V24

―Queen Maeve and Billy Butcher[src]

**V24**, also known as **Temp V**, is a modified version of Compound V that was created by Vought International as a result of the unethical experiments that were conducted at the Sage Grove Center.

## Overview

As implied by its name, the emerald, green colored serum provides an ordinary person with superpowers for approximately 24 hours. The superpowers given by V24 appear to be more standardized, with its users' gaining powers based on their personality traits alongside a high level of superhuman physical attributes (such as superhuman strength, durability and speed) regardless of the dosage amount, unlike the original formula that provides random superpowers that are proportional with the dosage amount.

However Temp V is still considerably unstable and continues to exhibit numerous side effects including migraines, muscle spasms, nausea, and projectile vomiting. Further testing of the drug has recently revealed the adverse effect of causing brain lesions, which has led to Vought geneticists estimating that an approximate use of three to five doses will become lethal to the patient. These estimates were later confirmed true, after Billy Butcher developed numerous tumors on his brain after his sixth dose of the serum and was given 18 months to live.

Stan Edgar stated that a single vial of V24 costs roughly $2 million, Robert Singer then calculates a month long military operation would require $60 million per soldier, or $600 million per squad of ten members, 1 dose a day each for 30 days. This is of course presuming that V24 would be completely safe to use, which at the time was not the case.

## History

### Background

Desiring super-powered individuals that were easier to control, Stan Edgar funded the Sage Grove Center in order to create a new variation of the Compound V formula. This variation would only give people superpowers for a limited period of time, making them less dangerous while simultaneously allowing Vought to make more money, due to the fact that consumers of the drug need to constantly refill their stock if they desire to have access to their superpowers on a regular basis.

### Pre-Season Three

Due to the destruction of Sage Grove Center and the legal implications that were brought on by the public revelation of Compound V, all testing and research of the serum were forcibly halted. As a result, V24 was in an unfinished state and was not fit for human usage immediately following Season 2's What I Know finale.

However, in the intermediate year between Season 2 and 3, Vought secretly resumed research and testing, enough so that the drug was more or less ready for human use, albeit with several negative side effects.

### Season Three

Stan Edgar introduces V24 at Vought Tower to Secretary of Defense Robert Singer, explaining that it gives any person 24 temporary hours of superpowers. Stan explains his plans for turning Vought into a defense and pharmaceutical company - less focused on famous superheroes who need looking after. He wants V24 to be used in the military, while Singer balks at the idea of perpetual resupply of V24 for continued soldier performance.

After Homelander openly physically threatens A-Train, Queen Maeve accelerates her plans by texting Billy Butcher and organising a meeting, who she has been secretly working with for months. Arriving at the Boys headquarters, Maeve gives Butcher a file on Soldier Boy, one of the first and most powerful supes, who was allegedly killed in 1984 stopping a nuclear meltdown. Maeve affirms that he was actually killed by some sort of superweapon, which she suggests could be strong enough to kill Homelander, whom Soldier Boy was nearly as strong as, if they can find it, or if it's even real. Maeve directs Butcher towards Payback, Soldier Boy's old supe team, specifically Gunpowder and Crimson Countess, Soldier Boy's sidekick and girlfriend, respectively. To help against the supes, Maeve gives Butcher 3 stolen vials of V24, proclaiming that they're still in R&D as Butcher asserts his disgust at the idea of becoming a supe. At his home, intent on pouring the vials down the sink, Butcher is stopped by Homelanders unexpected arrival. Butcher hides the drugs, as the two converse on their rivalry and agreeing to "fight to the death". After Homelander departs, Butcher leaves the V24 hidden.

Sometime later, Butcher has a dream set in his home of him contemplating taking the V24. Homelander, on the television, questions if he'll really take it, and proclaims that he has reached a new low at becoming a supe. Homelander is replaced by Hughie and Lenny, who both urge him to stop for Becca's sake. Butcher mournfully states that Becca is dead and gone, and administers the drug, his eyes painfully glowing gold, after which he wakes up. Butcher later hunts down Gunpowder at a gun show, and questions him on Soldier Boy's alleged habitual sexual abuse. Gunpowder claims that Solider Boy never touched him "like that" and leaves. Butcher goes to an underground car park to depart, but is nearly assassinated by Gunpowder, he narrowly escapes with a bullet wound on his leg and a grazed cheek. Butcher later returns upon learning that Victoria Neuman has been the Head-Popper the entire time, but with a dose of V24 in his system, healing his wounds. Butcher effortlessly overpowers Gunpower and questions him, the latter revealing that Soldier Boy disappeared on a mission in Nicaragua, but doesn't know the specifics. Butcher, dissatisfied, beats Gunpowder to death and bisects his head with his golden laser vision.