Murder of Mindstorm

* Disclosure to Soldier Boy about his biological child and supe successor, Homelander.

The **Murder of Mindstorm** was Soldier Boy's retaliation against his former teammate Mindstorm. He was the last of the members of Payback to be killed by him.

## Background

During Operation Charly, Mindstorm participated in betraying Soldier Boy to the Russians. Following Payback's disbandment and his show business career at Vought, Mindstorm became a recluse due to sensory overload. For many years, he lived as a paranoid recluse, only occasionally leaving the forest when he needed to get prescription refills to treat his bipolar disorder.

In 2022, Soldier Boy had been Inadvertently awakened from his induced coma by the Boys during their infiltration mission in Russia. After having fled the Russian facility, Soldier Boy boarded a plane bound for America, seeking revenge against his former teammates. After successfully killing Crimson Countess and the TNT Twins, Hughie Campbell and Billy Butcher helped Soldier Boy cross-reference Mindstorm's public sightings with lithium refills. Hughie, Butcher and Soldier Boy entered the forest and began searching for Mindstorm. Soldier Boy warned them that Mindstorm can hear their thoughts and knows they're coming. He also warns them not to make eye-contact with Mindstorm, or else he'll trap them in an endless nightmare. As they continued, Soldier Boy stepped on a landmine that incapacitated the trio. Mindstorm used the opportunity to trap Butcher in a nightmare before fleeing back to his cabin.

Hughie and Soldier Boy continued their hunt until they arrived at the cabin. They entered quietly as Soldier Boy noticed Mindstorm hiding around the corner. Soldier Boy gestured to Hughie where Mindstorm is. Before they could advance, Hughie teleported behind Mindstorm and teleported them to Butcher's body. Mindstorm panics as Hughie attempts to reason with him. Mindstorm insists he only wants to get away from the voices, while Hughie explains the situation that he doesn't want to kill Mindstorm. Hughie pleads with Mindstorm to wake Butcher, but Mindstorm is reluctant, insisting Butcher is crazy. Hughie is persistent, he insists Butcher is family to him. Hughie then offers to teleport Mindstorm somewhere safe if he wakes Butcher.

## Murder

Mindstorm complies with Hughie Campbell's demands and wakes Billy Butcher. Before Hughie can complete their deal, Soldier Boy throws a knife into Mindstorm's right eye. As he panics, Soldier Boy tackles Mindstorm and wraps his head in a cloth. Mindstorm pleads that it wasn't his idea to betray Soldier Boy. Soldier Boy questions why Black Noir would betray him without Vought's orders. While Mindstorm reveals that it was Vought who authorized the betrayal, he also reveals to him that it was to make way for a younger, more powerful supe, the Soldier Boy's son who would ultimately become Homelander. Shocked and outraged, Soldier Boy bashes Mindstorm's head with his shield twelve times until he dies.

## Aftermath

Using the information that Mindstorm gave him, Soldier Boy puts the pieces together and realizes that the supe child that Mindstorm told him about was actually Homelander himself, his biological son. Upon his return to the Legend's residence, he called Vought Tower in an attempt to reach Homelander. Soldier Boy informs Homelander that he is actually his father because back in 1980 he went to Jonah Vogelbaum lab and put his sperm into a cup. In Spring 1981, a baby boy named John was born from that sperm and would grow up to become Homelander. He concludes their call by saying that, had he been allowed to stay, he would've gladly let himself be replaced by his own child.