Hughie Campbell of The Boys had the great misfortune of being covered in gore many times throughout the shows three seasons. Five minutes into the first episode of season 1, he got his first splattering. In a show known for its over-the-top blood and guts depictions, Hughie's experiences were par for the course, and his reactions to each instance varied from dumbstruck to outright screaming.
The Boys, based on the comic book of the same name, followed the adventures of a group of vigilantes that fought against superheroes who abused their powers. Hughie joined them in a desire for revenge against the Supe who killed his girlfriend. He was the voice of empathy throughout the series, contrasting with Billy Butcher's scorched earth tactics. In his transformation from a once-naive youth to a full-fledged member of The Boys, Hughie was pushed to and past his breaking point many times (often involving being covered in gore). Even with his resultant PTSD and crippling self-doubt, he retained his spark and, while tested, his sense of right and wrong.
A-Train Kills Robin
Right away in episode 1 of the premier season of The Boys, Hughie suffered a great loss with the sudden death of his girlfriend Robin. To add further insult to injury, he was left holding her severed hands. A-Train, one of The Seven, ran through Robin while he was high on Compound V, an intense steroid-like substance created by Vought International, A-Train's employer. Like his colleague superheroes, A-Train was interested only in fame, and also like his colleagues, he had all the hallmarks of a sociopath. He displayed no remorse for the death of Robin, and this event is the catalyst for Hughie's quest for revenge.
Hughie's response to the bursting open of his girlfriend was, understandably, shock. They had been standing on the sidewalk, talking about their future together, and a nanosecond later, she was gone. The moment was startling in that there was a loud, metallic whooshing, and then slow-motion, with the liquid that was Robin hanging in the air. Hughie said her name as a question, confusion written on his face. A-Train, also covered in Robin, said, "I can't stop!" and zoomed away.
Translucent's Death
Translucent was an invisible superhero of The Seven. He possessed a carbon meta-metal skin that bent light to make him invisible and made him bulletproof. He abused his powers in highly inappropriate ways by hanging out in women's changing rooms, restrooms, and sorority showers. In The Boys season 1, episode 2 Translucent caught Hughie planting a bug in Vought Tower. Both Hughie and Butcher knocked him out and locked him in a cage. An explosive device that could be detonated by a remote was then rectally implanted into Translucent, as only his outsides were impervious.
When he attempted to escape by reasoning with Hughie, Hughie's anger built up, and he pressed the remote's button, causing Translucent to explode. Once again, Hughie was sprayed with gore. Here, Hughie's face, what could be seen of it beneath the remains of Translucent, was expressionless. Translucent's remark that Hughie could go back to his life if he were to just let Translucent go, reminded Hughie that his life as he knew it, with Robin, was gone. In his anger, he exploded Translucent, with seemingly little regret.
Neuman Kills Susan Raynor
Susan Raynor was the deputy director of the CIA. She'd unearthed a wide conspiracy within Vought that involved Compound V. Her work caused her to run afoul of congresswoman Victoria Neuman, who was also the founding director of the Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs, and also the mystery head-popper. In The Boys season 2, episode 1 she had a clandestine meeting with Mother's Milk, Hughie, Kimiko, and Frenchie. Susan Raynor's nose began to bleed shortly before her head exploded. Both Hughie and Mother's Milk, having stood closest to Susan, found themselves covered in guts.
M.M. had asked Susan if she could tell him anything about his family. She said that his daughter was starting soccer. In a move characteristic of Hughie, he asked if M.M. could see them. Moments later Susan's head burst and they all began screaming, including Hughie. His reaction was horror and fear that more heads would explode. They scrambled into the van and drove away in a panic.
The Whale Crash In The Boys Season 2
The Boys season 2, episode 3 showed Butcher, Frenchie, Mother's Milk, Hughie, Kimiko, and her brother Kenji, the "Supe-Terrorist," on a boat waiting for a CIA rendezvous that could clear their names. They were confronted by The Deep, riding on a sperm whale. The Boys tried to race for safety through a drain pipe, but The Deep was blocking the way. Butcher gunned the boat's engine, and they plowed into the side of the whale. After, the others crawled out, one by one with pieces of whale clinging to them, except Hughie. He remains inside the whale completely traumatized and staring blankly into space.
What followed was a scene that perfectly encapsulated Hughie's disturbed state, Butcher's brash personality, and Mother's Milk's ability to be the cool, calm, wisdom dispenser. Butcher climbed back into the whale to fetch Hughie, explaining to him that they had to leave right away. Hughie said, "Um, you know what? You guys go ahead, you guys go ahead. I'm good. I'm just gonna sit here and wait, if you don't mind." Butcher asked him what Hughie was waiting for. Hughie replied, "My second wind." Butcher exited the whale and M.M. entered. He told Hughie, "If you ain't leavin', I ain't leavin'." Despite the graphic nature of the situation, it was a touching moment with M.M. trying to comfort Hughie by just sitting with him.
Victoria Neuman's Fight In The Boys Season 3
Prior to Victoria Neuman being Victoria Neuman, she was a girl named Nadia who had been a test subject for Compound V at a Vought-owned orphanage known as the Red River Institute. In The Boys season 3, episode 1 while Hughie was on his way home from work, he spotted Victoria Neuman entering an alley with someone. He ducked behind a dumpster and overheard the man tell Victoria that she needed to "tell the truth about Red River." Victoria realized that he was going to pose a problem for her. When her initial attempt to pop his head failed, the two grappled, ending with his head partially burst. Victoria then exploded his entire body, sending a shower of gore down upon Hughie, who was hyperventilating in fear behind the dumpster.
Hughie Campbell of The Boys was a flawed, yet extremely likable character who only wanted to do the right thing. In three seasons he goes from meek and unassuming to empowered, to being on a troubling path of addiction and toxic masculinity, to finally, at the end of season 3, regaining his ability to trust. The gruesome blood and guts baptisms Hughie received in The Boys served to draw out his inner strengths. His reactions to them were wholly organic and what any normal person would experience, and establish him as the only normal on the show.