealed Neuman's secret—a deliberate and calculated deed—a series of events was set off that permanently changed the show. Driven by Homelander's need to establish authority and control, this action drove the narrative in an unexpected direction and finally resulted in a dramatic power change with Homelander claiming the presidency and the remaining The Boys members under custody.
Driven by a mix of insecurity and a thirst for complete power, Homelander's actions set the stage for a volatile and dangerous scenario endangering the balance of power in the superhero realm. The implications of this startling disclosure will still be felt throughout The Boys' last season, casting viewers wondering about the direction the program will take.