| “ | One dose of this temporary V gives a soldier 24 hours of powers. Give or take. And then they return right back to normal. (...) Still ironing out the kinks.
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V24, also known as Temp V, is a highly unstable and addictive 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. As the name indicates, Temp V gives its user superpowers for 24 hours. However, it is not currently practical for two reasons: the price is astronomical, and it has horrendous effects on its users' health, including causing cancerous brain lesions if too many doses are taken.
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. Some examples of this are Billy Butcher gaining powers identical to Homelander’s due to his desire to defeat him, and Hughie Campbell gaining rapid teleportation powers in order to match A-Train’s superhuman speed.
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.
V24's effects are not limited to physical injuries; they can also cause mental relapses into past behaviors or mimicking behaviors of a trauma victim. Billy Butcher attacked Gunpowder the same way he's father had beat him and the same way he had beat he's principal, shown when Mindstorm had trapped him within he's own nightmares.[1]
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, especially since the Stormfront scandal has caused the general public to associate Compound V with Nazi imagery.
After Homelander openly physically threatens A-Train, Queen Maeve accelerates her plans by texting Billy Butcher and organizing a meeting. Maeve directs Butcher to investigate former Payback members Crimson Countess and Gunpowder to learn what killed Soldier Boy. 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 Homelander's unexpected arrival. Butcher hides the drugs, as the two converse on their rivalry and agree to "fight to the death". After Homelander departs, Butcher leaves the V24 hidden. Butcher initially fails to interrogate Gunpowder and barely escapes alive. Upon learning that Victoria Neuman has been the Head-Popper the entire time, Butcher takes a dose of V24. 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.
Despite his powers, Butcher begins to experience side effects from the V24, such as frequent vomiting and raised blood pressure. Hughie notices Butcher's symptoms and Butcher confesses to taking V24. When the Boys travel to a Russian facility to learn about Soldier Boy, Butcher takes his second dose beforehand. When Russian guards corner them, Butcher unveils his powers and kills the guards with his heat-vision. Hughie also reveals he stole V24 from Butcher when he teleports to kill one of the guards.
From then on, Butcher and Hughie take V24 to aid in their mission to hunt down the former Payback members. Both taking separate doses when they confront Crimson Countess, The TNT Twins, and Mindstorm. Despite the advantage V24 gave them against the Supes, it was slowly degrading their health. Annie learns the truth when she sneaks back into the Vought Tower and finds research notes detailing negative side effects of V24. V24 causes brain lesions and 3-5 doses are enough to be fatal. Despite this knowledge, Butcher takes his sixth and final dose before he confronts Homelander. Butcher is able to hold his own against Homelander and Soldier Boy, but he collapses unconscious when the fight concludes. A doctor confirms that Butcher's V24 use has cause irreparable damage to his brain. Butcher's condition is now terminal and he is given an estimated 12-18 months left to live.
Season Four[]
Episode 1 is the first time we see a worm-like organism, later revealed to be a sentient cancerous growth, is seen moving under Billy's face, a seeming-to-be side effect of his multiple injections of Temp V.
Episode 4 is hints at the potential side effects of Temp V when combined with regular compound V. In an effort to stop Hughie from injecting his father with V, Butcher reveals that—in an attempt to cure himself of his Temp V-caused cancer—he injected himself with Compound V four months ago. However, the injection seemed to only hasten the sickness. After this exchange, Butcher goes on mission, leading to a confrontation with Ezekiel. Whilst getting choked out by Ezekiel, Billy sees Becca telling him to get up and fight. After the screen goes black, Billy is seen standing in a trailer with Ezekiel torn to pieces.
In Episode 5, The Boys investigate Edgar's estate and find the ruins of a virology lab. In the lab they find several experiments detailing the effects The Woods virus has on Compound V and V24. Butcher finds a rabbit injected with V24 named "Mr. Fuzzy Buzzy." Due to his past experiences with V24, Butcher empathizes with the rabbit and releases it from its cage. Butcher later finds the rabbit collapsed on the ground and struggling to breathe until the tendrils of something burst from it's abdomen. Butcher is horrified and reminded of his impending death, and also fears the same creature is inside himself. In an act of mercy, Butcher stomps the rabbit to death.
In Episode 6, it is revealed that the real Joe Kessler died in the Panjshir Valley, and that Billy has actually been speaking with his, currently V-enhanced, brain tumor. This V tumor-created parasitic alter-ego, having chosen Kessler as the manifestation of Billy's darker side, states that it is the reason why Billy survived his confrontation with Ezekiel.
In Episode 8, after Ryan inadvertently kills Grace Mallory, Kessler looms over Billy, with Billy turning towards Kessler with a look of weary resignation. Butcher returns to the Vought Fresh Farms facility to find The Boys arranging a meeting with Victoria Neuman. Butcher refuses to work with Neuman and pushes Hughie out of the way to make way for tentacles to emerge from the center of his body, due to a symbiosis with his V-enhanced brain tumor. The tentacles incapacitate Zoe and easily kill Victoria. Butcher retracts his tentacles and leaves, with Kessler being seen in the rear-view mirror.
Trivia[]
- Though the Temp V created the cancer, it is unclear whether or not the Temp V led to Billy's hallucination or if it was the later dose of Compound V.
- Since Temp V gives humans superpowers for a day, it is unknown how it would affect a Supe with actual Compound V in their system.
- ↑ Season 3, Episode 7, around 26:04