The Boys Season 4 Finally Reveals Kimiko's Tragic Backstory

This post contains spoilers for "The Boys."

We don't talk enough about Kimiko Miyashiro (Karen Fukuhara) in "The Boys." With season 4 speeding through events that can only be described as outrageously bleak, much has happened since the titular group first started feeling the cracks forming within their ranks. Every member of The Boys carries an enormous weight, and the latest season does not hold back on the onslaught of trauma, perhaps to the point of sacrificing depth in favor of lurid shock value. Amidst the chaos, it is easy to overlook Kimiko, whom the latest season perceives mostly through her dynamic with Frenchie (Tomer Capone) or her viability as a weapon against other Vought-representing Supes. However, a heart-to-heart in episode 7 reveals the depths of her pain and provides us with a seminal piece of the puzzle about her past.

Previous seasons gave us glimpses of who she was forced to become after being nabbed by the Shining Light Liberation Army, a Philippines-based terrorist organization that killed her parents. Kimiko was briefly reunited with her brother Kenji (Abraham Lim) in season 2, but this reunion was cruelly cut short after Stormfront (Aya Cash) brutally snapped his neck. While the series consistently underlines the repercussions of being forcibly injected with Compound V, Kimiko and Kenji emerge as the most somber examples of this malpractice, as their circumstantial affiliation to Shining Light immediately brands them as vicious outlaws devoid of humanity.

Kimiko's arc is further emblematic of this dichotomy, where her inherent humanity is often forced to take a backseat in light of her usefulness as a member of The Boys. Thanks to her bond with Frenchie, Kimiko is able to confront the most uncomfortable aspects of her past and re-affirm her humanity, even when most people refuse to do so.

In the episode "Wisdom of the Ages," Hughie (Jack Quaid) and Kimiko meet up with A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) to carve out a deal and are shortly ambushed by Shining Light soldiers, whom Kimiko had fought before alongside Frenchie. A particular soldier with a scarred face, Tala (Erika Prevost) remerges, leaving Kimiko guilt-ridden and distressed. Previously, it was hinted that Kimiko cares about her on some level, although Tala had made it clear that she resents Kimiko for trapping her within the organization. Tala also revealed an unsavory aspect of Kimiko's past: she claimed that she was lured in by her and kidnapped by Shining Light soldiers, before being thrown into a fighting pit, where Kimiko had left her with the facial scar.

After Frenchie is bailed from jail to help aid with the Sameer situation, Kimiko opens up about her time with Shining Light, finally revealing why she has been unable to speak since a specific childhood incident. Kimiko recounts how kids would be forced to fight in the ring, where the first one to make any sound would be declared defeated, and killed immediately after. To avoid such a grisly end, Kimiko silently fought a child to the death, killing her before she was killed. Although her actions stemmed from self-preservation, the traumatic nature of the incident rendered her mute, and she has been unable to speak since then. As silence was the parameter to ensure victory inside these rings, the same silence became a metaphorical noose for her, haunting her waking existence forever.

Frenchie empathizes with her and assures her that she is not at fault here, but Kimiko poses a heart-wrenching question: How do we move on? And most importantly, how do we forgive ourselves?

This vulnerable moment between Kimiko and Frenchie reminds us why their relationship has always felt more fleshed out than most in the series. There has always been a kernel of burgeoning romance between the two, but what's more essential is the unconditional support they're willing to extend to one another, along with the mirrored faith they hold despite harrowing circumstances. While everyone except Butcher (Karl Urban) treats Kimiko well, they do not have access to her innermost conflicts and desires like Frenchie does, and vice versa. This unique bond allows them to become each other's safe spaces, and this conversation feels pertinent and a long time coming. As Kimiko's past has barely been delved into since Season 2, this essential component of her personality allows us to understand her better and affords her the rare chance to be vulnerable without being ridiculed.

Frenchie also seems to be undergoing a torturous moral tussle this season, as his actions have been a mix of deliberate and circumstantial, and not every sin can be cleansed over time. Haunted by the countless crimes he's committed, Frenchie willingly plunges into self-destruction while believing he's beyond redemption. Kimiko deeply understands these sentiments but is unable to comfort him as he keeps her at arm's length — but this conversation nudges them closer to one another, proving that they might be able to forgive themselves if they dare to hope, together.

To move on after experiencing, and in some cases, inflicting trauma can never be easy, but Kimiko's unabashed empathy for those who deserve it makes self-forgiveness a much gentler process. Although she can do it on her own, Frenchie's supportive shadow can help ground her, and him in turn. Perhaps, in this instance, two is indeed better than one.