7 Hero Parodies in The Boys That Nailed Popular Superheroes

Prime Video’s The Boys adapts Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s comic book series of the same name, bringing its superhero satire to life in gruesome fashion. Following the titular team of individuals who work to dismantle the corrupt corporation Vought and their army of superheroes, The Boys pokes fun at the entire superhero genre with its gleeful violence, excessive profanity, and depraved depictions of its characters. However, its satire isn’t simply genre-wide: it’s broad in some ways, but it also hones in on specific Marvel and DC heroes, directly parodying their abilities or character traits in a way that is both cutting and deeply hilarious.

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Over the course of the show, as well as its spinoff Gen V, there have been some incredibly strong characters on The Boys. The show doesn’t simply depict its supes as heroes, though, and instead delves into their depravity, their celebrity, and their cynicism in a way that shines a light on what real-world superheroes might be like. In doing so, the show hilariously roasts popular superheroes on a regular basis, poking fun at their abilities and personalities with carefully written satire.

1) Gecko (Deadpool)

Gecko is far from the most memorable supe to have been featured on The Boys. First appearing in the first episode of Season 2, Gecko is shown to have the ability to rapidly heal, regrowing severed limbs, evoking Marvel heroes such as Deadpool and Wolverine. He best parodies the former, though: with no additional abilities, Gecko points out that rapid healing is effectively useless in most situations. In The Boys, he’s not considered an important supe, but a simple lab rat for Vought who moonlights as a sex worker that allows clients to cut off his limbs.

2) Ezekiel (Mister Fantastic/Plastic Man)

Ezekiel is far from one of the deadliest characters in The Boys, but that fact is actually a part of what makes him a great parody. He possesses a stretching ability like that of Marvel’s Mister Fantastic or DC’s Plastic Man, though it is shown as being largely unhelpful in most combat situations. Ezekiel’s ability is shown in The Boys to be little more than a gimmick, which is a great parody of Marvel and DC heroes who use the same ability in ever-increasing ways to establish themselves as massively powerful and important figures.

3) Tek Night (Batman)

The majority of The Boys‘ supes directly parody specific heroes in an obvious way, but Tek Knight’s portrayal is more subtle in its satire. Tek Knight is written as a parody of Batman, with a specific focus on his detective abilities. Tek Knight’s abilities are those of superhuman deduction, making him the world’s greatest detective. However, it’s also established that his abilities come with a downside: he has a compulsive sexual attraction to holes, particularly those in inanimate objects. He’s certainly one of the more bizarre hero parodies, but its a wickedly funny way of spoofing one of the most iconic heroes in pop culture.

4) Webweaver (Spider-Man)

One of The Boys‘ heroes mocking Marvel is a hilariously disgusting parody of a beloved superhero. Webweaver, as introduced in Season 4 of The Boys, is an obvious spoof of Spider-Man, mocking his arachnid abilities by making his web-slinging more accurate to the animal kingdom. Instead of shooting webs from his wrists, Webweaver produces it from a small spinneret aperture above his buttocks. Additionally, Webweaver’s complicated sexual relationship with Tek Knight adds yet another layer to the character’s comedic depiction that makes him another excellent hero parody.

5) Homelander (Superman)

Homelander is by far the best of the villains in The Boys, not just because he is incredibly powerful, but because he becomes increasingly detached from humanity as the show goes on. A clear parody of Superman, Homelander is a perfect and horrifying send-up of the iconic DC hero, as his remarkable powers lead him to see himself as a god among humankind. This is the driving force behind his villainy, serving as a dark reflection of just what Superman could have become if he existed in the real world.

6) Blindspot (Daredevil)

Although Blindspot only features briefly in The Boys, he is able to stand out as one of the show’s best hero parodies in that time. A blind hero who compensates for his disability using enhanced hearing and impressive martial arts abilities, Blindspot is a clear send-up of the Marvel hero Daredevil. What makes the parody so great is how easily he is incapacitated by Homelander, who simply deafens him with a quick strike to the ears. It’s a brutal assessment of a popular Marvel hero that reminds viewers why The Boys is such a perfect parody.

7) The Deep (Aquaman/Namor)

There is perhaps no parody in The Boys as complete as The Deep. The aquatic supe is most obviously parodying DC’s Aquaman, with some elements of Marvel’s Namor also being incorporated. The Deep’s sexual attraction to marine life is perhaps the silliest aspect of the parody, but it’s also regularly referenced that he is useless when it comes to land-locked crimes. The Deep’s role in The Seven is constantly questioned thanks to the apparent uselessness of his powers, and the sexual element of his abilities is The Boys‘ most disgusting and hilarious superhero parody.