Homelander and Butcher Don’t Define The Boys, These 4 Supes Actually Do

Prime Video’s The Boys has come to an end after five seasons, and when looking back on the show in its entirety, it becomes clear that Homelander and Butcher don’t define the show. Yes, these characters are the two most iconic and heavily advertised aspects of The Boys, with their conflict being the driving force behind most of the show’s storyline. Even though they are both supporting characters to Hughie, who is undoubtedly the protagonist of The Boys, they still aren’t the heart of the series. Instead, these four supes are, with them revealing key truths about The Boys, its world, its themes, and more.

This list will only include The Boys characters who are supes throughout the majority of the show, meaning that humans who get supe powers through Temp V, like Hughie, and regular humans, like Frenchie, are excluded. Obviously, the members of The Boys are key to The Boys, but these four supes also manage to bring a lot to the table.

4) The Deep

The Deep is easily one of the most irredeemable villains in The Boys, yet his place in the overarching story of the series makes him far more than a comedic sidekick to Homelander. Up to the very end of the show, the Deep is yearning for Homelander’s approval and respect, something that he never gets. Although he starts off the show doing some terrible things for hedonistic reasons, the Deep dedicates the majority of the show to committing atrocities just to please Homelander. However, rather than earning his respect, Homelander only begins to view the Deep as a pathetic, whimpering gopher, something that never changes by the end of the series.

Homelander is clearly a parallel to real-world fascist leaders, so when viewing The Boys through that lens, the Deep is a parallel to the cronies and followers of the fascistic strongman. While tons of other characters in The Boys also fulfill this niche, the Deep’s arc is a perfect exploration of the psychology of this types of figures throughout history. All of Homelander’s followers yearn for his attention and approval, yet it is impossible for him to care for them since he views them as weak, making the efforts of characters like the Deep futile.

3) Black Noir

Black Noir is another member of the original the Seven lineup, and while the original iteration of the character dies in season 3, this is exactly why he is so core to The Boys. Oftentimes, cruel and unjust political movements and parties are supported by individuals who know these policies will hurt other people, only for them to be surprised when the movement they’re part of begins to hurt themselves. This can be seen in real-world instances where political partners turn on and backstab each other, and Black Noir is the way The Boys explores this idea.

Black Noir is originally one of the most dangerous and dedicated members of the Seven, yet his connection to the Payback team makes things complicated when Soldier Boy returns in The Boys season 3. Noir doens’t tell Homelander that he knows Soldier Boy is his father, causing Homelander to turn on and kill Noir. This is one of the most tragic moments in The Boys, and by this point, audience members are sympathetic for the supe. Other The Boys characters get turned on in similar ways, but Noir’s arc is the epitome of this theme.

2) Kimiko

Kimiko is one of the few supe members of The Boys, with her joining the team early on and developing a romance with Frenchie. As a child, she was kidnapped and forced to be a child soldier, before later being trafficked into the United States and experimented on with Compound V. Kimiko’s trauma leaves her unable to speak, violent, and angry, with her joining The Boys in an attempt to get revenge on the people who experimented on her. While there, Kimiko finds love and reconnects with her humanity, giving her one of the show’s best redemption arcs.

All of the protagonists in The Boys have trauma, but the series uses Kimiko as a way to argue that people shouldn’t let their trauma define their lives in a negative way. Throughout The Boys, Kimiko gets healthier and healthier, with her positive arc being juxtaposed with Butcher’s downfall as a result of his trauma.

1) Starlight

Starlight is the beating supe heart of The Boys, with her playing several major narrative and thematic purposes in the show. Mainly, Starlight is used in the show as an argument that supes can be good. The influence she has on Hughie and the other members of the Boys is what eventually leads them to oppose Butcher’s supe killings and genocide in the final season. Starlight is genuinely trying to do good throughout the show, only for her to be met with the harsh reality of supes when she first joins the Seven.

On top of that, Starlight is also a picture of how forcefully people in power can fight back against those who are trying to good. Starlight is subject to smear campaigns, threats of violence, and more, yet even in her darkest moments she is trying to help people. Starlight is emblematic of what it means to be a superhero, and she is made one because of her heart, not her powers.

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