The Real MVP of Vought International Is Back in ‘The Boys’ Season 4

One of Vought International’s most underrated employees returns in The Boys season 4. However, some viewers may be disappointed by Anika’s (Ana Sani) season 4 fate.

The Boys season 4 recently enjoyed its three-episode premiere, kicking off with Homelander’s (Anthony Starr) trial for murder. Homelander is as unhinged and manic as ever in his desperation to escape consequences for his actions and preserve his quickly disintegrating public image. Meanwhile, The Boys have found a new leader in Mother’s Milk “M.M.” (Laz Alonso) but are still struggling to shake Butcher’s (Karl Urban) influence. On top of that, Victoria Nueman (Claudia Domit) is speeding towards the Oval Office, much to the dismay of the vigilantes.

Season 4 also quickly introduces a new supe, Sister Sage (Susan Heyward), to shake things up within the Seven. Amid the mix of new and returning characters, viewers will spot Anika. While she has played a relatively minor role in The Boys, viewers were eagerly awaiting her potential return in the new season.

Who is Anika?

Anika has appeared sporadically in The Boys and garnered quite a following for her subtle acts of resistance and notably awkward confrontations with the Seven’s supes. Not much is known about her personal life, but at Vought International, she works as an analyst in the Crime Analytics department. Anika made her debut in season 1, episode 2, “Cherry,” in which Madelyn Stillwell (Elisabeth Shue) seeks her aid in finding Translucent (Alex Hassell).

It’s not long before she has her first encounter with Homelander, who also wants an immediate update on Translucent despite Stillwell discouraging him from finding the supe himself. A visibly uncomfortable Anika suggests they get approval from Stillwell, causing Homelander to remind her that he’s the Homelander and can do “whatever the f**k” he wants. In season 2, she has another awkward encounter when Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell) silently appears at her desk and hands her a piece of paper that says “Butcher.” Anika is again hesitant to share her information with the supe, but Noir continues silently hovering by her desk until she relents and finds the last known footage of Butcher.

Anika also has an affinity for Almond Joys and is often seen munching on them at her desk. Interestingly, Almond Joys are also Starlight’s (Erin Moriarty) favorite candy bar and Noir’s kryptonite due to his nut allergy. Many viewers hoped that Anika would end up either intentionally or unintentionally bringing about Noir’s demise with her Almond Joys, but The Boys chose not to go that route. However, eventually, Anika and Starlight would boast a connection that went beyond their love of Almond Joys.

In season 3, Anika starts taking a more rebellious route when she helps Starlight track down Solider Boy (Jensen Ackles). Later, she deleted footage that proved Maeve (Emma Mackey) survived Soldier Boy’s attack, thus allowing her to live a life in secrecy, safe from Homelander after faking her death. These small acts of rebellion against Homelander and the Seven only further proved that Anika was the real MVP of Vought International.

Is Anika in The Boys season 4?

Spoilers for season 3, episode 4 of The Boys ahead

Our favorite Vought analyst returns in The Boys season 4, episode 3, “We’ll Keep the Red Flag Flying Here.” However, viewers may be disappointed by the outcome of Anika’s appearance. In the episode, Homelander, Sister Sage, and Ashley (Colby Minifie) interrogate Anika about her connection to Starlight. Initially, the analyst denies having anything to do with the ex-Seven member, claiming they only ever shared an Almond Joy together.

When Sister Stage reveals that they know she made a recent phone call to Starlight, Anika lies and claims she was just donating some clothes. Homelander continues pushing her to tell the truth, swearing on his son’s life that no harm will come to her if she does. She begins to confess, stating that Starlight had requested her help tracking something. Before she can reveal what or who she is tracking, Homelander kills her instantly with the laser beams from his eyes, leaving Ashley and Sister Sage shocked and horrified.

Unfortunately, Anika’s story has come to an end on The Boys. While viewers would’ve loved to see her join The Boys or take on a bigger role in the show, her demise demonstrates that no one at Vought International is safe from Homelander. Additionally, her story may continue indirectly as viewers ponder what she and Starlight were up to and cross their fingers that whatever information Anika had that Homelander was too impatient to learn will eventually come back to bite him.