Superheroes are created, not born, in ‘The Boys.’ They are given Compound V early on, which grants them superpowers. This mystery and its reveal were addressed in past seasons of the show. This time, it pushes the envelope and provides the viewer something fresh to think about. The first episode of the third season introduces the chemical V-24. We were intrigued to learn more about this new Supe serum on the market after viewing the astounding effects of Compound V. Here’s everything we know so far.

V-24 vs Compound V

Initially, the goal of Compound V was to develop super troops. During WWII, Frederick Vought created this serum for use by German soldiers. However, things did not go as planned, and Vought finally made his way to America, where he founded his own corporation that now trades in superpowered individuals. Compound V grants humans extraordinary abilities, but it isn’t very profitable for Vought in the long run because superheroes are tough to control and have the potential to become catastrophic disasters.

Stan Edgar desired something more temporary. Something that made superheroes more manageable, and something that could bring in more money on a regular basis. In the second season, the Boys learn about the Sage Grove Centre, where Vought is conducting unlawful experiments on individuals. They had been working on a Compound V variant that would be stable in adults and would grant them temporary powers. Season 3 reveals that they were successful in this endeavor.

When injected with V-24, a person obtains superhuman abilities for twenty-four hours. This is a diluted form of what Supes like The Seven have in their veins, but it appears to be quite efficient against Supes of lower levels. It renders a person bulletproof, gives them superhuman strength, and in certain circumstances causes lasers to shoot out of their eyes. We still don’t know if the powers conferred by V-24 differ from person to person because it hasn’t been used as often as Compound V.

Do the Boys Use V-24?

The Boys are diabolically brazen enough to take on the Supes, but their lack of superpowers occasionally puts them in perilous positions. Because they are all opposed to the use of Compound V, the presence of V-24 opens up new possibilities for them. In the opening episode of Season 3, Maeve delivers Butcher V-24 and informs him that some of his adversaries may be stupid and irresponsible, but they are all very dangerous. In the second episode, Butcher recognizes the reality that he must “level the playing field” if they are to win this fight. The serum grants him Homelander-like superpowers and aids him in defeating Gunpowder.

While the program took its time giving the Boys temporary superpowers, the comics had been flirting with this notion since the beginning. In the comics, Butcher and the Boys inject themselves with a diluted form of Compound V, which grants them permanent powers, however the powers are far less formidable than those of someone like Homelander. The comics also examine the repercussions of a normal person suddenly gaining superpowers, something we expect to see in the show as well.

What are the Side Effects of V-24?

Though the premise of V-24 appears to be highly beneficial for the Boys, the serum does have some adverse effects. Butcher becomes ill several times after ingesting V-24. Ryan adds that there is something wrong with his blood. Though it is possible that the compound is merely taking its time leaving Butcher’s system, things could go lot worse for him.

Adults do not react well to Compound V, which is why Vought used newborn newborns to create superheroes. Babies can more easily acclimate to the chemical and incorporate it into their DNA. Adults, on the other hand, can go from losing their brains to exploding to death. The efforts at Sage Grove took a long time to generate a stable form of Compound V. Lamplighter revealed in Season 2 that things were still highly turbulent on that front.

Stan Edgar informs Robert Singer that there are only a few kinks to work out. You can rest comfortable that the serum is ready for usage. This should be reassuring to Butcher, but after puking all over Hughie, things don’t look so well for him. We can only hope that Butcher’s reaction is no worse than a lousy, awful hangover. We don’t want to see him explode to death.