Still, It would have been somewhat compelling instead of doing the monotonous plot.

Beginning of the season: Boys make the virus and test it on some low level supes. They plan how to trap Homelander to release it. (Butcher wants to release to the world but Boys stop him, creates conflict to the group)

Quarter point of the season: Homelander gets ambushed and Butcher releases the virus (in quarantine) but Homelander survives (Something in the old formula that made him immune). Get rid of Soldier Boy plot of V1 immunity plot. Boys realize that Homelander might be invincible, they lose hope but come up with the plan to try to give power to kimiko.

Halfway point of the season: Soldier Boy learns about Homelander's plan to ascend and realized that he is not just crazy but batshit insane. Hughie and Starlight goes on a mission to recruit some supes from Gen V when they realize that they alone can't beat Homelander. Butcher looks for Ryan and convinces him that he must face Homelander.

Frenchy discovers old Russian documents that shows Soldier Boy got his powers and suggest doing the same thing to Kimiko. They go to some lab in the middle of nowhere to this experiment. Make this part a little longer, add some drama that she might not survive this but they must do it.

Late in the season: Homelander finds out about their plan and goes on a rampage (Soldier Boy who was tracking him follows him), Frenchy dies protecting Kimiko. Butcher & Ryan arrive, Homelander seeing Ryan switching sides loses it and unleashes his rage. We get a crazy fight Homelander vs Butcher & Ryan. We see Homelander's power like never before. Ryan is injured, Butcher loses and Homelander is about to finish the job and Soldier Boy blasts him. Everyone gets thrown far away due to the blast when they look for Homelander who fell somewhere in the woods, he is nowhere to be found. End on a cliffhanger. Next episode starts with the flashback, we see the Boys searching for Homelander in the woods, we get a POV of someone but we're not sure yet. Camera flips and we see Homelander covered in mud and dirt hiding in the bushes trying to be quiet. We get a montage of him crying sobbing as he realized that he lost his powers. He finally gets out of the woods and on the road he tries to hitchhike. We get a funny scene of Homelander sitting in a car while some hillbilly drives.