WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for The Boys Season 2, Episode 8, "What I Know," available now on Amazon Prime Video.
The Boys' reveal that Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) is the supe causing heads to roll -- or more literally, to burst into bloody pieces -- sent fans reeling due to the show's implications and its statement about American politics' ability to create positive change for humanity.
It's no secret that The Boys' writers gained inspiration for Neuman's character from real-life Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) -- going as far as to copy her red lipstick look, casting a woman of color, writing her as an outspoken politician calling for reform against corrupt business monopolies and referencing a viral dancing video like AOC's.
These coupled facts left fans with questions about the series' intent. Is the show saying politicians cannot serve without succumbing to corruption, writing her as a Vought-mole? Or, is it possible Victoria plays multiple sides to maintain power and is a super-powered vigilante, with all the messiness this entails?
In order to unravel the possibilities, it's worth revisiting the show's origins -- the comic series, The Boys, by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. In the comic series, there was no Victoria Neuman, but there was a Victor Neuman. Ennis confirmed years ago that Victor Neuman -- a simple-minded character who was the ex-CEO of Vought and somehow became the Vice President of the U.S. due to family ties to the CIA -- was a parody of George W. Bush. He used Victor's character to write about the ease with which business and family debts can flow into politics, causing corruption. Victor held power but was ultimately futile.
The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke decided to gender-bend the character, grant her superpowers and have her serve in Congress with a liberal agenda that focuses on giving power back to the people, while taking it away from the big business enterprise of Vought. In Season 2, Episode 5, Neuman convenes a rally against Vought after news of its super-serum goes public. Contrary to her character's inspiration, Neuman has no issue finding a central message, uniting people and creating a rallying cry that brings people together for her cause(s). In the television adaptation, she's the opposite of futile.
Kripke said in a recent interview with Variety, "We worked really hard on that character to really feel like she’s going to be an ally, but from the beginning, we knew that she was the head-popper... I think we have a pretty good idea of where her story goes [in Season 3] and why she’s doing what she’s doing. There are some reveals and twists and turns... It’s the frightening notion that there might be a supe heading deep into American politics."
Kripke's decision to not only gender-bend but politically flip the character is one that's come under scrutiny. Slate writer Rebecca Onion says, "When we find out she’s a supe secretly working against the Boys, Victoria Neuman’s force of personality -- the leadership qualities that draw people to attend the rallies she convenes, toting signs that say 'Victoria Neuman, Political Badass' -- becomes instantly suspicious. It’s just too reminiscent of online right-wingers making up fables about AOC’s secret nature."
Fans have critiqued this choice, but in a certain light, it can be seen as an equalizing force. The show goes to great lengths to parody the MAGA (Make America Great Again) population with characters like Homelander and Stormfront. They call for America's closing of national borders, civic distrust in authority and a bearing of arms in the general populace. The show gives most of Season 2, Episode 7's intro to showing how a civilian takes this 'bearing of arms' to heart and is moved to murder his local convenience store owner for being a person of color and an assumed immigrant and supe.
It would be remiss for a series that prides itself on its parody to not address the entire political spectrum. If the show's mission is really to be a call to thought, not to arms, then it's asking viewers to not worship anyone's agenda without thinking critically about its implications. Victoria is the show's way of showcasing the American right-wing stereotype's deepest fear: A woman of color, in extreme power, preaching equity but serving corruption. This balances Stormfront's stereotyped power fear of the left -- a feminist Nazi, destroying democracy for fascism.
However, it does seem worth mentioning that Victoria's alliances -- as written in the show currently -- don't quite add up to a specific loyalty of any kind. In Season 2, Episode 7, Neuman agrees to work with ex-CIA agent Mallory (Laila Robbins), as a way to create an opportunity to bring Vought to court. Billy Butcher says in reply to her hearing, "Congress? Please! What a bunch of corrupt fucking cunts they are." Neuman says, "You’re not the first to call me a cunt, Mr. Butcher; I’m starting to think it’s like a badge of honor." She is of the Boys, but not accepted by them.
In the same congressional hearing she helps orchestrate, she kills ex-Vought scientist, Vogelbaum, Shockwave and a massacre of Vought-affiliated personnel. As a result of the congressional attacks, public support for more Compound-V -- and its resulting supes in the mainstream -- rises. This would lead viewers to think she's working with Vought, ultimately to help their profits from the drug. However, in Season 2, Episode 8, Neuman kills the head of the Church of the Collective, Alastair Adana, after a phone call reveals Neuman is using Adana against Vought. To what end? Hers.
It could be argued that she waited, carefully, to have Vought affiliates in the same room to slaughter, as well as know exactly when Adana would be alone to strike. Perhaps Victoria works for no one. Perhaps she wants to support supes in general and form a league that actually protects humanity, unlike the Seven.
Although The Boys Season 3 will confirm what angle Neuman is working, it's worth noting that Kripke doesn't do simplistic truths, considering he's ending Supernatural with a literal face-off against God. In The Boys Season 2, Episode 8, Victoria gives Hughie a job and closes the door during their chat, hinting she's about to reveal more.
Hughie may be in danger, or she may be pitching how her vigilante operation works best -- serving every side while steering clear of any true affiliation to accomplish a goal. Perhaps Neuman is playing a long game while keeping her greatest power a secret to protect those closest to her.
Amazon Studios' The Boys stars Karl Urban as Billy Butcher, Jack Quaid as Hughie, Laz Alonso as Mother's Milk, Tomer Kapon as Frenchie, Karen Fukuhara as Kimiko, Erin Moriarty as Annie January, Chace Crawford as the Deep, Antony Starr as Homelander and Aya Cash as Stormfront. Seasons 1 and 2 are currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
