Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Boys season 4, episode 8.
Summary
The Boysseason 4 sees Starlight losing control of her powers, butthey come back to her during the finale — and their sudden return may leave viewers wondering why. Starlight faces asimilar struggle to the rest of The Boysin the show’s latest outing. She’s forced to grapple with her past mistakes, which makes the fight against Homelander that much harder. For Starlight, this is especially challenging, as parts of her history are directly tied to the negligence and corruption of Supes. She’s fighting those things, but she has also played a part in them.
Given her complex feelings about her past — and her shame over being a member of The Seven —Starlight attempts to erase that part of herself. She no longer wears her signature costume, and she goes by the name Annie January rather than her Supe name. It’s safe to say that Starlight is in the midst of an identity crisis inThe Boysseason 4. That’s likelywhy Starlight’s powers don’t workin the first place. Fortunately, the finale brings them back. And that’s for the best, as it looks like she’s going to need them inThe Boysseason 5.
This New The Boys Character Is The Secret MVP Of Season 4
The Boys season 4 introduces several new characters, and one of them is a particular highlight, stealing every single scene that they’re in.
Starlight Resolves Her Identity Crisis In The Boys Season 4’s Finale
She Comes To Terms With The Messiest Parts Of Herself
Starlight’s identity crisis inThe Boysseason 4 has to do with her mixed feelings about being a Supe, but that’s not the only part of herself she struggles to accept.The Boysseason 4 reveals that Starlight was a child bully, and this is why Firecracker harbors so much resentment towards her. It’s obvious Starlight regrets the way she treated Firecracker, and that weighs on her after the other Supe’s repeated public attacks. Starlight is also grappling with her recent abortion. She may not regret the decision, but she does seem conflicted, and it adds to her stress.
All of these issues prevent Starlight from calling upon her power throughoutThe Boysseason 4, but the finale resolves her identity crisis and puts her worries at ease.
All of these issues prevent Starlight from calling upon her power throughoutThe Boysseason 4, but the finale resolves her identity crisis and puts her worries at ease. After the shapeshifter’s failed assassination of Robert Singer,Starlight admits her true concerns: that she’s “not perfect” like people wantbut “depressed” and wrought with “complications.” Hughie assures her that he loves her as-is, even with the messiest parts of herself. And this convinces Starlight to adopt a similar view in the end, bringing her powers back to life as a result.
When The Boys Season 4 Ends, Starlight Actually Looks More Powerful
She’s Flying & Looks Ready For A Fight
The Boysseason 4 only shows Starlight using her powers at the very end, when Homelander’s forces descend on The Boys and take them away. Starlight manages to escape, andshe actually looksmorepowerful now that she’s resolved her inner conflict. Starlight’s flying appears to have improved, and she seems ready for a fight — even if she chooses to save Hughie and her friends another day. It’s promising that Starlight is back on top of her game, and that will be a necessary development heading intoThe Boysseason 5.
The Boys Really Need Starlight’s Power In Season 5
She & Butcher Are The Only Ones Who Can Save Them
It’s a good thing that Starlight’s powers return at the end ofThe Boysseason 4, as The Boys need a Supe in their corner more than ever. With Homelander’s task force rounding up most members of the team,Starlight is the only one who can help them from the outside— unless you count Butcher, who doesn’t leave things on a positive note with them. Starlight will likely be leading the charge against Homelander inThe Boysseason 5, especially since he’s targeting “Starlighters” specifically. Now that she’s resolved her identity problems, she may step up to lead and save them.
It’s a good thing that Starlight’s powers return at the end ofThe Boysseason 4, as The Boys need a Supe in their corner more than ever.
Unfortunately,there’s no way that Starlight can take on Homelander and his team of Supes on her own. She may need to form her own resistance group, which could be difficult given where her allies end up at the end ofThe Boysseason 4, episode 8. Even if Starlight is stronger than she was before, she’ll need help. Maeve and A-Train are both in hiding, so it’s hard to say if they’ll be willing to rejoin the fight. And Butcher makes no secret of the fact that he detests her, so he may not actually work with her.
Even with these obstacles, it’s reassuring that at least one remaining member of The Boys is on the outside. And it’s promising that it’s someone with Supe powers and the ability to influence the public. Hopefully, these characteristics will help Starlight prevail inThe Boysseason 5. For her friends' sakes, she needs to.
The Boys
Cast
The Boys is a gritty and subversive take on the superhero genre, focusing on a group of vigilantes who confront powerful superheroes abusing their abilities, exploring themes of corruption and moral ambiguity in a world where heroes are not always what they seem.
