Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Boys season 4, episodes 1-3.

The Boys season 4 debuted on Prime Video with three episodes, and the ending of episode 3 sets the stage for further exploration of Homelander’s (Antony Starr) past. Homelander has a rough time in “We’ll Keep the Red Flag Flying Here,” as he discovers there’s a traitor at Vought and catches Ryan (Cameron Crovetti) sneaking out to visit Butcher (Karl Urban). The latter hits him particularly hard, dredging up his deep-seated insecurities. His anger leads him to lash out at Ryan, but it also pushes him to reflect on his own humanity.

Looking in the mirror, Homelander faces the fractured parts of his psyche, which reveal just how human The Seven’s leader is. He mostly condemns himself for this, wishing to be a beacon of strength rather than a vulnerable person. While part of him considers fixing things with Ryan, the others accuse him of being “weak” for desiring love. Homelander decides he must eliminate his vulnerabilities by going “back to the start.” This may leave viewers wondering where he’s headed. Fortunately, his flashbacks at the end of episode 3 offer a clue.

Homelander Is Returning To The Vought Lab He Was Created In

This Is The “Home” His Reflections Speak Of In Episode 3

Homelander’s reflections tell him to go back to the beginning in The Boys season 4, episode 3, and the episode’s ending teases the Supe going “home.” This may confuse viewers, as Vought Tower is Homelander’s residence — and it has been since the Amazon series started. However, Homelander’s fight with Ryan brings up baggage from his own childhood. When his reflections speak of home, they’re talking about the Vought lab Homelander was created in. The Supe’s flashbacks to a cold, sterile environment confirm as much.

With that in mind, the ending of The Boys season 4, episode 3 sets the stage for Homelander to return to his place of origin in episode 4. It’s unclear what his goal in going there is, but he believes it’s the best way to rid himself of his humanity. Perhaps facing his parentage and upbringing will help him break the bond he feels with Ryan. Homelander’s desire to have a relationship with his son stems from his lack of a father. It also comes from his need for love, which was denied when he was growing up.

Breaking Down Homelander’s Flashbacks At The End Of The Boys Season 4, Episode 3

The Brief Shots Of Vought’s Lab Show A Cold & Sterile Environment

As Homelander decides to return “home” in The Boys season 4, episode 3, he has several flashbacks to his time in Vought’s lab. One shows an ominous red door, while others depict tools like scalpels and torches. There’s also a brief shot of a woman, though there’s no clarification of who she is. Viewers can assume she played a prominent role in Homelander’s upbringing, and he could confront her about it when he returns. The other shots suggest Homelander was experimented on as a child. The images of the lab are cold and sterile, highlighting the lack of love and warmth he felt growing up.

The Boys will expand on this further in future episodes, but those familiar with the comics already know the dark truth of how Homelander was experimented on growing up. The Amazon series has alluded to this past as well, but it’s mostly done so through his behavior in the present. His flashbacks in episode 3 and promise to return to Vought’s lab suggest The Boys will take a more direct approach to exploring his origin story. In doing so, season 4 can finally answer major questions about the Supe.

The Boys Season 4, Episode 3 Can Answer Key Questions About Homelander’s Past

This Storyline Can Explore Homelander’s Vulnerabilities & Vought’s Role In What He’s Become

The Boys season 3, episode 4 begins to answer key questions about Homelander’s past, and his return to Vought’s lab will continue this deep dive into his childhood. After The Boys’ first three seasons, it’s no secret that Homelander grew up without love and affection. This directly feeds into his consistent need for praise, and it explains much of his sociopathic behavior. But while viewers are able to infer things about Homelander’s past in The Boys seasons 1-3, season 4 can finally shed light on the boy named John and how he became the deadly Supe leading The Seven.

As Homelander returns to the place he was created, viewers can learn all the details about how the Supe came to exist. The Boys alludes to the fact that Homelander is the strongest superhuman, and therefore, special — but now the series can offer further explanations about what makes him so different. The series can also dig into his past relationships and how they impact his present ones. While Homelander is a villain in The Boys, he’s one with psychological issues connected to his childhood. By returning to it, viewers can unpack why.

This could also be an opportunity for The Boys to explore Vought’s role in what Homelander has become. Gen V makes it clearer than ever that Vought is just as much a villain as Homelander — perhaps more so given that the company created him. Vought uses Supes to do its bidding, and it’s largely responsible for what they’ve become. It also destroys the lives of innocent people in its attempts to make money and claim power. Its part in Homelander’s backstory may further drive this message home.

Why Is Homelander Revisiting The Vought Lab From His Childhood

The Supe Wants To Erase His Humanity In The Boys Season 4

Homelander is revisiting the Vought lab from his childhood because he wants to erase the remaining pieces of his humanity. The Supe struggles with feeling vulnerable throughout The Boys, and that’s become increasingly noticeable in seasons 3 and 4. Soldier Boy’s rejection of his son seems to have hit Homelander hard, and he’s clearly desperate to have a relationship with Ryan — even if he doesn’t know how to. Ryan’s interest in Butcher makes Homelander feel rejected, and this pushes him over the edge.

Because of his sensitivity to rejection, Homelander wants to rid himself of his feelings of inadequacy and need for love. He’s realized how his past factors into these things, and he believes that confronting it will solve the problem. Knowing Homelander, his efforts to face his upbringing won’t be healthy, and his perceived weaknesses will probably remain. Only time will tell how Homelander grapples with his origin in The Boys season 4. But whatever happens in the coming episodes, viewers are sure to learn more about him and Vought.