While the draw of the latest episode of The Boys was the titular Herogasm event, there was a lot more going on than the infamous supe orgy. Thanks to the uncontrollable blast from Soldier Boy, many of Vought’s “heroes” succumbed to a messy end, but others met their fate in a more powerful manner. In particular, A-Train was involved in perhaps his most meaningful scene from the whole series, but was it really his last?
Jessie T. Usher has done an admirable job capturing the self-righteousness of A-Train while also showing glimpses of the strong morals he holds, however deep down they may be buried. “Herogasm” was a huge episode for A-Train’s arc. Previously, he’d been involved in some of the most depraved storylines of the series, and his killing of Robin in the pilot was the catalyst for Hughie’s involvement with The Boys. Despite his previous disastrous escapades, A-Train recently began a bit of a redemption arc. By standing up for his brother and his community against the racist manner in which Blue Hawk patrolled the predominantly black neighborhood, A-Train was finally seen to be doing something heroic. It was this storyline that came to the fore in “Herogasm,” as he and Blue Hawk came face to face for one final stand.
Before this encounter, though, A-Train ran into a naked Hughie at the event. Fans will know how these two have a lot of history, all of which was kick-started with the aforementioned murder of Hughie’s girlfriend. It was this incident that drove Hughie to confront A-Train at Herogasm, and he demanded A-Train finally apologize for his involvement in Robin’s death. To Hughie’s surprise, A-Train did apologize, and it wasn’t just a cheap, dismissing apology either. He became emotional as he relived it, and explained his understanding of the hurt it caused. For once, he seemed almost human. This display of emotion and sincere regret over his actions didn’t undo what he had done, but it showed A-Train turning a corner, and leaving Hughie with the apology he had yearned for since the two first met.
Things then took a turn. Following Soldier Boy’s devastating blast, a fleeing Blue Hawk was called out by A-Train. In true Blue Hawk fashion, he was dismissive of the importance of A-Train’s confrontation, but was soon grabbed by the throat as the speedster unloaded his frustrations, telling Blue Hawk he wouldn’t get away with his wrongdoings, “not this time.” Blue Hawk had long been terrorizing A-Train’s brother’s neighborhood, being overly aggressive towards the Black community, with reference to him even curb-stomping someone. At an event where he had previously agreed to apologize, Blue Hawk became entangled in a brawl which left A-Train’s brother paralyzed.
These events of the past were the driving force for A-Train’s frustrations. After a brief war of words, A-Train floored Blue Hawk, grabbed his ankle, and mercilessly dragged his body across the streets as he ran at full speed. The two eventually came to a halt, and after the camera panned over a savagely battered Blue Hawk, it stopped on a breathless A-Train. As he gasped for air and clutched at his chest, he collapsed to the floor in agony. After a brief struggle, A-Train became silent, and he laid flat out on the ground. Other than the soft sounds of the birds chirping, the scene was silent as A-Train appeared lifeless.
A-Train’s storyline began with him killing someone with his powers, and it seems to have come full circle as the powers he always used so selfishly have become his downfall. If this really is the end for A-Train, he died finally doing what The Seven should be doing, standing up for the suppressed who cannot defend themselves. Fans will discover whether this speedster on a course of redemption has breathed his last when the next episode of The Boys airs this week on Prime Video.
