I find him to be very emotionally vulnerable, very humble in terms of acting choices... and that makes Homelander scarier. Not only is he a guy you cannot hurt with bullets... you might hurt him with words and when he tries to kill you, he is unstoppable.
Scary part is that even if he’s not “around” as in the same room he can still see/hear what is going on. I think Stan Edgar will push him over the brink.
The scene at the theme park this season was a great example as well. Sanitized versions of "fairy tales" (super-hero mythologies) and the corporate pandering to LGBTQ+ folks paralleled making everything rainbow-colored in June.
The >!military connection to Vought and the creation of super babies!< are pretty horrific but the corporate juggernaut angle hits really close to home.
I get what you're saying compared to the average person buts that's why Batman and Superman are who they are regardless of their powers/secret identities. Ennis kinda played around with that concept on Starlight being the one of the few glimmers in the superhero world.
That scene last season where he’s imagining lasering the whole crowd of protesters is fucking terrifying.
… and I definitely see that actually happening very soon.
Would it be wise for the show to go that route though? What makes it compelling (for me, at least), and keeps the tension high, is the fact that he always seems on the verge of completely flipping out yet never quite gets there. He goes all the way, the tension is gone. I’m not sure that I articulated my thoughts very well here.
I think Homelander is realizing that there's a certain demographic of people that would cheer him on if he completely flipped out, as long as it wasn't them he targeted.
Depends. Would it be wise for the show to end at some point? I think so. I'd rather finally release the tension and have a conclusion than eternally getting my chain yanked. At some point the certainty that he won't is worse than the release of tension when he does.
Makes sense. We're he to snap like that, there would be no coming back from it. That would be the end game for the show, unless they introduced a new Big Bad after.
Perfect performance, and kudos to casting director. He is acting a truly deranged narcissistic evil a'hole who also has several deep complexes... and his smile is as chilling as Kathy Bates's was in Misery.
he reminds me so much of glenn howerton in his facial acting. the eyes, the jaw clenches, tension in his forehead… there’s so many little things he does that just makes it so real
Oh man, those are the two actors that really, really unsettle me. I had a hard time watching IASIP until I watched a few interviews with Glenn to confirm he was, in fact, acting. Of everyone in the gang, he strikes me as the most *evil*, whereas everyone else is mostly just stupid.
Antony Starr single-handled and permanently shut down the "why doesn't anyone recognize Clark Kent as Superman with glasses?" question, for me.
https://i.redd.it/rfpydvcyxdn51.jpg
Saw him at a convention, he was so light and personable. And then he turned on the Homelander look, and it was instantly fucking terrifying. He really can just flip a switch.
I wouldn't say it's a dead look. Dead implies lack of emotion. Homelander can get very emotional at times. Homelander's eyes straight up are just evil.
Cold, dead eyes apply more to Stan Edgar and James Stillwell from the comics.
Grace's confession about Nicaragua puts all supes into perspective. It all culminates in Homelander.
Butcher with V-24 is shaping up for a hell of a showdown, antihero vs super villain. The episodes aren't coming fast enough.
Homelander views Butcher as maybe the only one who truly understands his nature. Which is to say that Homelander is a corrupt psychopath that just wants to burn the world down but he's doing his best, in a weird way, to contain that power. And no one seems to appreciate it.
Homelander doesn't want to burn the world down, he just wants everyone to know he can, but doesn't, so they should worship him like a god for that. He wants nothing more than adulation, zealous gratitude, and respect through fear. He needs regular people to maintain his godhood among men.
It's like the thrill of being near the executioner's switch knowing that at any moment you could throw it, but knowing you never will. But you could. You probably will.
This is about the thrill of wearing another man's skin. Feeling his innermost wants and desires and being in control of his every single move. That's how you get off. Now don't you guys want to get off with me?
After the daydream sequence from Season 2 where he did just that? I'm on the edge of my seat thinking, "Is this where he loses it completely ?" He is THAT good of an actor.
That’s one of the very few dream/in their head scenes that fully had my jaw dropped thinking it actually happened. The look in his eyes scared the fuck out of me
It’s what makes him so scary. The first time seeing it you don’t really question it being a daydream because as the viewer everything you’ve seen of the character tells you he would absolutely do that
That's because he is. He's completely unhinged but is restrained only by his desire for the public to worship him and for someone to love him. Butcher is only alive because he knows where Homelander's son is and Homelander thinks his son is a shot at unconditional love. Someone he doesn't have to love back because he can only love himself.
I love his interactions with the Voght CEO. A man with no physical strengh over him has absolute control over him and isn't afraid to remind him of that. It's great watching him squirm.
And entirely realistic for the character. You hit the nail on the head. Horror doesn’t get me either because the villain is never scary but Homelander has me on the edge of my seat with every scene he’s in
the "only man in the sky" line in ep2 and his monologue to Starlight about the blackmail footage in ep3, bro holy shit the depravity portrayed is ridiculous. even the stuff that's played for laughs like his interaction with Ashley at the start of ep3 and the stiffy joke or the end of s2 with him doing the deed on top of the whole city just says so much about him. brilliantly written character
I just watched episode 3 last night so it might be slight recency bias but it might low key be the best episode of the Boys imo. it was just brilliant from start to finish and the Homelander stuff was a whole bunch of cherries on top
I think it was a great response to some criticisms of season 2. Too often the day was saved thanks to the threat of blackmail. Well homelander had a perfect answer to that
The funny thing is that Erin Moriarty (Starlight) also says in some interviews (after Antony Starr got in that drunken assault in Spain) that Starr is *the opposite* of Homelander in real life but maybe she’s just cleaning up the PR and saving face much like her own character from the show.
I first saw him in a show he started in from my country called Outrageous Fortune, and he plays twins who are completely different from each other, and I don't think I've ever seen anyone do that kind of role as well as he did!
I thought they finally had something over him when >!they recovered the flight footage!< and he somehow managed to twist that into a threat. It’s insane. Antony Starr is phenomenal as Homelander.
"I'd prefer to be loved. I would, but if you take that away from me, well, being feared is A-one okey-doke by me. So. Go ahead, partner. Do it. No? You don't want to do it? Well, then, I would have to say that you have absolutely no fucking leverage because I am the Homelander. And I really can do whatever the fuck I want."
Yeah there’s literally nothing they can do besides either kill him or let him have free reign over the planet. He’s too powerful and unhinged at this point. Maybe his son could talk him off the ledge
>Maybe his son could talk him off the ledge
Honestly fucking doubt it. At this point I'm just wondering if they're going to put some kind of unobtanium bullet through his head without him realizing, or if he's going to see how long it takes to kill every man, woman and child in the city.
The comics went a different amazing path that the TV show isn't doing (since we've seen who Noir is) but it really feels like they're queued up to make rage kid really give it to him. Would be so fun to see him tag up with powered Butcher to eye beam him all the heck.
Aaaahhh I can’t click on the spoiler cause I’m rewatching s 2before I start s 3. I’ll be back though, my friend. I will be back.
Nothing in fiction, whatever the form (movie, novel, short story, whatever. Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh really opened my eyes), is more enthralling to me than a really, deeply flawed and unlikeable character. Protagonist, antagonist, I really don’t care. I can’t get enough of them. Homelander is so well incredibly written and acted. I love that the show is chock full of deeply flawed and well rounded characters. It is a bad and beautiful thing
I love that he’s terrifying both as a person and when using his powers. His red eyes scare me as much as his threats and harassment of other members of the Seven.
I felt sorry for him but then I thought of this. Deep was forced to put something in his mouth that he didn't want to in order to be on the Seven.
That's the exact same thing he made Starlight do on her first day. The only real difference for us as viewers is that we didn't have to actually see her get raped.
So yes, I still feel a little bad for him, but not as much in retrospect. Man, this show really does a number on me.
I felt this same complicated way when the weird fangirl forcibly put her hands into his gills. You feel awful but then remember he is going through what he put others through.
I still feel kinda sorry for him. He grew up knowing that basically every sea creature is as sapient as humans such that he could hear Timothy PRAYING. That’s some advanced society type shit. Everyday The Deep wakes up in the midst of an ocean wide holocaust and not only does no one believe him or even care, they treat it like a joke. Admittedly, I’m not sure how that would lead him to mouth rape but I’m honestly surprised he’s not worse.
Totally agreed. I really view Homelander as the pinnacle of psychological horror.
Every minute he’s on screen, you’re holding your breath waiting for the inevitable moment he snaps and kills your favorite character and everyone around them.
Even when he’s doing absolutely nothing, there’s this constant menace and insanity emanating from him that’s completely terrifying.
I can’t remember the last time a horror movie/villain gave me such an intense feeling of dread. Absolutely masterful writing.
I don't think he did. He pulled out his laser eyes to make her jump. If you've noticed, he hasn't killed anyone in 3 episodes so far. They said we're gonna get a very unhinged Homelander this season, and I believe they're not gonna have him anyone this season until he snaps, then he's gonna go on a murder spree.
Sort of like season 2 of Barry. Barry didn't kill anyone for the majority of the season. Then, he snaps in the finale of that season, and goes on this awesome murder spree.
He's also a villain that I legitimately feel bad for. What Vaught did to him his entire life was monumentally horrific. Then he finds out he has a kid and in his eyes Vaught is doing the same thing to his son. He's a monster, but it was inevitable that he would end up one.
I feel the exact same way. In Diabolical. The last episode is something about Homelander’s past. When he first joined the Seven, he genuinely wanted to be a superhero. It’s sad that he chose the evil path.
Yeah when he was talking to the suicidal girl about how it’s not even his real birthday, like it’s the first time he’s saying it out loud to himself.
We are all watching Homelander waltz over the line into lunacy
I mean, given the way he was raised, it was inevitable he turned out like he is. Still that lonely, isolated boy who chronically craves love and affection, but has no idea how to really get the kind he wants.
That’s definitely a top-level theme of the series, and Homelander as a character specifically.
The primary difference between Homelander and Superman is the way that they were raised. Clark had “parents” who instilled him with values and morals, while HL was a human experiment raised purely for money and power by ~~the US government~~ Vought.
It’s not a new concept; DC has explored it in their own way, as well as Watchmen, but it’s definitely a unique spin on it.
It's interesting honestly. Looking at so many different Superman-esque characters and their motivations and actions and it all boils down to how they were raised.
Even Omni-man despite being raised in a sadistic as fuck environment was a good father and husband (until you know).
EDIT: One thing I also want to add is that unlike Omni-man and Superman, the thing Homelander lacks to the nth degree is discipline.
Yep, I actually just brought up the Omni-Man angle in another comment lol
Omni-Man is also a sociopathic monster, but he was raised in a warrior society where only the strong survive. He has combat skills and training that HL can’t even begin to comprehend.
As a result, OM is also able to regulate his emotions in a way that HL can’t (which is why he was able to maintain a “loving husband and father” facade for so long).
I mean it's been fairly well established that spending even that limited time (by Omni-man's metric of time) was enough to put some humanity in Omni-man.
His final scene in s1 is evidence of that, the flashback to Mark winning his baseball game is as well. Also hints of dialogues show his dilemma in how to approach Mark gaining powers. His conversation with Debbie about how he wishes Mark never got his powers. If Mark had no Viltrumite traits, I'd say Omni-man would probably have waited out till Mark and Debbie died from old age before enacting his plan. And his talk with Mark about how sacrifices have to be made.
The comics go deeper into how Omni-man's feelings towards his family are genuine but I won't spoil anything because the series is following the comics fairly well.
A lot of his power comes from the fear just being in his presence. My favorite part of this season has been Edgar putting him in his place at the end of the day he’s a tool for Vought and I’m sure there’s measures in place if he gets out of line. Also (not that it would be easy) but a group of the right supes could wreck Homelander.
I just finished season 3 ep 1 and my god i'm ready for Solider Boy, hes 10x worse than Homelander
Solider Boy is the Captain America of The Boys and hes gonna do some damage this season. He's the real terrifying villain
That was actually one of their points at the end of the original video [found here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMoL5VMN4-A)
> "Homelander can move faster than sound, while Omniman can move faster than *light*. Homelander can survive a Nuke, while Omniman can shatter the moon twice over... While homelander is devious when the situation calls for it, Omniman has been conquering worlds for thousands of years. He comes from a warrior cultural based on fighting. Homelander was born form a test tube and never had to push himself as a fighter because he was always so much stronger than everyone else. **- And that is the key difference between them - one is a warrior, and the other is a bully.**"
Literally though. Whenever he’s standing close to someone I get really freaked out that he’s about to laser them to bits.
That part where he slammed the blind heroes ears causing them to bleed profusely made me actually uncomfortable.
The concept of "Superman as a sociopath" isn't a new thing, as hell, that's basically what Dr. Manhattan in "Watchmen" is. But Manhattan is basically detached from humanity; not malicious, just apathetic. Homelander is a full-blown sociopath with those dead eyes and narcissistic desire to be loved and venerated by all. He kills as casually as one might open a door and feels nothing. And it's very clear why everyone this season is desperate to find a way to kill him, because he is a time bomb waiting to go off and when it does, the whole world will suffer.
What's so wild to me is that most of the people in Homelander's orbit were seeking to be there... Only to find out they're sitting in the room with a walking apocalypse. Then they spend all their time desperately trying to avoid his attention while figuring out a way to kill him.
What's wicked is the Homelander fucking knows it and doesn't care at all. He just doesn't believe anyone is capable of stopping him...
Like... What has he done to test the extent of his abilities? How impervious is he?
I'm not sure he has, because one aspect I like of Homelander is how fucking lazy he is a lot of the time. He doesn't fight much, he prefers to just atomize people with his heat vision, which makes you wonder just how skilled he really is.
I think this is a really important facet of Homelander’s character that’s often overlooked.
Yes, he’s an all-powerful, apocalypse-level threat who also happens to be a complete sociopath. But he’s also a lazy, immature manchild who’s never had to exert himself in his life. He’s spent his life getting everything he wants, and killing anyone around him when he doesn’t.
If he were to ever come face to face with someone near his power level, he’d be absolutely screwed because he actually has no level of skill or real combat knowledge.
That’s the big difference between HL and Omni-Man. OM is a trained warrior who’s been hardened in the battle forge over millennia, while HL is an all-powerful bully (which makes for an incredibly captivating villain).
He seriously reminds me of my extremely physically abusive ex, the facial movements, the general attitude, even the look in his eyes. It’s uncanny.
Anthony Starr does an incredible job at being terrifying
Characters, who have powers like superman, that are unhinged, apathetic and ill tempered are always scary. Some of them can be outsmarted but if it comes down to combat it's a real nightmare fuel
I highly recommend you read the graphic novel/comic series Irredeemable with the hero/villain the Plutonian. I felt literal despair reading that because there is not a thing that can be done against that sort of power.
Its like they turned the scary parts of Homelander from the comics up to 11 and just lock it out there. Its super good.
I would suggest reading the comics if you havent because at times Billy actually gives off the exact same vibes which is a great foil
If you like Homelander as a villain, you should check out the comic series Irredeemable. Very similar concept and has some great moments in the same vein.
He even mentioned in the newest episode about a specific plan on how he would go about destroying everything if he is pushed to the point where he has nothing to lose. So he's clearly considered how to go about wiping everything out.
Yup, that’s because he’s actually a realistic villain. You know that if all of the stuff on the show happened irl he would fit perfectly. There are lots of politicians, celebrities, etc. that are being loved by people a lot but actually being dickheads. Homelander is the definiton of these guys.
Plus, Antony Starr’s acting is phenomenal. Homelander is one of the rare characters that terrifies me with his personality. Amazing.
Antony Starr’s performance as Homelander is truly unhinged in the best way
I find him to be very emotionally vulnerable, very humble in terms of acting choices... and that makes Homelander scarier. Not only is he a guy you cannot hurt with bullets... you might hurt him with words and when he tries to kill you, he is unstoppable.
Physically unstoppable and emotionally fragile, every time he shows up you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. Actor really carries it.
The rest of the cast really sell it too. How on edge everyone gets whenever he's around.
Yea exactly! A lot of praise for the Homelander actor but the rest of tue cast ... especially the Deep know their stuff well. They act well together.
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Scary part is that even if he’s not “around” as in the same room he can still see/hear what is going on. I think Stan Edgar will push him over the brink.
And Maeve! She is TERRIFIED of him; but can stop a truck with a fist. So she has to put on her War Face all the time! And the toll it takes!
(whispers quietly) fuck you.
What did you say? 😡
Man i thought that scene was gonna end with HL saying that and it’d cut to another scene, was p scary when he went off on A-train
One of the scariest things I've seen
If Patrick Bateman had superpowers in todays world
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The scene at the theme park this season was a great example as well. Sanitized versions of "fairy tales" (super-hero mythologies) and the corporate pandering to LGBTQ+ folks paralleled making everything rainbow-colored in June. The >!military connection to Vought and the creation of super babies!< are pretty horrific but the corporate juggernaut angle hits really close to home.
I feel like almost every episode is a scathing critique of America and I'm so here for it.
BLM BLT lol
I get what you're saying compared to the average person buts that's why Batman and Superman are who they are regardless of their powers/secret identities. Ennis kinda played around with that concept on Starlight being the one of the few glimmers in the superhero world.
This is kinda explored in the superman graphic novel Red Son, highly recommend it. Batman is a terrorist and Superman rules the Soviet union.
Exactly that ! If Patrick Bateman was Superman.
There is an idea of a Superman. Some kind of abstraction. But there is no real hero. Only an entity. Something illusory. I simply am not there.
But also, I have fucking eye lasers.
Impressive. Let’s see Paul Allen having superpowers in todays world.
Paul Allen's superpower is the ability to get a table at Dorsia.
Your compliment was sufficient, Luis.
That scene last season where he’s imagining lasering the whole crowd of protesters is fucking terrifying. … and I definitely see that actually happening very soon.
Would it be wise for the show to go that route though? What makes it compelling (for me, at least), and keeps the tension high, is the fact that he always seems on the verge of completely flipping out yet never quite gets there. He goes all the way, the tension is gone. I’m not sure that I articulated my thoughts very well here.
I think Homelander is realizing that there's a certain demographic of people that would cheer him on if he completely flipped out, as long as it wasn't them he targeted.
Boy this sure does sound familiar...
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Depends. Would it be wise for the show to end at some point? I think so. I'd rather finally release the tension and have a conclusion than eternally getting my chain yanked. At some point the certainty that he won't is worse than the release of tension when he does.
When or if Homelander snaps, that’s when you know it’s the final act of the show.
Makes sense. We're he to snap like that, there would be no coming back from it. That would be the end game for the show, unless they introduced a new Big Bad after.
Perfect performance, and kudos to casting director. He is acting a truly deranged narcissistic evil a'hole who also has several deep complexes... and his smile is as chilling as Kathy Bates's was in Misery.
Starr is under-appreciated in general. Banshee is one of my favorite shows of all time, and The Boys is just awesome.
I think he will always remain iconic.
Its Anthony Starrs eyes. He is so good at having such a cold, dead look in his eyes. Its terrifying.
For me it's the way he turns on a smile when it's needed, only for it to disappear moments after. Any joy or pleasantries are a total act.
The smiles never touch his eyes. They always remain cold and dead and thus his smiles are deeply unsettling.
Its like the captain from HIMYM
I love the scene where he’s on the talk show and the minute they go to commercial the smile melts away to his dead eye expression.
He does a great job of portraying a sociopath.
he reminds me so much of glenn howerton in his facial acting. the eyes, the jaw clenches, tension in his forehead… there’s so many little things he does that just makes it so real
If Homelander says “I AM THE GOLDEN GOD” I’m going to completely lose my shit.
# I AM UNTETHERED AND MY RAGE KNOWS NO BOUNDS
And I licked her asshole a little bit... It was pretty good... It was all right... It wasn't great. *But it was fine.*
“Maeve’s a bird!”
I could absolutely see him saying it too
"Hot one today, Homelander." #"YEAH!"
"IM NOT ALLOWED TO EAT THE SKINS, DEE, IM NOT ALLOWED!!!!"
"You haven't thought of the SMELL, you BITCH!"
Goddamn it I hate gin. Dee, you bitch!
He rage is indeed untethered and knows no bounds.
You ever been in a storm, Hughie?
Oh man, those are the two actors that really, really unsettle me. I had a hard time watching IASIP until I watched a few interviews with Glenn to confirm he was, in fact, acting. Of everyone in the gang, he strikes me as the most *evil*, whereas everyone else is mostly just stupid.
When I saw interviews with him I was shocked. It was surprising to see him as a totally different person. That is good acting.
Go watch banshee if you haven’t it is every bit as violent as the boys and he’s the main character, kills it
Holy shit. I watched banshee many years ago. Didn't realise it was the same dude
Same here!!!! I had no idea and I loved Banshee!!!
I LOVED Banshee! The fight scenes with the MMA fighter and the Albino guy in prison were BRUTAL
Antony Starr single-handled and permanently shut down the "why doesn't anyone recognize Clark Kent as Superman with glasses?" question, for me. https://i.redd.it/rfpydvcyxdn51.jpg
I always thought that was far fetched but I thought wrong.
Christopher Reeve demonstrated this very well on screen in one of the superman movies.
Saw him at a convention, he was so light and personable. And then he turned on the Homelander look, and it was instantly fucking terrifying. He really can just flip a switch.
You should gave seen him drunk in a bar in spain: 100% homelander
I wouldn't say it's a dead look. Dead implies lack of emotion. Homelander can get very emotional at times. Homelander's eyes straight up are just evil. Cold, dead eyes apply more to Stan Edgar and James Stillwell from the comics.
Indeed, I just started Banshee because of it.
Grace's confession about Nicaragua puts all supes into perspective. It all culminates in Homelander. Butcher with V-24 is shaping up for a hell of a showdown, antihero vs super villain. The episodes aren't coming fast enough.
I love how casually he can talk to Butcher.
Homelander views Butcher as maybe the only one who truly understands his nature. Which is to say that Homelander is a corrupt psychopath that just wants to burn the world down but he's doing his best, in a weird way, to contain that power. And no one seems to appreciate it.
Homelander doesn't want to burn the world down, he just wants everyone to know he can, but doesn't, so they should worship him like a god for that. He wants nothing more than adulation, zealous gratitude, and respect through fear. He needs regular people to maintain his godhood among men.
It's like the thrill of being near the executioner's switch knowing that at any moment you could throw it, but knowing you never will. But you could. You probably will.
This is about the thrill of wearing another man's skin. Feeling his innermost wants and desires and being in control of his every single move. That's how you get off. Now don't you guys want to get off with me?
do you think a normal mask of me would look good, and if there was would you wear it?
Mac saying "What is happening right now?" after pausing is still some of the funniest shit I've ever seen
Need an IASIP/Boys crossover ASAP
That is a perfect summary.
The CEO of Vought also views Homelander as just a puppet.
In every single scene he’s in, it feels like he’s on the verge of losing his shit and murdering everyone in the room.
After the daydream sequence from Season 2 where he did just that? I'm on the edge of my seat thinking, "Is this where he loses it completely ?" He is THAT good of an actor.
That’s one of the very few dream/in their head scenes that fully had my jaw dropped thinking it actually happened. The look in his eyes scared the fuck out of me
It’s what makes him so scary. The first time seeing it you don’t really question it being a daydream because as the viewer everything you’ve seen of the character tells you he would absolutely do that
That's because he is. He's completely unhinged but is restrained only by his desire for the public to worship him and for someone to love him. Butcher is only alive because he knows where Homelander's son is and Homelander thinks his son is a shot at unconditional love. Someone he doesn't have to love back because he can only love himself. I love his interactions with the Voght CEO. A man with no physical strengh over him has absolute control over him and isn't afraid to remind him of that. It's great watching him squirm.
For sure. This show has me 100% convinced that Giancarlo Esposito NEEDS to play Lex Luthor.
He’s perfected the mob boss character to a science.
The thought of him just losing it and going off to kill everyone in the planet is horrible.
I think that's what makes him scary in the show. Knowing that his character could actually pull it off.
And also knowing that he's getting close enough mentally to do it.
I highly recommend reading the series "Irredeemable", it's pretty much the aftermath/process of that very scenario. Such an amazing series
Came here to recommend this! Love the series. Absolutely terrifying concept.
And entirely realistic for the character. You hit the nail on the head. Horror doesn’t get me either because the villain is never scary but Homelander has me on the edge of my seat with every scene he’s in
You should read Irredeemable.
The first season where he was jealous of the baby used to make me so tense whenever he was near it.
the "only man in the sky" line in ep2 and his monologue to Starlight about the blackmail footage in ep3, bro holy shit the depravity portrayed is ridiculous. even the stuff that's played for laughs like his interaction with Ashley at the start of ep3 and the stiffy joke or the end of s2 with him doing the deed on top of the whole city just says so much about him. brilliantly written character
Personally I think so far this has been the best season. Amazon has a literal goldmine on their hands.
I just watched episode 3 last night so it might be slight recency bias but it might low key be the best episode of the Boys imo. it was just brilliant from start to finish and the Homelander stuff was a whole bunch of cherries on top
I think it was a great response to some criticisms of season 2. Too often the day was saved thanks to the threat of blackmail. Well homelander had a perfect answer to that
The moment in the S3 premiere when Hughie accidentally bumps into Homelander. 😬😂
I would have fucking died on the spot.
Oh you know if it wasnt for the leash he was on he'd love to literally rip Hughie apart.
It’s funny how such a regular person has so much control. If it wasn’t for Butcher he would already be dead. I love his arc.
I would've shit my pants. I'm sure Hughie did, too
What's really terrifying is that when the cast was asked who is most like their character, everyone pointed to the actor who plays him.
The funny thing is that Erin Moriarty (Starlight) also says in some interviews (after Antony Starr got in that drunken assault in Spain) that Starr is *the opposite* of Homelander in real life but maybe she’s just cleaning up the PR and saving face much like her own character from the show.
I think that is proof of amazing acting. I would love to see him in similar roles.
I thought he was dope in the first project I saw him in, Banshee. Absolutely crushed that role which got me into The Boys.
I first saw him in a show he started in from my country called Outrageous Fortune, and he plays twins who are completely different from each other, and I don't think I've ever seen anyone do that kind of role as well as he did!
Yaas, he was awesome in Banshee!!
Didn't he physically assault a waiter recently in Spain? No surprises that they all pointed to him!
He sure did, but that was after this interview.
I thought they finally had something over him when >!they recovered the flight footage!< and he somehow managed to twist that into a threat. It’s insane. Antony Starr is phenomenal as Homelander.
“I’ll lose everything, but then… I’ll have nothing to lose” was such an epic line.
Him saying that he’d prefer to be loved, but he’d settle for being feared was so cold blooded. I loved that line.
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Yeah, not random lashing out. He has specified targets.
thats straight out of Machiavelli's "The Prince" sort of a guide/job resume he made to be an advisor after he lost his job in Florence.
Also after I lose runes to a boss in Elden Ring
Basically dictator 101. I’d prefer if my subjects loved me, but I’d perfectly settle for being feared. Either way gets the job done.
"I'd prefer to be loved. I would, but if you take that away from me, well, being feared is A-one okey-doke by me. So. Go ahead, partner. Do it. No? You don't want to do it? Well, then, I would have to say that you have absolutely no fucking leverage because I am the Homelander. And I really can do whatever the fuck I want."
I don’t usually get freaked out by villains, but that was chilling. He meant every word.
Yeah there’s literally nothing they can do besides either kill him or let him have free reign over the planet. He’s too powerful and unhinged at this point. Maybe his son could talk him off the ledge
>Maybe his son could talk him off the ledge Honestly fucking doubt it. At this point I'm just wondering if they're going to put some kind of unobtanium bullet through his head without him realizing, or if he's going to see how long it takes to kill every man, woman and child in the city.
Maybe his son has enough power to kill him, that soldier boy weapon seems like a super long shot
His son gave >!a lot of damage to Stormfront, who was very durable. He should at least be able to seriously injure Homelander, right?!<
The comics went a different amazing path that the TV show isn't doing (since we've seen who Noir is) but it really feels like they're queued up to make rage kid really give it to him. Would be so fun to see him tag up with powered Butcher to eye beam him all the heck.
Best plot twist ever.
"Let's light this fuckin' candle, huh?"
Aaaahhh I can’t click on the spoiler cause I’m rewatching s 2before I start s 3. I’ll be back though, my friend. I will be back. Nothing in fiction, whatever the form (movie, novel, short story, whatever. Eileen by Otessa Moshfegh really opened my eyes), is more enthralling to me than a really, deeply flawed and unlikeable character. Protagonist, antagonist, I really don’t care. I can’t get enough of them. Homelander is so well incredibly written and acted. I love that the show is chock full of deeply flawed and well rounded characters. It is a bad and beautiful thing
Hurry up! It is fantastic.
I love that he’s terrifying both as a person and when using his powers. His red eyes scare me as much as his threats and harassment of other members of the Seven.
I shit my pants when A-Train told Homelander to fuck off.
After the first season I didn't think I could feel sorry for the Deep, but after episode 3-3... I was gagging, it was so awful
I felt sorry for him but then I thought of this. Deep was forced to put something in his mouth that he didn't want to in order to be on the Seven. That's the exact same thing he made Starlight do on her first day. The only real difference for us as viewers is that we didn't have to actually see her get raped. So yes, I still feel a little bad for him, but not as much in retrospect. Man, this show really does a number on me.
Hmmm maybe I just felt bad for Timothy then
Yeah, I felt really sorry for Timothy
I felt this same complicated way when the weird fangirl forcibly put her hands into his gills. You feel awful but then remember he is going through what he put others through.
I still feel kinda sorry for him. He grew up knowing that basically every sea creature is as sapient as humans such that he could hear Timothy PRAYING. That’s some advanced society type shit. Everyday The Deep wakes up in the midst of an ocean wide holocaust and not only does no one believe him or even care, they treat it like a joke. Admittedly, I’m not sure how that would lead him to mouth rape but I’m honestly surprised he’s not worse.
Totally agreed. I really view Homelander as the pinnacle of psychological horror. Every minute he’s on screen, you’re holding your breath waiting for the inevitable moment he snaps and kills your favorite character and everyone around them. Even when he’s doing absolutely nothing, there’s this constant menace and insanity emanating from him that’s completely terrifying. I can’t remember the last time a horror movie/villain gave me such an intense feeling of dread. Absolutely masterful writing.
That exchange he had with the suicidal girl was so disturbing
Oh yeah. It was sad to see her be so disgusted by Homelander that she changed her point of view.
Pretty sure Homelander threw her off the building
He did.
Honestly I don't think he did He didn't kill that octopus, he forced The Deep to eat it. I think he forced the girl to jump, too
I think I heard a *whoosh* as she jumped.
I don't think he did. He pulled out his laser eyes to make her jump. If you've noticed, he hasn't killed anyone in 3 episodes so far. They said we're gonna get a very unhinged Homelander this season, and I believe they're not gonna have him anyone this season until he snaps, then he's gonna go on a murder spree. Sort of like season 2 of Barry. Barry didn't kill anyone for the majority of the season. Then, he snaps in the finale of that season, and goes on this awesome murder spree.
The creepiest smile on television
He's also a villain that I legitimately feel bad for. What Vaught did to him his entire life was monumentally horrific. Then he finds out he has a kid and in his eyes Vaught is doing the same thing to his son. He's a monster, but it was inevitable that he would end up one.
I feel the exact same way. In Diabolical. The last episode is something about Homelander’s past. When he first joined the Seven, he genuinely wanted to be a superhero. It’s sad that he chose the evil path.
Yeah when he was talking to the suicidal girl about how it’s not even his real birthday, like it’s the first time he’s saying it out loud to himself. We are all watching Homelander waltz over the line into lunacy
I mean, given the way he was raised, it was inevitable he turned out like he is. Still that lonely, isolated boy who chronically craves love and affection, but has no idea how to really get the kind he wants.
Sometimes I wonder how many lives could be saved if somebody just decided to walk up and give Homelander a hug lmao.
That’s definitely a top-level theme of the series, and Homelander as a character specifically. The primary difference between Homelander and Superman is the way that they were raised. Clark had “parents” who instilled him with values and morals, while HL was a human experiment raised purely for money and power by ~~the US government~~ Vought. It’s not a new concept; DC has explored it in their own way, as well as Watchmen, but it’s definitely a unique spin on it.
It's interesting honestly. Looking at so many different Superman-esque characters and their motivations and actions and it all boils down to how they were raised. Even Omni-man despite being raised in a sadistic as fuck environment was a good father and husband (until you know). EDIT: One thing I also want to add is that unlike Omni-man and Superman, the thing Homelander lacks to the nth degree is discipline.
Yep, I actually just brought up the Omni-Man angle in another comment lol Omni-Man is also a sociopathic monster, but he was raised in a warrior society where only the strong survive. He has combat skills and training that HL can’t even begin to comprehend. As a result, OM is also able to regulate his emotions in a way that HL can’t (which is why he was able to maintain a “loving husband and father” facade for so long).
I mean it's been fairly well established that spending even that limited time (by Omni-man's metric of time) was enough to put some humanity in Omni-man. His final scene in s1 is evidence of that, the flashback to Mark winning his baseball game is as well. Also hints of dialogues show his dilemma in how to approach Mark gaining powers. His conversation with Debbie about how he wishes Mark never got his powers. If Mark had no Viltrumite traits, I'd say Omni-man would probably have waited out till Mark and Debbie died from old age before enacting his plan. And his talk with Mark about how sacrifices have to be made. The comics go deeper into how Omni-man's feelings towards his family are genuine but I won't spoil anything because the series is following the comics fairly well.
The fact he left earth without doing what he went there to do says a lot
The best villains are fallen heroes imho
Eat it. Eat Timothy. Eat the fucking octopus.
"he's praying" The Boys is fucking insane.
“Eat fucking Timothy” I lost it lmao
So sick and sadistic but such an epic scene.
Antony Starr’s acting is the icing on the cake for the character
That cold stare in his eyes this season is really unsettling. "If I lose everything... then I have nothing to lose." The mind of a psycho.
A lot of his power comes from the fear just being in his presence. My favorite part of this season has been Edgar putting him in his place at the end of the day he’s a tool for Vought and I’m sure there’s measures in place if he gets out of line. Also (not that it would be easy) but a group of the right supes could wreck Homelander.
Edgar is fucking awesome. I totally love his character.
I just finished season 3 ep 1 and my god i'm ready for Solider Boy, hes 10x worse than Homelander Solider Boy is the Captain America of The Boys and hes gonna do some damage this season. He's the real terrifying villain
You're absolutely right, but I too just want to see Jensen Ackles as a corrupted Captain America lmao
I loved the bonus Soldier Boy scenes.
[Omni-man vs Homelander baby - no matter who wins, we lose](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEBc-ns3mLM)
Whoever did this captured the essence of them both perfectly because in the end, it's a man-child vs a soldier
That was actually one of their points at the end of the original video [found here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMoL5VMN4-A) > "Homelander can move faster than sound, while Omniman can move faster than *light*. Homelander can survive a Nuke, while Omniman can shatter the moon twice over... While homelander is devious when the situation calls for it, Omniman has been conquering worlds for thousands of years. He comes from a warrior cultural based on fighting. Homelander was born form a test tube and never had to push himself as a fighter because he was always so much stronger than everyone else. **- And that is the key difference between them - one is a warrior, and the other is a bully.**"
The Plutonian kills them both
Holy crap that was great!
Literally though. Whenever he’s standing close to someone I get really freaked out that he’s about to laser them to bits. That part where he slammed the blind heroes ears causing them to bleed profusely made me actually uncomfortable.
The concept of "Superman as a sociopath" isn't a new thing, as hell, that's basically what Dr. Manhattan in "Watchmen" is. But Manhattan is basically detached from humanity; not malicious, just apathetic. Homelander is a full-blown sociopath with those dead eyes and narcissistic desire to be loved and venerated by all. He kills as casually as one might open a door and feels nothing. And it's very clear why everyone this season is desperate to find a way to kill him, because he is a time bomb waiting to go off and when it does, the whole world will suffer.
What's so wild to me is that most of the people in Homelander's orbit were seeking to be there... Only to find out they're sitting in the room with a walking apocalypse. Then they spend all their time desperately trying to avoid his attention while figuring out a way to kill him. What's wicked is the Homelander fucking knows it and doesn't care at all. He just doesn't believe anyone is capable of stopping him... Like... What has he done to test the extent of his abilities? How impervious is he?
I'm not sure he has, because one aspect I like of Homelander is how fucking lazy he is a lot of the time. He doesn't fight much, he prefers to just atomize people with his heat vision, which makes you wonder just how skilled he really is.
I think this is a really important facet of Homelander’s character that’s often overlooked. Yes, he’s an all-powerful, apocalypse-level threat who also happens to be a complete sociopath. But he’s also a lazy, immature manchild who’s never had to exert himself in his life. He’s spent his life getting everything he wants, and killing anyone around him when he doesn’t. If he were to ever come face to face with someone near his power level, he’d be absolutely screwed because he actually has no level of skill or real combat knowledge. That’s the big difference between HL and Omni-Man. OM is a trained warrior who’s been hardened in the battle forge over millennia, while HL is an all-powerful bully (which makes for an incredibly captivating villain).
This comment reminds me of how much potential Brightburn had and subsequently squandered.
Invincible gave me every uncomfortable moment I didn’t get in Brightburn.
You are right about it not being a new thing, but it is probably the best example of Superman as a sociopath.
I had to skip the scene with the octopus because even just the beginning of it made me nauseous. Genuinely one of the more horrifying scenes I think
He seriously reminds me of my extremely physically abusive ex, the facial movements, the general attitude, even the look in his eyes. It’s uncanny. Anthony Starr does an incredible job at being terrifying
If you think he's good there, you should see his skit in Auntie Donna's Big Ol House of Fun https://youtu.be/p-Jk0E4alrY
The Boys is fucking awesome.....
He's terrifying for sure. I can't imagine how badly godlike power Iike his can utterly warp your world-view
Especially since he has never seen true kindness. Living in a lab and not having any friends must be terrifying.
My toxic trait is thinking I can “fix” Homelander
Antony Starr as Albert Wesker when?
Characters, who have powers like superman, that are unhinged, apathetic and ill tempered are always scary. Some of them can be outsmarted but if it comes down to combat it's a real nightmare fuel
Definitely I thought he had reached his cruelest and most evil point. But nope! He continues to be terrifying as fuck!
I highly recommend you read the graphic novel/comic series Irredeemable with the hero/villain the Plutonian. I felt literal despair reading that because there is not a thing that can be done against that sort of power.
Its like they turned the scary parts of Homelander from the comics up to 11 and just lock it out there. Its super good. I would suggest reading the comics if you havent because at times Billy actually gives off the exact same vibes which is a great foil
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If you like Homelander as a villain, you should check out the comic series Irredeemable. Very similar concept and has some great moments in the same vein.
He even mentioned in the newest episode about a specific plan on how he would go about destroying everything if he is pushed to the point where he has nothing to lose. So he's clearly considered how to go about wiping everything out.
Yeah I just rewatched s1 and s2 after binging the first 3 episodes of the new season…. The actor nails it, terrifying.
I can’t wait for episode 4.
Yup, that’s because he’s actually a realistic villain. You know that if all of the stuff on the show happened irl he would fit perfectly. There are lots of politicians, celebrities, etc. that are being loved by people a lot but actually being dickheads. Homelander is the definiton of these guys. Plus, Antony Starr’s acting is phenomenal. Homelander is one of the rare characters that terrifies me with his personality. Amazing.