HughieLight

HughieLight is the het ship between Hughie Campbell and Annie January from the The Boys fandom.

Season 1
Hughie and Annie's lives are changed forever by the world's most famous Super Hero team The Seven. One of them A-Train due to his super speed, overwhelms and kills Hughie's girlfriend Robin,while Annie who is the superheroine Starlight, is invited to join after one of the 7, Lamplighter decides to retire.

Annie believes she has achieved her lifelong dream, but the dream soon turns into a nightmare when one of her new teammates, The Deep, sexually assaults her to force her to have oral sex with him. Meanwhile, Vought, the company that runs The Seven, offers Hughie $45,000 in compensation, but Hughie refuses to accept it when approached by a man named Billy Butcher, whose job it is to keep Supers in check. Billy decides to exploit Hughie for his work and quickly makes him discover that most superheroes are corrupt, that A-Train gives a damn that he killed Robin and that he wasn't fighting crime when he overwhelmed her.

The next day Hughie and Annie meet for the first time sitting on the same park bench. Hearing the girl cry Hughie asks her what's wrong, and the two start talking confiding in each other that they are going through a difficult time without saying what exactly happened. Hughie then tries to cheer up the blonde by telling her how Robin taught him never to give up. This gives strength to Annie who decides to stay with The Seven and face The Deep, while Hughie who was afraid to collaborate with Butcher who wanted to exploit him to place a bug in the base of the 7 thinking about Robin and what she taught him decides to collaborate with him.

Hughie succeeds in the enterprise, but unfortunately a member of the Seven with the power to become invisible Translucent discovers him, follows him to the shop where he works and attacks him. Fortunately, Butcher manages to save him and the two together get the better of the so-called hero and kidnap him. Eventually Hughie will be forced to kill him. However thanks to him The Boys (Butcher's team which Hughie is now part of) discover that the supers have something to do with a mysterious substance called Compound V and decide to investigate it. Soon after Hughie meets Annie again while he is trying to steal a sample of Compound V from A-Train during the latter's big race. This time around, Annie is in her Starlight costume and realizes who she is. To prevent Annie from discovering Frenchie (a teammate of Hughie) who is trying to get hold of the mysterious substance, he invites her for a beer and she accepts, also proposing to eat something.

When they start eating Annie tells Hughie a little about the trouble Vought has been putting her though; then Hughie turns off his comms to speak to her without the others listening. He then tells her that she can quit her job if she hates it. Then Annie leaves, but not before she gives Hughie her number. Hughie plans to avoid a date with Annie after his group frees a super prisoner, but Butcher says he needs to see her so he can bug her phone. Hughie says Annie is a good person, but Butcher claims that all people with superpowers are equal (i.e. evil). Hughie and Annie go bowling and talk about their first kisses and Hughie tries to find out if The Seven have found out about Translucent's death. The two then also talk about Annie's imminent appearance at the Believe Expo and Hughie praises the kindness of the blonde who however notices that she is a bit nervous and he realizes that she plays badly on purpose so as not to make him look bad and tells her not to he does so so she strikes and later tells him about hitting a bully who abused a boy she liked and the boy never spoke to her again, to which Hughie replies that he likes the real her. Despite feeling uncomfortable doing so, Hughie hacks into Annie's phone anyway.

Afterwards Hughie goes with Starlight to Believe Expo, although the rest of The Boys come to. Annie is happy that he accepted her invitation, but surprised. They talk for a bit and Hughie meets Annie's mom before she in pulled away and Butcher tells Hughie to get Annie to him in to see Ezekiel another super that participates in the Expo (for blackmail), which Hughie does, albeit reluctantly. Later, when Annie has her emotional breakdown on stage and gives brutal speech, Hughie is the only one who claps. Hughie then finds her off stage and tells her that the speech was amazing, but then Annie goes off on him for using her to see Ezekiel. However, as she is yelling at him, he finally tells her that his girlfriend died not that long before he met her and that her speech is the only thing that has made sense to him since she died. Then they tell each other their sorry and hug.

The Boys later discover that Compound V is a substance that temporarily enhances supers and that it is it that gives them their powers (however, it is best used on infants or children as it is less likely to work on adults).

Later Starlight's actions cause a great deal of media coverage and she doesn't show up at HQ, preferring to spend her time with Hughie during this difficult time, despite their recent acquaintance. The two go out together and run into a childhood friend of Hughie, with whom they spend the evening. His friend immediately understands that there is something between the two. Butcher also realizes that Hughie is really warming to Starlight and so takes him to a support meeting of people who have been harmed by supers, telling him it's stupid to fall in love with them for normal humans. The man later reveals that his wife was raped by the superhero Homelander and then disappeared into thin air and he believes that Homelander either killed her or committed suicide, making him realize that their situations are similar and that he can't be distracted from a girl, especially not from a super (Butcher considers them all enemies). The Boys later discover that Vought is trying to create superterrorists so that supers can join the military. Later during another date Hughie tries to figure out if Annie knows of the origin of her powers, but the girl is convinced she has had them since her birth. Annie then admits that Hughie is the only good thing that has happened to her since being in New York and the two end up kissing. The mood is ruined by the arrival of Butcher. Hughie tries to convince him that Annie is a good person, but he reminds him that he killed Translucent which Annie is unlikely to approve of. Butcher arrives to follow Hughie and Annie after a date. The two take a hotel room and sleep together for the first time. The blonde enjoys the evening, but later asks the guy why he took her to a hotel instead of his home. Hughie says that he lives with his father and found the hotel better, but he understands that Annie is not convinced and she says that she has never seen Hughie's house or where he works. Annie then talks to Hughie about her father and how he left her and her mother saying he knows Hughie isn't like that but wants to know if he wants to be romantic or if she should think he doesn't believe theirs is a serious relationship. Hughie at that point says that he left his job after Robin's death and that if she wants Annie she can meet her father and the girl is reassured. Unfortunately, Annie's relief is short-lived: at a team meeting, Homelander shows a photo of Hughie declaring that he killed Translucent and blackmailed numerous supers. Annie doesn't believe it, but Homelander comments that A-Train ran over and killed Robin. Annie continues to believe Hughie is incapable of such acts, but Homelander accuses her of complicity with Hughie and Starlight gets away only thanks to her teammate Queen Maeve who claims that Hughie uses her to get information. Of his own Hughie would like to quit his team, admitting he doesn't want to lose Annie to the other members. Unfortunately A-Train takes his father hostage and forces Hughie to join him immediately or he will kill him. Hughie is very sure that Annie has nothing to do with it and when Butcher threatens her he reacts angrily, however another member of the MM team understands that they were discovered because of him. Luckily Kimiko (the super freed by the Boys who sided with them), defeats A-Train saving the two Campbells. Hughie later tries to contact Annie, but she declines his calls. Through their CIA connections The Boys manage to secure their families, and then Annie calls Hughie asking to meet him. Young Campbell doesn't think that's the case, but the girl tells him she owes him at least one explanation. The two meet where they met and Annie tries to arrest him, but the boy explains how people get superpowers. At that moment Butcher arrives and, fearing for his teammate, shoots the superheroine. Annie doesn't die, but given the situation Hughie decides to run away with Butcher. Annie decides to go home to her mother to confirm what Hughie told her and when she finds out that he told the truth she is devastated and angry with her mother for forcing her to become a superhero and controlling all her life. Worse yet, she discovers that her father left because he regretted what he and his wife had done to their daughter. This shows that despite everything that has happened, Annie still trusts Hughie. MM and Frenchie are later arrested. Hughie, unlike Butcher, decides to save them and joins Annie in a church that she told him to attend. Annie doesn't like his presence, and gets upset when Hughie asks her for help saving her friends, and when she asks why she should help him, he tells her it's the right thing to do and that she's a superhero and Vought is creating supervillains. She annie replies that she doesn't even remember the last time she saved someone and the boy tells her that she saved him from the abyss he was falling into after Robin's death.

The blonde is not convinced and leaves, so Hughie gets himself arrested in order to reach Mother's Milk and Frenchie by secretly carrying a device with which Frenchie forces the cell door and the three escape, then also freeing Kimiko. When they are about to be captured, Annie comes to their rescue. Hughie is happy to see her but sadly they are joined by A-Train which Annie and Hughie stay to face. The girl tells him to run away, but the younger Campbell refuses to leave her, which she appreciates. A-Train overpowers Starlight, but due to his addiction to Compound V (abusing it is serious for health) he suffers a heart attack. Despite everything Hughie does not let him die even when Annie points out that A-Train will continue to hunt him down, and probably the girl appreciates his nobility, then telling him to flee. Hughie takes the advice and flees.

Season 2
Some time later Hughie and the rest of the Boys (minus Butcher) are on the run and he and Annie keep in touch and secretly meet. The two are happy to see each other and Hughie gives Annie a photo of a super for him to look for. Annie still isn't over all of Hughie's lies, but she apologizes for bringing up the subject of her when he asks if she's dating an actor.

The Boys later uncover a human trafficking scheme involving a super terrorist, and Hughie suggests they ask Annie for help. Meanwhile, Starlight investigates Gecko and blackmails him into obtaining Compound V. MM points out to Hughie that it is true that Annie is on their side, but the more he gets help from her, the more he puts her in danger. Later the blonde calls the boy telling him that she will soon have Compound V, but Hughie tries to urge her caution by telling her to be careful and not act on impulse. She realizes he's keeping something from her and tells him not to lie, but Hughie doesn't reveal that their contact at the CIA has just been eliminated. In the end Annie makes Compound V public and Hughie and the rest of The Boys are delighted and when his comrades congratulate him, Hughie admits that credit is largely to Starlight, even if he did helped. Hughie later leaves messages for Anni in which he repeats how he saved her, continuing to urge caution.

The super terrorist isn't actually a terrorist, but Kimiko's brother being experimented on like her, so when the Seven go to capture him, Starlight meets Hughie. He is happy to see her, but since Homelander is also there, she is forced to attack him. Homelander then orders the girl to kill Hughie, she obviously doesn't want to, but Butcher arrives to get her out of the way and makes Kenji (Kimiko's brother) knock Homelander out with telekinesis. Unfortunately another of the 7, Stormfront kills Kenji shortly after. Homelander later comes to assault Starlight for not killing Hughie, but she manages to convince him that she has it in for him and that he broke her heart. With his supersenses Homelander realizes it's the truth and leaves her alone. This implies that even though she figured out he had good reason to, Annie still resents Hughie and hasn't fully forgiven him yet.

Later Annie and Hughie meet and the girl worries about the boy's condition after she hits him, but he tries to calm her down and when Hughie's message comes out, he begs her not to talk about it and she accepts. Although the Compound V story has come out, Vought is still standing and when the blonde says she fears everything they have done has been for nothing, Hughie reassures her that it will take time to reap the rewards of their labor. At that moment MM summons Hughie for a mission, and he starts to go, but when he asks Annie what she wants to do she replies that she can't go back to the tower (the base of the 7) and bursts into tears on the boy's chest saying she can't bear plus the situation. Not wanting to leave her alone, Hughie convinces MM to let her come with them, also because he himself needs to spend time with Annie. In fact, the two enjoy the journey and start singing, but are brought back to reality by MM. The three later witness a car crash, but Hughie and Mother's Milk convince Annie not to intervene so as not to attract attention. When the three stop for the night, Hughie decides to room with his teammate and not Annie, but at night the two meet in front of a gas station and chat, confiding how nervous they are because of their situation. Eventually they end up having sex. Later the trio discovers that Liberty a superheroine of the 70s who had strong racist tendencies and who had killed a black man is actually Stormfront (among whose powers there is also not aging). When they return to New York, Annie thanks Hughie for taking her with him, but tells him that they can't be together given their situation and after a kiss she says goodbye.

Stormfront discovers that it was Starlight who spread the news of the existence of Compound-V, but for the moment it does nothing, but the blonde decides to ask Frenchie to have the tracker removed that members of the 7 must have. Frenchie comments that the two are in love and they try to deny. Hughie and Frenchie later take Annie to their shelter and the girl is shocked to learn that they live in a rat-infested basement. Later Annie gives a lead to investigate The Boys and Butcher makes her come with them. When they have to infiltrate a hospital, Hughie convinces Annie to stay out with him and Butcher to avoid her being recognized and tries to stop the two from arguing. Later the young Campbell is seriously injured, and Butcher and Annie arrive to steal a car to be able to help him. Unfortunately, during the theft Annie ends up killing the owner of the car. Annie is happy as she stands by Hughie in the hospital after she is told she will be fine and shows that she knows many intimate details about him and later she and Butcher agree that Hughie is too good for them.

Annie is later kidnapped by the Vought and Hughie becomes very worried when he finds out. Lamplighter (a former member of the 7 who has decided to side with The Boys), thinks he knows where they might have taken her, but thinks it possible she is already dead. Despite being sick, Hughie decides to help Annie and convinces Lamplighter to help him. Unfortunately Lamplighter (who feels guilty for accidentally killing children) decides to commit suicide in the conference room. Despite all this he helps Annie, because setting fire to her activates the fire system of the tower and since one of Annie's powers is to absorb electricity, she absorbs enough to charge her other powers and get out of the cell. Hughie cuts off a hand from the corpse and takes it with him to use the fingerprints to open the cells, thus leaving Annie's mother free. The blonde who is just looking for her parent runs into the two and is surprised to see Hughie, but seems to be moved when she realizes that he has come to save her. The three escape the tower and take refuge in The Boys' base. Unfortunately their hopes of framing Vought for the human experiments she was doing in the hospital where Annie and The Boys went, go to hell due to an attack. Annie's mother runs away, but asks her daughter before she leaves if she's gotten into such a mess about Hughie, a sign that she understands there's something going on between the two. Annie doesn't answer clearly, but it's clear that she's fighting Vought because it's right. Hughie's teammates meanwhile decide to physically eliminate The Seven, but Hughie points out that even if they succeed, Vought will simply find replacements and Annie sets out to testify against Vought's illegal activities, but since her testimony from escaped convict, it would not be believable asks one day to convince Maeve and assumes that Hughie will help her, as in fact he does. During the journey the two talk showing their bond.

Maeve is not convinced and as they return to the hideout, Annie complains about her mother, before remembering that she believes Hughie's dead since he never talked about it, but the young Campbell simply says that she left him and his father when he was six years old. Annie feels sorry for him and Hughie shares some childhood memories with her. Annie tries to convince him that her mother didn't abandon him just because she got tired of him and his father and when she says that he doesn't want to be like her, that's why she never gives up and when she notices that her confession makes him look weak, Annie replies that it doesn't. At that moment the two are joined by A-Train who, to repay Hughie, gives him evidence showing that Stormfront is a Nazi born in 1919 in Berlin (he too will gain, given that they have decided to throw him out of the 7, but a possible expulsion of Stormfront would bring him back). News about Stormfront is made public and obviously the reaction is very strong. Starlight and The Female later battle Stormfront and Hughie and Frenchie (who has begun a relationship with The Female) try to help however they can. Eventually the Nazi is defeated thanks to the intervention of Queen Maeve. Eventually Annie and The Boys are fully exonerated and the release of Compound V to produce more supers postponed. Annie doesn't want to go back to the tower, but remembering Hughie's words about not giving up, she decides to try to stop Homelander who can't take action against them because otherwise Queen Maeve would release a compromising video about them. Hughie and Annie discuss the situation and she thinks he wants to leave her, but he quickly acknowledges that he doesn't. The government decides to set up a department to control supers and Hughie decides to join it wanting to destroy Vought legally.

Season 3
Soon Hughie becomes a big shot in the department and his relationship with Starlight in the public domain. The two seem very happy. It also bothers Hughie that his father promises acquaintances to introduce him to Starlight, even if she doesn't. Hughie is now the superior of his comrades and tries to use non-violent methods to expose the crimes of the supers.

At the same time Annie is named co-leader of the 7 together with Homelander, and in the meantime two new members are being sought for the team. One of the candidates Supersonic is an ex-boyfriend of Annie's, and Hughie doesn't like the idea of his girlfriend hanging around with her ex. Annie understands this, but tries to convince him that he doesn't have to worry about anything. The two later discuss the appointment of Starlight who thinks it could have positive implications, but Hughie is not convinced, as he fears retaliation from Homelander and between the two there is an argument. Looking for a way to kill Homelander, Maeve suggests Butcher investigate the death of another nearly as strong as Homelander, Soldier Boy. Maeve also gives Butcher a one-day version of the V that can be used by adults as well. Meanwhile, Hughie discovers that the head of the department, Victoria Neuman is a super. Victoria therefore is also responsible for many deaths of Dei Ragazzi allies and Hughie immediately talks about it with Annie who however tells him that she could not have known and is surprised when she discovers that her boyfriend intends to go to work anyway so as not to arouse suspicions. Annie accepts her decision, but she tells him not to do anything until she can assist him and he accepts.

Hughie then tries to call Annie, but Supersonic replies something that bothers him and finally goes to have a look at the foster home where Victoria grew up collecting data on her. Annie later manages to divert Victoria's suspicions, but the two appear to have a pseudo-fight in which Hughie is apparently annoyed by Annie's need to rescue him. He later thanks her for saving her and shows her what he found out, apologizing for going alone. Annie then realizes there's trouble and Hughie feels like a fool for not understanding anything about Victoria's true nature.

Homelander decides to bring The Deep back to The Seven and Annie calls Hughie to vent admitting that he was right and that becoming co-leader was a bad idea and that he has to leave the team, but Hughie says that even if he wants to, he has to ask her to stay, telling her that Butcher is looking for something that can kill Homelander and therefore she must watch him. Annie realizes Hughie is starting to think like Butcher and he admits it, but she also admits it's because trying the right way didn't work and Annie eventually agrees. Later for the sheer pleasure of tormenting her, Homelander announces on television that he and Starlight are a couple. Obviously Hughie understands that it is a lie, and tries to console Annie saying that this time he will save her. The Boys go to Russia in search of the weapon and start getting memes about Hughie that annoy them. Meanwhile Annie discovered Maeve's involvement, decides to look for other super ready to fight against Homelander by recruiting Supersonic. When she believes her ex still has feelings for her, and immediately says she's with Hughie, but then Supersonic clarifies that he was joking, and that he wants to help her because it's the right thing to do.

During the mission, worried about Annie and fed up with her always having to help him, Hughie decides to try the temporary V which, in addition to the super strength and super resistance typical of all supers (albeit in different degrees), gives him the power of teleportation. However, the Boys discover that the Russians do not keep the weapon that killed Soldier Boy, but the Soldier Boy himself held captive for decades. Meanwhile, Homelander, who has discovered Supersonic's treachery, shows Starlight that he killed him, declaring that if she tries to do such a thing again, he will also kill Hughie. Soldier Boy escapes and The Boys discover that due to the experiments of the Russians he has gained new powers. Back home Hughie learns of Supersonic's death and tries to comfort Annie. She says that their relationship now puts him in danger, but he doesn't care and tells the girl that the death of Alex (the real name of the deceased superhero) is not her fault.

Annie realizes that Hughie's broken arm (he had Kimiko break it for an excuse not to go to work and not have to meet Victoria) is healed and tells her about both Soldier Boy and the temporary V, trying to make her notice that he has decided not to lie to her, but Annie understands that Hughie liked having the powers and tells him that he did a stupid and dangerous thing (try an untested drug) and he admits it and apologizes, saying that they will decide together the next move. The two then declare their love for each other.

Soon after, Soldier Boy inadvertently causes a nuclear explosion in New York. Hughie quickly confirms Annie's suspicions and the two begin to investigate with her begging him to be careful. Hughie and Butcher decide to use the temporary V again, but Starlight joins them after being called by MM in order to help them beat Soldier Boy. Hughie doesn't like putting her in danger, but she comments that he's putting himself in it and the two argue. Hughie displays his powers not wanting to hide anything from Annie who isn't happy that he took more V. Hughie says that now he can be the one to protect her and that Annie doesn't have to put herself in any more danger for him, but she replies that she doesn't need to that he protects her, but of him as a person.

However Butcher decides to team up with Soldier Boy by helping him get revenge on the Paybacks (his old team who betrayed him into being captured by the Russians) in exchange for his help in killing Homelander. The man kills her ex the Crimson Countess and when they see the explosion, Annie and Hughie run towards it, but Hughie prevents the blonde from attacking Soldier Boy by agreeing with Butcher. Hughie says he's doing it all to protect her from Homelander and tries to get her to support him, but despite her begging him not to, as soon as Butcher calls he leaves with him. Soldier Boy accepts Butcher and Hughie's offer and Annie and MM try to get ahead of them. Annie despite her being angry with Hughie tries to defend him from the anger of MM (who has reasons of personal grudge against Soldier Boy).

Eventually Hughie and Annie find themselves in the house of two of those Soldier Boy wants to kill. There's also A-Train and Hughie seeing him can't resist the temptation to use his super strength and punch him. A-Train is baffled that Hughie is strong enough to hurt him and Annie tries to stop him from finding out how it happened. The blonde tries to get Hughie's help to evacuate the house, saying that Homelander is coming too and that the fight between him and Soldier Boy will cause a massacre. At that point Hughie teleports her to safety, and admits that she bothers him a little some times that Annie always protect him. Then he tries to stop her from going back, but she throws him away and goes anyway. However it is useless as Solider Boy has caused another explosion (a power he can't control well) and Hughie decides to teleport to help Butcher and Soldier Boy kill Homelander, while Annie and MM try to help the survivors. Eventually Homelander escapes, but it should be noted that no one had ever come close to killing him at which point Annie and Hughie look at each other. It is clear that the blonde is angry, but Hughie, strong in this half-success, goes off with Soldier Boy and Butcher determined to try again.

At that point Annie decides to go public with the return of Soldier Boy and the fact that most superheroes don't give a damn about helping people and that Homelander is the worst of them all. Annie later discovers that after too many intakes the temporary V causes serious health problems. Annie decides to warn him, but Butcher answers his phone and promises to warn Hughie. The blonde doesn't believe it that much, and she keeps trying to warn Hughie by calling him all the time without getting an answer. At that point she decides to go and save him. In the end Butcher says nothing to Hughie, but knocks him out. to avoid putting him in danger again as in the first fight with Homelander (Hughie had refused to abandon Butcher and Soldier Boy, despite the solicitations of his teammate).

Hughie then warns Annie who is going to pick him up and on the way Annie explains to him about the side effects of the temporary V and understands that his friend wanted to save him. On the way Hughie apologizes to his girlfriend who forgives him. The group tries to persuade Butcher not to let Soldier Boy and Homelander fight because a fight in the tower between the two of them would cause thousands of victims, but Queen Maeve (who had joined them) supports Butcher's plan and in the end The Boys do not they can do nothing but leave since they are unable to face Maeve, Soldier Boy and Butcher. In the end the only way is to reach them at the tower and stop them trying to drug Soldier Boy with the only substance he is vulnerable to. Butcher eventually changes his mind and to help Annie in the fight, Hughie arranges for her to absorb a lot of energy, instead of taking the compound back and teleporting her away. Still wanting to kill Homelander and take down the Vought, Annie decides to give up being Starlight and join The Boys. Hughie asks her if she's sure and she says yes. Hughie then approves her entry into the team, along with all the other members (except Butcher who doesn't express himself, but doesn't protest either). Their aim is also to stop Victoria who has run for vice president of the United States of America.

Fanon
HughieLight is a very well liked ship with within The Boys, being one of the few relationships fans are actively rooting for. The only real rival for it is Butchie (aka Butcher/Hughie), and even then it's hard to tell how popular the latter even is. Likely owe to the fact that both the comic and the tv show are hard R and very bleak, there aren't many fanfics involving any given paring. HughieLight has, however, been a hit for a majority of the audience base on reviews and reactions, with their relationship seem as a high point for both characters. The ship sailed in the show when they exchanged numbers after eating together.

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Trivia

 * Both Hughie and Annie/Starlight were created by Garth Ennis.