The Subtle Starlight Detail You Missed On The Boys Season 2 Finale
If The Boys season 2 taught us anything, it's that girls really do get it done.
Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), Hughie Campbell (Jack Quaid), and the rest of the titular Boys spend the season trying to out a Nazi and expose Vought International's nefarious deeds. However, the real standout in this last season is Starlight (Erin Moriarty) as she divides her time helping out The Boys when she can, as well as taking down Vought from within. More often than not, she ends up butting heads with newcomer Stormfront (Aya Cash). Initially, Starlight's envious of how Stormfront is able to retain such agency, which involves a lot of trash-talking Vought to the media. Starlight mentions how she wishes she could express herself in a similar way, but for much of the season, she's still under Vought's thumb — right down to her costume.
The ending of season 2 of The Boys sets up a lot of possibilities for season 3. From that final girl fight to Homelander really going off the rails, season 2 shook things up, Starlight's costume included. For much of the season, she's wearing her Vought-approved outfit (a skimpy little number that's more swimsuit than armor). As it turns out, a big change occurs toward the end of the season 2 finale that sets up Starlight having more agency in season 3. Apparently, this moment went over a lot of fans' heads.
Spoilers for The Boys season 2 finale ahead.
Starlight reclaims her original costume by season 2's end
The last episode of season 2 has a scene featuring Homelander (Antony Starr), Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott), and Starlight holding a press conference. This is the moment the Vought admits that Stormfront is, indeed, a Nazi, and that she's no longer part of the Seven. For fans, the scene contains a subtle detail that fully rounds out Starlight's character arc. All throughout season 2, Vought has made her wear a highly sexualized outfit that clearly Starlight doesn't like (as evidenced by a scene wherein she covers up her cleavage when a young fan asks for a selfie).
In a Reddit thread started by u/rickybland, many fans of The Boys commented on how the new look was a change for the better. Some of the comments about her regaining her old suit include, "I personally think it looks better, and I just love that she is now able to wear the costume she is more comfortable wearing" and "I don't know if it's on purpose, but she definitely stands up straighter and looks more confident in the old costume." The general consensus from fans seems to be that the Vought suit was gaudy and hyper-sexualized, clearly serving as a commentary on how female superheroes tend to wear impractical outfits for the sole purpose of showing off some skin.
It turns out Starlight stands up to Vought in a far more significant way than Stormfront, making some viral TikToks about the company. Hopefully, we'll get to see plenty more of her classic costume when The Boys season 3 eventually drops on Amazon.