If there is one piece of advice that can be given to someone getting into the world of The Boys, it would be to expect the unexpected. Fans are used to constantly being surprised by the information thrown at them, so they do not sit and ponder when their entire reality is shifted.
The fourth season is not different in this, adding surprising plots like Hughie meeting his mother after years, Frenchie being involved with someone whom he orphaned, and the Deep having two new love interests, one of which is a squid.
However, every now and then, the series does a reveal that surprises fans in a way that shatters everything they thought they knew about the character. In the third season, they revealed Soldier Boy to be Homelander’s father. In this season, it happens to be Annie’s past.
The Boys Reveals Starlight’s Dark Backstory
In the third episode of season three, Starlight confronts Firecracker, the latest addition to the series. She happens to be an extreme, right-wing, political figure who is the exact opposite of Erin Moriarty’s character. Being the latest addition to The Seven and her platform focused on taking down everything that Annie is trying to accomplish, she is confronted by the former Seven member in her room.
When Annie asks Firecracker what horrible thing she could have done to have Firecracker target her so much, the horrible truth of both of their pasts is revealed.
You really don’t remember me, do you? Of course, I mean why would you? We were only on the same pageant circuit together for three f*ckin’ years. ‘Course, I was going by ‘Sparkler’ back in those days.
Miami-Dade. Down to you and me, the finals. And my mom starts doing my makeup, and I notice that everyone is snickering at me. You remember why? Turns out you told everyone that I had an a**-f*ck g*ngb*ng with the judges, which was the only way trash like me could make it to the final. I was 13 years old. And when I went to you to ask you, ‘Why?’, you remember what you said?