Do you know why I can't speak? (...) I never told Kenji the truth. It was my first night at camp... I murdered her without making a sound. Then when I was allowed to speak again... I couldn't.
Kimiko Miyashiro,[1] or simply The Female, is one of the three tritagonists (alongside Frenchie and Mother's Milk) of the Amazon series The Boys, serving as a major character in Seasons 1, 3 and 4, and the tritagonist of Season 2. She is a member of the vigilante group known as The Boys.
When The Boys find her imprisoned in a cage in a basement under high security, they mistake her for a victim in desperate need of saving. But as The Boys unravel the mystery surrounding her, they follow a trail of blood and gore to learn that she’s a badass who might just end up saving them instead.
And as they’ll discover, the puzzle of her origins is part of something larger and far more terrifying than they ever imagined.
Kimiko Miyashiro was born on August 1st, 1989[2] in Japan. In her youth, Kimiko grew up with her parents and brother Kenji on the coast of Japan. Kimiko adoringly remembers looking at palm trees in the moonlight from her home country. One night, a group of terrorists from the Shining Light Liberation Army broke into her home, beat down and killed her parents. The soldiers nabbed Kimiko and Kenji, forcing them to serve in their army in the war-torn Philippines for many years.
One evening, Kimiko saw her brother ravenously eat through his small rations of food at their camp in a jungle. She quietly sneaks over to him and gives him the rest of her food. Kenji refuses and insists that she eat. Kimiko affectionately pats him on the head and leaves.
She eventually tried and managed to escape, but was recaptured however, and taken prisoner by the terrorist group and smuggled into the United States, where she was experimented on with Compound V provided by A-Train. Her experimentation was a part of an elaborate plot by Homelander to create supervillains and allow them to wreak havoc over the world. This would force the U.S. government to allow superheroes to join the army and combat these superhuman threats. Kimiko would remain imprisoned in a Triad hideout underneath a bodega New York City, until her captors were ready to unleash her. Despite all of the trauma she endured, Kimiko resolved to find her brother and return to their home country.
After blackmailing A-Train's girlfriend, Popclaw, the Boys discover that the speedster has developed an addiction to Compound V and discreetly runs the substance to Noodle Palace on Division in New York City. When they see a Filipino man grab a bag from another man who purposefully bumped into him, Frenchie, Hughie Campbell and Mother's Milk follow him to small grocery store. There, they discover a secret hideout for Asian gangsters in the basement. After sneaking past the gangsters, M.M. and Hughie look through the boxes in a storage room to find the Compound V. Frenchie, however, hears loud Japanese music and discovers Kimiko in a cell, sitting underneath a table, watching a Japanese television show. Frenchie insists that they should free her, but M.M. says that they should find the Compound V and leave before the gangsters find them. Regardless, Frenchie frees her anyway and she slowly crawls from underneath the table. Suddenly, the gangsters run in, armed, realizing that Kimiko has gotten out. Kimiko quickly kills two of the gangsters, while the third one shoots himself in the head. Terrified, the Boys lock themselves into Kimiko's cell before she can kill them as well. Realizing she can't reach them now, Kimiko escapes from Triad hideout.
After investigating her cell, Frenchie finds a slip of paper from a train ticket and realizes that she's en-route to New York Penn Station in an attempt to flee town. M.M. locates a package containing a syringe filled with Compound V in one of the boxes and calls one of his contacts to find out where it came from. Billy Butcher, Frenchie, and M.M. begin the search for Kimiko and plan to gas her out using concentrated halothane given to them by Cherie. Meanwhile, A-Train arrives at the gangster's hideout and discovers that his associates have been killed. He decides to hide Popclaw while he finds out who is responsible before Homelander finds out.
After her escape, Kimiko enters a nail salon while covered in blood, deeply unsettling the staff and customers. She enters the office in the back and the Mamasan Matron offers her a special deal for a mani-pedi, while counting her money. When the woman turns around, Kimiko brutally tears her to pieces with her bare hands.
When the police arrive at the crime scene, A-Train tells them the murder was a gang hit, so they won't know about the Supe. Butcher, Frenchie, and M.M. arrive shortly and pretend to be homicide detectives to investigate the crime. However, A-Train's presence forces them to leave, due to A-Train having previously seen Mother's Milk and Hughie a week ago when they were bugging Popclaw's apartment. Before they leave, Frenchie discovers that the nail polish he found in Kimiko's prison matches the ones in the nail salon and one of employees recalls meeting her a year ago. M.M. says that the victim, Roberta Cho, previously smuggled in immigrants from across the Pacific. Butcher theorizes that she also smuggled in Kimiko. A race ensues, as A-Train takes off in search of Kimiko. Thanks to Frenchie's lead, they have a head start on A-Train.
At the station, M.M. reveals that his contact is a postman, who has tracked where the Compound V used on Kimiko came from: Samaritan's Embrace, a Supe charity headed by Ezekiel. The three men split up to find Kimiko faster. Eventually, Frenchie finds Kimiko watching a Japanese television show, hidden in the back of an electronics store and texts her location to Butcher. Frenchie discovers her hiding underneath a table like before and Kimiko attempts to attack. Frenchie takes a submissive position and sets down his canister of halothane to convince Kimiko that he doesn't want to harm her. In an attempt to connect with her, Frenchie tells Kimiko that his father took him away from his mother when he was a boy. Every few nights, his father would take him out for a walk, to smoke a cigarette and tell him he loved him. However, he would also burn his legs with the cigarettes. Frenchie made many attempts to run away, jumping buses and trains or anything to return to his mother, but he was found by his father every time. Frenchie says that he understands her desire to go home and realizes that she is just scared, not bad. Frenchie offers his hand and tells her to let him help her. Suddenly, the channel changes on the TV. Frightened, Kimiko throws the table at Frenchie and flees from the store. Frenchie attempts to follow her, but quickly loses her in the crowd.
Kimiko makes her way to the subway and attempts to board a train, however, she is quickly spotted by the Boys, which results in a chase. Kimiko jumps onto the train tracks and attempts to escape into the tunnel, however, A-Train suddenly appears and uses his super speed to grab and carry her away from the civilians. Kimiko hits A-Train in the face, causing him to fall and drop her. Kimiko attempts to run away, however, A-Train quickly overtakes her and punches her through a concrete wall and repeatedly smashes her head into another wall at superspeed. With quick thinking, Frenchie makes a crowd by telling everyone in the subway that A-Train is here. To prevent a media disaster, A-Train is forced to stop the beating and greet his fans, while Kimiko is able to escape. The Boys go after Kimiko and corner her in a dark corridor. Butcher prepares to gas her, but Frenchie stops him and asks for a chance to talk to her. Frenchie tells Kimiko that he can help her go home, however, she is frightened and tackles him to the ground. In response, Butcher throws the halothane canisters, and the gas knocks out Frenchie and Kimiko.
Encounter with Black Noir[]
Kimiko is taken to a safe house and bound in chains, so she can't escape or attack any of the Boys. While the rest of the Boys go to Believe Expo to obtain more info about Compound V from Ezekiel, Frenchie is left to watch over Kimiko. Frenchie uses this as an opportunity to bond with Kimiko by cooking her a meal and trying to engage in conversation with her. Frenchie asks her to tell him who experimented on her, so he can help her go back home. Kimiko, however, is unwilling to talk and lunges at Frenchie, who's only saved by the chains that bind her.
Elsewhere, A-Train is ordered by Homelander to find Kimiko. While A-Train looks through (the now dead) Popclaw's belongings, the speedster discovers surveillance footage of Butcher and Frenchie blackmailing her after looking through a hidden camera's flash drive. Although Butcher's back is to the camera, A-Train captures a clear image of Frenchie. With at least 34 different addresses and a dozen aliases, A-Train and Black Noir begin to track down Frenchie from building to building.
Later that night, Kimiko is asleep, while Frenchie receives a call from his girlfriend, Cherie. She informs him that his identity has been exposed and the Seven are looking for him, since she spotted Black Noir outside of her apartment. When Frenchie asks which addresses do they have, Cherie says if they found her apartment, they have all of them, before destroying her phone. While Frenchie gathers his belongings, he calls Butcher and says that he's been burned. Butcher asks how they found out and if the rest of The Boys were burned as well, and Frenchie replies that he doesn't know. Frenchie says that the Seven knows all of his locations and he must flee immediately. When Frenchie asks what to do with Kimiko, Butcher says to leave her behind and hangs up, as Frenchie protests. Frenchie discovers that Kimiko is awake and just heard his conversation. As Frenchie finishes packing his bag, he tells Kimiko that the Supes are coming and he has been ordered to leave her behind for them to find, which leaves her visibly frightened. He complains that he's not a weapon to be pointed and fired, but Butcher sees him that way and Kimiko is the same as him. Frenchie says that she doesn't deserve to be captured by the Seven and unchains her. Kimiko immediately runs away.
Frenchie goes to his car to escape; however, he sees Black Noir on the rooftops. Frenchie hides, but continues to his car, once he sees Black Noir leave. Suddenly, Black Noir drops down onto his car and menacingly approaches Frenchie. Before Black Noir can attack, Kimiko quickly knocks the Supe into a dumpster, then nods to Frenchie. Frenchie runs away, and Black Noir recovers, and Kimiko fights him hand-to-hand. Using her enhanced speed and agility, Kimiko lands several hits on Black Noir, however, the dark superhero's strength, reflexes, and weaponry allowed him to hold an advantage. He implants a blade in her foot, pinning her to the alley floor, and then guts her with another blade. Kimiko collapses, bleeding out, and Black Noir leaves her. When Frenchie returns, he finds Kimiko apparently dead. He is visibly upset and, as a sign of respect for saving him, covers her body with his jacket. Suddenly, Kimiko gasps for air and Frenchie watches in amazement as her wounds heal. She grabs his arm, and Frenchie takes her hand and says that she's a miracle.
Reliving the past[]
At their safehouse, The Boys review what they've learned about Samaritan's Embrace and its smuggling of V. M.M. reveals that Samaritan's Embrace, bankrolled by Vought, has been shipping Compound V to 53 hospitals across the U.S. since 1971 and claim that the compound is polio vaccine. He reveals that no Supe is born, simply injected with Compound V as a baby. Hughie wonders if they know what happened to them and Butcher asks about Homelander. M.M. says that there are no public records about Homelander, but the records showed all of the other Supes are juiced-up lab rats. Kimiko wanders around, noisily grabbing papers and pens, angering M.M., who demands that Frenchie control her. Frenchie insists that he doesn't control her. Butcher admits that they have many charges to take to Raynor.
Hughie checks on Kimiko, who is writing down edged spheres on the paper she's taken. When Hughie grabs one of her papers, Kimiko snarls at him and nearly attacks him, like a dog defending its territory. Fortunately, Frenchie intervenes and calms down Kimiko. Frenchie points out that Kimiko was injected with Compound V as an adult in a basement and that she recently rose from the dead. He thinks that she's trying to communicate with her drawings, but Butcher believes that she is no different than a feral animal who can't speak. Frenchie wants to find out, but Billy and Milk remind him that he's been burned, and he can't risk leaving the safehouse. Billy departs and takes Hughie with him.
Later, Frenchie watches a documentary on sharks and Kimiko suddenly sits next to him to watch as well. Frenchie offers to change the channel, but Kimiko nods in refusal, which M.M. notices. Frenchie excitedly tells M.M. that Kimiko communicated with him, but Milk isn't impressed. Frenchie assumes that she watches the show, because she used to live by the water. He figures that Kimiko's secrets torment M.M. and suggests that they talk to Mesmer, who despises Vought and hates the other Supes; using the logic that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. M.M. reminds Frenchie that he's burned, but Frenchie figures that he and Kimiko will hide in the van and let Milk do the talking. M.M. refuses, but Frenchie points out that M.M. can't bear things out of order and Kimiko is out of order. M.M. begrudgingly agrees.
After making an deal with Mesmer, M.M. and Frenchie take Kimiko to the mind reader's home, so he can tell them more about her. Mesmer takes her hand to read her memories. This causes her to remember her savage assault on the Asian gangsters and her fights with A-Train and Black Noir. Believing that she is in danger, Kimiko instinctively snaps Mesmer's wrist. Frenchie calms Kimiko down and Mesmer angrily tells them to leave so he can go the hospital, but M.M. intimidates the Supe into continuing the session. M.M offers to patch Mesmer up, and Butcher calls and asks where they are. M.M. attempts to lie, but Butcher can track his signal and asks where he really is.
Frenchie tries to coax Kimiko out from under a table, when Billy and Hughie arrive at Mesmer's house. Butcher says that they have to kill Mesmer now so he can't rat them out, but M.M. refuses and explains that he made a deal with him. Unconvinced, Billy says they can't trust Supes and that M.M. should know better, but M.M. insists that they get more from people by treating them like people. Billy reluctantly agrees and tells them to continue the session. This time, Kimiko grabs Frenchie's hand for emotional support and nervously takes Mesmer's hand again. The Supe sees a memory of Kimiko as a soldier at a camp in a jungle with a flag emblazoned with a two headed snake and red rays. Butcher and M.M. recognize it as the flag for the Shining Light Liberation Army, and deduces that Kimiko is a terrorist. Frenchie asks Kimiko if it's true, who sadly and nervously looks at him, confirming it.
While Kimiko starts drawing more of the spheres, Frenchie insists to the others that she can't be a terrorist. Butcher and M.M. deduce that Kimiko was smuggled into the U.S., injected with Compound V, and would be released to wreak havoc. In denial, Frenchie still doesn't believe this. Hughie questions why Vought would give Compound V to terrorists, with Butcher and M.M. deducing that Vought is crafting super-villains to justify getting The Seven into the military. Frenchie insists that Kimiko doesn't want to be a super villain and saved his life, and just wants to go home. Butcher angrily says that they can't trust Supes. Frenchie pleadingly asks Kimiko to tell them who she is and show them what he sees. Kimiko suddenly gets up and stares down Butcher, before bringing Mesmer over to his chair and taking his hand, so her mind can be read.
Mesmer sees a young Female staring up at the moon from her bed by the beach. Her drawings are of palm trees in front of the moon. Suddenly, armed terrorists from the Shining Light Liberation Army kill her parents and kidnap her and her brother, forcing them to be soldiers. Mesmers says that Kimiko just wants to go back and rescue her brother from the camp. The session ends with Kimiko crying as she relives these horrible events. Mesmer reveals that her name is Kimiko, and nervously backs away from her. Frenchie calls Kimiko by her real name and tries to console her. Butcher tells the Boys to take Kimiko back to the safehouse while he goes to see Raynor so he can get the Feds onboard. Before he goes, Butcher threatens to kill Mesmer if tells anyone what happened today. Mesmer offers his hand to shake on it, but Butcher tells him to "f#ck off" and leaves.
At the safehouse, Kimiko continues to watch the shark documentary from earlier. Frenchie tells Kimiko that he knows she wants to find her brother, but the Boys can use her help stopping the men who dosed her and are dosing others. He offers Kimiko a choice to go the airport and let her go after her brother. Kimiko takes his hand and curls up on the couch, admitting that she wants to stay with him. Billy returns and claims that Susan got cold feet and couldn't authorize legal action against Vought because of the risk. M.M. is somewhat suspicious of Butcher and Frenchie says that they are "royally fucked" However, Butcher figures that they got everything they need and will take down Vought themselves, and wonders where Hughie is.
We've Been Burned[]
At their safehouse, Kimiko cooks a meal for the others with Frenchie giving her advice. Hughie comes in and Kimiko, with help from Frenchie, "asks" where he was. Butcher wants to know as well, and Hughie asks to talk to him privately. When Butcher refuses to do so, Hughie says to the room that he doesn't think he can do it anymore. He tells them that what they're doing with Vought is awful and they have to stop. Billy tells him that he's a killer like the rest of them, and forces him to tell everyone what it's really all about. Hughie says that it's about Annie, much to M.M.'s disappointment. Billy mock-applauds and says that Hughie has been sneaking off to have sex with Annie. He says that Annie is playing him, and Hughie asks how it's working out to be loyal to a dead woman (Butcher's missing wife, Becca Butcher). Everyone becomes silent as Butcher glares at Hughie.
Suddenly, Hughie receives a call from his father, however, A-Train is revealed to be on the other end. The speedster tells Hughie that Hugh is fine, and the others realize that if Hughie is burned then they all are. A-Train tells Hughie to come to his house alone in 20 minutes or he'll kill his father just like Robin. The others confirm that they've been burned, and Butcher tells Hughie that he's going to kill Annie whether she's responsible or not. M.M. points out that Annie never saw him so he couldn't have been burned by her, and Butcher realizes that Mesmer turned them in and angrily leaves to kill him. Hughie thanks M.M. for stepping in, but M.M. tells him that it wasn't smart sleeping with Annie.
When Hughie arrives at his house, A-Train, who is in a state of withdrawal, speeds in with Hughie's Seven collectibles, and realizes that he was a fan. He quickly confirms that Hughie came alone and mockingly says that he should've had a few cards up his sleeve. Hughie holds up a syringe of Compound V and squirts it on the floor, much to the speedster's frustration. Hughie reveals that it's a fake and claims that he has a real dose hidden outside and negotiates with A-Train to let his father go, so he can take the speedster to it. A-Train agrees but says that if Hughie tries anything, then he will go after his father. Once Hugh leaves, Hughie says that Compound V must be very addictive, since A-Train was willing to kill his girlfriend just for standing in his way. A-Train counters this by saying his girlfriend Popclaw is dead and Hughie put her in danger. A-Train says the only difference between them is that Robin's death was accidental, whereas Hughie blackmailed Popclaw on purpose. Suddenly, Kimiko slips in and swings at A-Train's right leg with a pipe, shattering the speedster's leg. Before they leave, Hughie sarcastically tells A-Train that it would have been stupid to come alone.
The Boys hide Hugh and M.M.'s wife and daughter, Monique and Janine, at their safehouse, while Frenchie attempts to find a secure location them to stay for the night, to no avail. Hughie tries to contact Starlight, with no success. Butcher introduces himself to Hughie's father and M.M.'s daughter, but is met with distaste from Monique, who slaps him across the face. Suddenly, Kimiko stares at Hugh, prompting him to ask Hughie what she is doing. Hughie explains that Kimiko is mute and apologizes to Hugh about everything. Hugh says that he's standing up for himself and has nothing to apologize for. M.M. confronts Butcher about the deal with Raynor and says that she is interested but didn't bring Billy Homelander so he threw the whole deal away. Butcher denies it but Milk figures that he's lying, and his anger is clouding his judgement. He reminds Billy that he said things would be different, but this time it will be his family instead of Mallory's. M.M. begs Butcher to call and take Raynor's deal for his family's sake.
Sometime later, several cars pull up outside of the Boys' hideout. They hurriedly grab their weapons and prepare for a fight, but Butcher tells them to calm down and walks outside to meet them. Billy returns with Raynor and her men from the CIA. Raynor assures Milk that his family will be okay, and he realizes that Billy called after all. Monique tells M.M. that she never wants to see him again, and Milk hugs Janine and tells her that she'll be safe with Monique. Hugh hugs Hughie and goes with the agents, and Raynor asks Butcher for the V. She admits that she won't be able to give him Homelander but the others are fair game. After a moment, Butcher hands over the Compound V sample and Susan leaves.
Captured[]
After some time, The Boys move their base of operations to a motel room. Raynor calls Butcher and tells him that the Pentagon is keeping Compound V classified, because of the revelation of a Supe terrorist, Naqib. She says they have to keep Vought happy, and the Boys has no proof that Vought is responsible, but Butcher argues that Kimiko is proof of Vought's experiments. M.M. tries to sell the story to the newspaper without success. Raynor tells Butcher that the military deal is signed, and no one will believe the fugitives who killed Translucent. Vought insisted and the Department of Justice agreed; now the Boys are wanted men. Meanwhile, in the motel bathroom, Kimiko combs her hair and smiles at herself in the mirror, much to M.M.'s annoyance, who wants her to hurry up. Raynor assures Butcher that she'll protect their families, and all the Boys can do is run for their lives. Once he hangs up, Frenchie and Milk decide they need to split up and go their separate ways. Billy insists that they're on the verge of nailing the Supes and asks for a couple of hours. He tells Hughie to come with him and they leave.
In the bathroom, Kimiko paints her fingernails, looks at herself in the mirror and tries to speak. Suddenly, she hears a vehicle pull up outside and runs out, just as black ops soldiers throw two gas grenades through the window. Frenchie shoves Kimiko into the bathroom and closes the door before collapsing along with M.M.. A soldier breaks in and attacks Kimiko, who takes him down. She escapes through the window and another soldier manages to drug her before Kimiko kicks him away. A disoriented Kimiko crawls underneath a truck and watches as the soldiers' haul Frenchie and M.M. away. She looks at her fingernails, now covered in blood, and passes out from the drug. The soldiers find her and take her away with the others. Blinded by anger, Butcher leaves the team behind so he can capture Stillwell and get his revenge on Homelander.
Fortunately, Hughie comes to rescue the Boys by allowing himself to get captured, so he can be imprisoned with them. Hughie frees himself, Frenchie, and M.M. by wearing his high school retainer so that Frenchie can pick the lock with the metal wire. Once they escape, Frenchie knocks out a soldier and takes his gun; unaware that there are surveillance cameras.
The three men search for Kimiko and find her in a room, strapped to a gurney with medical monitors hooked up to her. Frenchie sees her through an observation window and they both smile at sight of one another. Suddenly, a soldier shoots Frenchie in the shoulder, but M.M. and Hughie get him to cover. More soldiers move in, pinning them down, and M.M. curses and says that Kimiko better be worth it. Frenchie gives the gun to Hughie and tells him to cover M.M., who run across the room to save Kimiko. Hughie has trouble shooting and reloading, but M.M. runs back with Kimiko and Frenchie nods his thanks to his teammate. Unfortunately, Hughie runs out of bullets and the soldiers surround them. As they prepare to be taken, a blinding light takes out their assailants. It is revealed to be Starlight, who quickly defeats the soldiers. Hughie is surprised and Starlight tells him that she came because she's a superhero.
The Boys and Starlight find a door that leads out of the building, and Frenchie and M.M. carry Kimiko out. However, they are confronted by A-Train. Hughie closes the door, telling his teammates to leave and that he'll be okay. A-Train easily defeats Starlight, but before he can kill Hughie, he suffers from an overdose of Compound V that gives him a heart attack. Hughie tries to resuscitate the speedster, but Starlight calls for an ambulance and tells Hughie that she'll take over and he should go, or else he'll be caught. Hughie reluctantly leaves and goes after his teammates.
When one of Frenchie's "friends" gets injured, The Boys investigate a harbor and find a ship smashed on land. While the Boys are looking around, Kimiko finds an origami figure and begins to think it was from her brother. The Boys find and watch video footage that showed the gang members were transporting a telekinetic super-terrorist, who lifted the ship and threw it at one of the members. Eventually, The Boys investigate a costume shop to track down the terrorist, Kimiko finds and kills a guard who is revealed to be from the Shining Light Liberation Army, and then she finds her brother, Kenji. While Kimiko embraces her brother, Butcher attempts to shoot Kenji, but gets stopped by Hughie; Kenji then uses his powers to neutralize The Boys, providing Kimiko and him a chance to flee. Kimiko and Kenji meet at swing set and reminisce about their time before they were separated. Kimiko uses their custom sign language to ask about her brother what happened after she was taken; Kenji reveals he was injected with Compound V after the Shining Light had a successful test with Kimiko. As the two continue to connect in a city, Kimiko suggests they go home back to their village or somewhere in Japan, while Kenji reveals their home is gone and was destroyed by the Americans. Kenji defends the Shining Light by attempting to convince Kimiko to help him fight a new global threat, America. Kimiko denies his statements and tries to remind him of the boy he was, but Kenji denies her statements as being memories from a long time ago.Their disagreement turns physical, when Kenji attempts to walk away, and Kimiko grabs him. Kenji knocks back Kimiko and runs. Kimiko eventually catches up with Kenji and subdues him with a chokehold, knocking him out, allowing for The Boys to arrive and capture him.
Goodbye[]
Butcher makes a deal with Grace Mallory to turn in Kenji at a rendezvous point in return for information on Becca. Kimiko tries to reconnect with her brother by reminding him of the times they protected each other, saying that she still loves him, and is reluctantly doing this. Kenji then begs her to let him go and he won't hurt anyone, but Kimiko just apologizes before leaving. Eventually, The Deep intervenes and forces the Boys into transporting Kenji using a different method via a storm drain. In order to save Hughie, The Boys temporally unbind Kenji so he can save Hughie from Homelander. Kenji then uses this opportunity to escape, while Kimiko chases after him, however the two are then confronted by Stormfront. Stormfront chases the two through an apartment building, killing any black residents in her path, and eventually corners them on the rooftops. Kenji runs away while Kimiko fights with Stormfront. Stormfront overpowers Kimiko and begins to choke her, until Kenji comes back and attacks her. Stormfront incapacitates Kimiko temporarily with her lightning. While Kimiko is out, Stormfront breaks Kenji's wrists, locks him in a chokehold, and breaks his neck. A troubled Kimiko, runs away and regroups with the Boys with a new hatred for Stormfront brewing inside of her.
Grieving[]
Seeking revenge for Kenji's murder, Kimiko attempts to attack Stormfront at a public rally, however Frenchie stops her from getting close. Unable to enact her revenge, Kimiko meets with Cherie in attempts to satisfy her blood lust. In exchange for 10% of her earnings, Cherie agrees to set up Kimiko to do some contract killings for some Albanian mobsters. Frenchie finds out about the deal when he follows Kimiko to a church where she earns her paycheck from Cherie. An enraged Frenchie scolds them both for the way they're handling the loss, saying this is not the right way to handle it. However, Cherie apathetically replies that Frenchie is foolishly naïve for seeing Kimiko as an innocent girl (when she's far from it), while Kimiko shoves Frenchie and signs to him that she doesn't want his help. Frenchie then stands up and shouts that he can't understand her because she refuses to let him. Infuriated further, Frenchie walks away stating "Go be a monster."
Rekindling the Spark[]
Despite Frenchie still resenting Kimiko's choice to become an assassin, Frenchie and her make amends during their infiltration of the Sage Grove Center. There, Frenchie opens up about his trouble past with Lamplighter and uses that to finally accept Kimiko for who she wants to be. The two bond further while guarding Victoria Neuman, when Kimiko finally teaches Frenchie her sign language.
A long time coming[]
During the confrontation with Stormfront, Kimiko initially freezes with fear when Stormfront ambushes them. Her shakes turn to laughter as she overcomes her fear and taunts her brother's killer. The fight begins and Kimiko charges Stormfront, however Stormfront knocks her off. Stormfront and Kimiko attack each other back and forth, until Stormfront gains the upper hand and snaps Kimiko's neck. While Stormfront neutralizes The Boys, Kimiko realigns her neck and joins Queen Maeve and Starlight in kicking Stormfront to ground.
At the end of the season, Kimiko signs to Frenchie and they continue to bond as friends.
Kimiko continues to work with The Boys and to retain her close friendship with Frenchie. She helps take down Supes, such as Termite, but she starts to wonder if the work they're doing is really for good. She doesn't like hurting people.
A New Life[]
“
I blamed the V for making me a monster but... that's not true. It is just who I am.
Kimiko tells Frenchie she wants out and to go to Marseilles with him. He agrees after they finish one final job -to find the superweapon that helped kill Soldier Boy. They go to Russia and try to find the weapon, but instead find Soldier Boy alive. Soldier Boy's torso glows and prepares to fire an energy blast at Frenchie. Kimiko shoves Frenchie aside and absorbs the blast, launching her down through a wall and impaling her abdomen with rebar. Frenchie notices she doesn't heal like she normally does, and The Boys put her in a van to try to get her some medical help. All the while, M.M. helps stabilize her condition and Frenchie reassures her.
Kimiko stabilizes. Kimiko wakes up but she’s still very weak and in pain. She looks at her wounds and smiles that she didn’t heal. She then asks Frenchie to give her something heavy to pick up. When she attempts to lift it, she struggles without her super strength. She thinks Soldier Boy took away her powers. Overjoyed with a chance to live a normal life, she kisses Frenchie.
However, things don't go as well as she hoped. Little Nina visits the hospital and is angry at the mayhem The Boys caused in Russia. Nina demands Frenchie to repay her with an assassination contract. When Frenchie refuses, Nina kidnaps Kimiko along with Frenchie and Cherie. With Cherie and Kimiko handcuffed to chairs, Nina orders Frenchie to choose who will live and who die. Before Frenchie can choose, Kimiko lock-picks her handcuffs with a popsicle stick. Kimiko slashes the throat of one of the henchmen and hides behind his body as Yevgenny shoots at her. Kimiko fights Yevgenny as the two beat each other. Yevgenny overpowers Kimiko and brutally punches her in the abdomen. Kimiko grabs a nearby nail and stabs Yevgenny in his leg. Yevgenny falls over as Kimiko stabs him multiple times. Later, Starlight gives Kimiko her second dose of Compound V to recover from Soldier Boy’s attack, returning her abilities and restoring her superpowers, possibly even stronger than before.
For Family[]
After rescuing Frenchie from Little Nina, she feels bad that she didn’t have powers which almost cost them their lives. Kimiko requests Annie to get her compound V from Vought to protect herself and Frenchie. After a romantic dance with Frenchie, she tells him that she must take compound V to protect them. Firstly, Frenchie hesitates to this idea but then he agrees with Kimiko and injects her with compound V. The two wait for the V to take effect as Kimiko slowly regains her powers and her wounds heal.
Taking down Soldier Boy[]
Frenchie and Kimiko break into the lab to get a drug to knock out Soldier Boy. Kimiko fights off a few security guards. Frenchie gets shot in the leg. He gets the dose of the neurotoxin and tells Kimiko to go and bring it to the group, which she does. Unfortunately, the neurotoxin doesn't work as anticipated but they still manage to take him down.
Kimiko embarks on a mission with Frenchie to destroy a Shining Light Liberation Army cell, where she confronts her past and faces an old acquaintance.
Later, Kimiko helps secure Compound V from A-Train to help Hughie's father. However, they face an ambush from the Shining Light, but manage to get away. Kimiko, along with The Boys, investigates a virus that kills Supes. Despite facing mutated animals and other threats, her commitment to the mission never wavers. Later, in "Dirty Business," she helps rescue Hughie from Tek Knight's mansion, where they confront Tek Knight and learn about Homelander and Sage's plan to use prisons as internment camps.
Kimiko's emotional depth is further explored in "The Insider," where she reconciles with Frenchie after he pushed her away. They both bond by sharing their burdens and guilt. When Sameer unexpectedly injects her with the virus he developed, Frenchie has to cut off her leg to stop it from spreading (however, it regrows later).
In the season finale, "Assassination Run," Kimiko finally tells Frenchie her true feelings for him. They kiss. Later, she helps protect Singer from the Shapeshifting Supe who attacks.
After Homelander gets into power, she and The Boys leave New York. She and Frenchie go to a ship port and almost get away, but get caught. When she sees Frenchie being taken away, she speaks for the first time.
Personality[]
“
I'll never be a normal girl who likes roller coasters. I'm broken and can never be fixed. Because of this poison, this curse in my veins.
Kimiko could best be described as mute, brutal, and unpredictable, due to the years of abuse and imprisonment she was forced to endure.
Kimiko was at first considered a threat and mistrusted by everyone in The Boys except Frenchie, who is implied to be the first person to treat her with kindness and she begins to form a bond with him. After she flees and Frenchie is attacked by Black Noir in an alley, Kimiko intervenes and saves his life, demonstrating the bond they had developed has become a mutual trust. Throughout the seasons Kimiko's relationship with Frenchie gradually develops, and she even takes Compound V again after having her powers removed by Soldier Boy to protect him in the dangerous fight against Vought International. Their trust and reliance on each other becomes intimate and because of this Kimiko is compelled to do good, ironically unlike her public image as an orphan with a background and childhood in the Shining Light Liberation Army.
After this, she seems to become significantly calmer, and while still dangerous and unstable, she does not appear to have an involuntary compulsion to kill people and acts more personable towards the rest of the group, though MM and Hughie still behave cautiously around her. However, her sideline as a hitwoman for the Albanian Mob shows that she does willingly choose to engage in violent behavior. Kimiko has shown to be capable of following instructions like a valid part of the team, whether it's beating batter in making French pastries, acting as Hughie's backup, or breaking A-Train's leg with a pipe at the right time. As Kimiko grows closer to Frenchie and tries to focus her capacity for violence in protecting him and the team, she gradually becomes more civilized and approachable. By Season 4, she acts cordially with Hughie and MM, and is visibly concerned when either one of them is attacked or hurt. She often types messages on her phone to communicate with The Boys, frequently using emoji’s in a playful manner. For the most part, she is also capable of attending public events and behaving normally around strangers
She is perfectly capable of hearing and comprehending even complicated and nuanced concepts in spoken English, although she communicates in sign language created by her and her brother. Her muteness is indeed curious, because, as shown in What I Know, she is capable of vocalization, as she laughed audibly at Stormfront. Kenji revealed that her muteness is the result of the psychological trauma inflicted on her when members of the Shining Light Liberation Army murdered their parents in front of her. Kenji stated that one day she just stopped speaking completely.
Kimiko also displays a child-like attitude, which is shown in Season 3 when she is especially excited to go to a mountain rush, play the piano, eat candy cotton, and hear Crimson Countess sing, she also covers her eyes when she sees Hughie completely naked as a consequence of his temporary powers acquired by taking V24.
Kimiko sees her powers as a curse and because of this, she believes she will never be able to have a normal life and be a normal person. However, she still has some pride and dignity, feeling disgusted by how Butcher inhumanly uses her like a weapon.
This would later change after the first encounter with Soldier Boy. She lost her powers while protecting Frenchie, causing her to be badly injured. After a while, she concluded that Compound V isn't inherently evil or good but rather that it's a tool for people to use, and she used it to protect those she loved. She also wrote a paragraph to Starlight in case she refused to bring her Compound V, which was put to use and succeeded in persuading Starlight.
Powers and Abilities[]
Powers[]
“
And the two Supes on your side? Man, for whatever reason, you have a blind spot for them." "All right, I'll give you Starlight. But Kimiko's a bloody good weapon, and the rest of them are still up to scratch.
Kimiko possesses astounding regenerative healing factor abilities, allowing her to regenerate from fatal injuries that would kill humans and Supes. She has recovered from a multitude of attacks in mere seconds, such as being shot numerous times and once in the head, being eviscerated by Black Noir during a fight, and having her neck broken by Stormfront. Mere moments after having Zoe Neuman eat away at her arm, she began re-growing it. She also healed after having her face skin torn off during a fall.
Pain Suppression: Kimiko possesses advantageous pain-suppressing abilities, meaning she is highly resistant to feeling physical pain, exhibiting minimal to no suffering except in cases of heavy physical trauma or when possibly weakened by contaminates like the Supe Virus. Because of this, she can think clearly and continue to move through horrific and gruesome injuries that would incapacitate or kill humans. This allows Kimiko to shrug off stabbings, gunshots, and specific super-powered attacks.
Superhuman Strength:
Kimiko easily breaking Hughie's arm
Kimiko possesses superhuman strength, which makes her stronger than humans and some Supes. With her strength, she can mutilate humans in a variety of ways with little to no effort, including lacerating them with her fingernails. In addition, Kimiko's strength allows her to fight Supes. She is strong enough to strike A-Train's leg hard enough to cause a compound fracture, knock Love Sausage unconscious with a single hit, pin Crimson Countess to the wall, and repeatedly slam Stormfront into concrete walls with enough force to shatter them and throw her back several feet. Kimiko was also able to kick Tek-Knight into unconsciousness.
Superhuman Durability:
Kimiko being bashed against a wall
Kimiko possesses superhuman durability, making her more durable than humans. However, her durability only applies to blunt-force trauma, as she is not bulletproof. She thus survives being flung through a concrete wall and then having her skull repeatedly bashed against a wall at high speeds by A-Train. She can withstand super-powered punches from Supes of greater strength, like Stormfront, or Supes with equal strength, like The Shifter and Firecracker. Furthermore, she endures Stormfront's electricity. Throughout all of this, Kimiko has displayed no signs of internal or external injury. Kimiko, after losing her powers, stated that she barely felt Frenchie's touch and hugs given her durability.
Superhuman Agility: Kimiko possesses superhuman agility, causing her to be more agile than humans and some Supes. Her agility allows her to effortlessly and swiftly evade strikes in close-quarters combat, jump long distances to pounce on opponents, dodge close-range gunshots, and even react to A-Train's superhuman speed.
Superhuman Speed: Kimiko possesses superhuman speed, enabling her to run faster than humans. She can run at rapid speeds in short bursts. For instance, Kimiko speed-blitzes Black Noir to save Frenchie. She also attempts to do this to Soldier Boy but gets caught.
Superhuman Hearing: Kimiko possesses superhuman hearing, allowing her to hear better than humans and some Supes. She hears a Black Ops unit arrive to detain them before Frenchie or Mother's Milk can. Additionally, like all Supes, she can hear higher frequencies than humans cannot.[3]
Abilities[]
“
She looked innocent." "Innocent? She's locked up in a cage, underground, with two armed guards!" "I had a feeling about her.
Expert Combatant: Kimiko, a former soldier for the Shining Light Liberation Army, has received years of combat training, giving her a significant advantage in combat scenarios. She is a fierce combatant in battle due to her superhuman strength and agility. Kimiko uses gymnastics-style moves to overpower her adversaries, which has allowed her to temporarily hold her own against powerful Supes like Black Noir and Stormfront.
Intimidation: Kimiko is an intimidating woman, commanding an imposing presence. A man shot himself in the head to avoid her wrath.
Multilingualism: Kimiko understands both English and Japanese. Kimiko and Kenji have also came up with their own form of sign language, which she has managed to teach Frenchie.
Skilled Markswoman: As a former soldier for the Shining Light Liberation Army, Kimiko knows how to properly and effectively use guns.
Peak Human Condition: Even after losing her powers, Kimiko was still far stronger than the average human. She was capable of breaking a man's thumb with no effort, dodged a bullet right before it was fired and survived being impaled by a metal bar.
Weaknesses[]
Biological[]
Brute Force/Limited Durability: Despite being more durable than humans, Kimiko can still be knocked unconscious by extreme force. Stormfront's electricity slams her into a metal container, knocking her out temporarily. The same thing happens to her when Soldier Boy slams her against a metal table. Additionally, major injuries, such as being shot in the head and having her neck broken, have caused Kimiko to lose consciousness for a moment. Destructive weapons, such as grenade launchers, have been successful in seriously injuring and incapacitating her.
Anaesthetic Gases: Regardless of Kimiko's status as a Supe, anaesthetic gases can affect her and render her unconscious. In their second encounter with Kimiko, The Boys utilize concentrated halothane to knock her out.
High Frequencies: Due to being a Supe, Kimiko is susceptible to high frequencies. When a high frequency is playing, it can induce immense pain and temporarily neutralize her.
Psychological[]
Mutism: While before it was known by her brother that she lost her ability to talk as a result of losing her parents, in the latest episode Kimiko explains to Frenchie how that was a lie she said to her brother. The real reason is that the Shining Light arranged a forced trial in which they made Kimiko and other prisoners fight with the premise that whoever makes a noise first will lose and die. After this difficult challenge, when Kimiko was told that she can speak again, she could not make a single sound. While she has been slowly regaining the ability to vocalize her emotions and thoughts, she still does not have much of a speaking role making it more difficult for people to understand her and even harder for her to cooperate with the rest of her team. This also caused issues when she was trying to get A-Train to save MM after he had a panic attack, as she had to find books with titles that would allow A-Train to help her.
I know, I don't blame them. They were bought and sold same as me. Butcher sold me. He doesn't treat any of us as people. Butcher-- Shining Light-- Little Nina. They are the same. We only have each other. It's you and me.
From their initial meeting, there seemed to be a connection between Kimiko and Frenchie. Frenchie is scared of Kimiko at first, though warms up to her after she saves him from Black Noir, nearly dying herself. He is deeply saddened to find her bleeding out in the street, but is relieved to see her heal.
Frenchie taking care of Kimiko.
The relationship between the two develops further, as he becomes one of the only members of The Boys who is able to talk with Kimiko and calm her down in stressful situations. After an encounter with Mesmer, Frenchie asks if Kimiko would like to go and find her brother. In response, she simply holds his hand. Their relationship grows in Season 2 as Frenchie works with Kimiko in helping her write English, until the emergence of her brother Kenji. When Kenji is killed by Stormfront, Frenchie attempts to help Kimiko with her mourning, until he tries to kiss her, and she rejects him. Their relationship only further strains when Kimiko tries to kill Stormfront at a public rally; however, Frenchie stops her before she can get close. This pushes Kimiko over the edge, fueling her blood lust, so she consults Cherie in order to satisfy it. In exchange for 10% of her earnings, Cherie gets Kimiko a job as a hitman for the Albanian mafia. Once Frenchie finds out, he is disgusted and tries to convince her that this is not the right way to grieve. But Kimiko shoves him, angrily signing to him it is her fault Kenji is dead, and that she doesn't want Frenchie's assistance. Infuriated because she won't let him help or properly understand her, Frenchie rebukes her before storming off and saying, "Go be a monster."
Their relationship still remains tense where Frenchie chides Kimiko's new brass knuckles, expressing his disappointment in how she chooses to spend her blood money. The two do eventually make amends after Frenchie and Lamplighter reveal their troubled past, with Frenchie forced to confront it. Frenchie apologizes to Kimiko for trying to make her into something she isn't. The two further bond where the pair guard Victoria Neuman; Frenchie requests Kimiko to teach him her sign language. Kimiko starts by showing him the sign for "gun".
Kimiko and her younger brother Kenji were close together and became closer ever since their parents were killed and they were forcibly indoctrinated into a terrorist organization known as the Shining Light Liberation Army. Kimiko became mute after their mother was killed, so the two had developed their own form of sign language to communicate with each other. The two became all they had left from their life before and would protect each other. Until eventually, Kimiko was separated from her brother, transported to America, and injected with Compound V turning her into a Supe-Terrorist. After being freed by The Boys and "read" by Mesmer, it became clear that her only goal was to get back to Japan and find her brother. Meanwhile, Kenji was later injected with Compound V, after the organization figured it would work the same as it did for her. Kenji would then be smuggled into America by gang members and stake out in a costume shop. The two siblings were finally reunited again; however, their joyful reunion was short lived when they disagreed about The Shining Light Liberation Army. With Kenji believing the group ideologies, and Kimiko rejecting them. Kimiko then reluctantly aided The Boys in capturing Kenji to give him to the FBI.
Later despite her having agreed to turn him in, Kenji is shown to still shown to greatly care for and love Kimiko and was willing to go back and save her from Stormfront after she began to viciously attack her despite it being the perfect chance for him to escape.
At first, Butcher is reluctant to work with her, due to her being a Super, readily acknowledging that he would finish her off if necessary. However, they were later seen together resentfully watching a video where Homelander and Stormfront were together, plus Kimiko, along with Mother's Milk and Frenchie, followed Butcher's orders to the letter to stop Stormfront, unlike Hughie, who raised doubts about it.
It is left to be elucidated that Kimiko likes Starlight, since when they met for the second time in The Boys' guard Kimiko hugged Starlight as a show of affection and trust.
Yevgenny † - (Intentional; stabbed to death with a nail, self-defense)
Three Vought guards † - (Intentional; killed one with scissors and smashed the faces of the last ones, self defense)
Ten Shining Light Terrorists † - (Intentional; mutilated, killed for manipulating her and Kenji)
Two Shining Light Terrorists † - (Intentional; stabbed one in the face with scissors, neck cut of another by a blade, self-defense)
Trivia[]
She’s a parody of X-23 and Lady Deathstrike in Marvel Comics.
Kimiko resembles Lady Deathstrike, a nemesis of Wolverine. Both are Japanese women who were given powers in adulthood by a paramilitary organization, and both work as assassins. Lady Deathstrike possesses the same animalistic behavior and healing abilities as Wolverine and his daughter. In addition, the version of Lady Deathstrike in 20th Century Fox' X-Men films was also mute and did not speak. Her animalistic behavior and healing factor are also reminiscent of Wolverine and X-23 from the X-Men.
In the show, according to Kenji Miyashiro, she is fully mute due to trauma endured after seeing her parents brutally killed in front of her. In the comics, however, she is actually able to talk, but apparently suffers from selective mutism, with there being only one occasion in the comics when she spoke. Nonetheless, she usually communicates with the others in the group through Frenchie, who is inferred to learned to understand her gestures through their bond.
Her code-name comes from the title of a Rudyard Kipling poem called The Female of the Species, as well its reframe ("The female of the species is more deadly the male"). In the poem, Kipling posits that females are much more of a danger than their male counterparts, saying that their purpose was perpetuate the species, but otherwise unsuitable for positions of authority within the community due to being supposedly stubborn and single-minded.
She's the first Supe to be a member of The Boys.
In the comics Kimiko is already a member of The Boys.
Karen Fukuhara calls Kimiko's sign language KSL (Kimiko Sign Language). The name comes from ASL (or American Sign Language).
Kimiko is the first known Supe to have recovered their powers with an additional injection of Compound V after being depowered by Soldier Boy.
This also makes Kimiko unique in that she is the only known adult to have been empowered by Compound V, depowered and then empowered once more. Especially when it is taken into consideration the fatality rate for adults being injected with Compound V.
Commentary[]
Her alias calls to mind the Smurfette principle and other forms of gender-tokenism present in some superhero teams (e.g. Susan Storm of the Fantastic Four and the Golden and Silver Age versions of Wonder Woman of the Justice League)
