Hughie's role and importance is diminishing, in the first season he was the main protagonist and the conscience of the viewer.
This season his strongest link and input is as the love interest of Starlight, the problem is I doubt anyone is rooting for it so will not be bothered if he died a horrible death.
Interestingly he looks like a older, face smooched into a wall version of that guy from Startup and the OC, Adam Brody, while being 12 years younger and being referred to as "the kid". I don't know what he looks like in the comics, but honestly they should have just got 40 year old Adam Brody, even though I don't like him much either, I would still be more invested in him...