Over the past four seasons ofThe Boys, the show has peeled back the layers ofAntony Starr’s Homelander. In a recent interview, the actor revealed that Season 5 will depict the character in his weakest state yet, as we will see the powerful supe physically vulnerable for the first time. AsThe Boys' satirical version of Superman, Homelander has most of the Blue Boy Scout’s same powers (including flight, super strength, invulnerability, and laser eyes), with some incredibly patriotic adornments to his costume (his Stars and Stripes cape belongs in a Michael Bay movie). However, the character doesn’t yet have his own version of kryptonite – at least, not one that audiences have seen.
Speaking toVariety, along withThe Boysshowrunner Eric Kripke,Antony Starr teased what fans can expect from his villainous supe in the fifth and final season.“Homelander starts the season off discovering his own mortality,“the actor revealed. In the past, the closest Homelander had come to losing a fight was when a suped-up Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) worked together to take him down in Season 3. But that was a supes vs. supe fight. Later, Season 4 teased a virus that could wipe out the supe population. Has Butcher found a way to make it work on Homelander?
Starr also teased thathe discovers his mortality “in a way that only occurs on this show.“KnowingThe Boys, the sequence will probably be very gruesome. With his own mortality in mind, Starr saidHomelander is focused on “the idea of legacy.“In Season 4, Homelander tried being a “good” father for his son Ryan (Cameron Crovetti), but his own narcissistic tendencies repeatedly got in the way. It seems that Homelander is giving in to those tendencies in Season 5, as his goal for Ryan is still to take over as the next Homelander, rather than what Ryan actually wants. Starr explained:
“So, he really wants to set up his son as the next baton carrier in Vought.”
Antony Starr Reveals Homelander’s Kryptonite
Despite being an irredeemably bad villain (not even his love of Smash Mouth can save him), Antony Starr still sees the person underneath the red, white, and blue cape. But, in true Homelander fashion, the character’s biggest kryptonite is his own empathy — on the rare occasion it shows. “I’ve always thought his humanity is his kryptonite,” said Starr. The actor delved further into his thought process, explaining that Homelander’s indecisiveness about his own future in Season 4, and balancing his love for his son with his own ego, is what grounds the character.
The Boys' Homelander Star Reveals His Weirdest Scene at SDCC Panel
Antony Starr reveal that of all the bizarre and controversial moments he has been part of in The Boys, one stands out in Season 4.
Season 5 ofThe Boysis currently in production.Showrunner Eric Kripke previously confirmed that Season 5 would bring the beloved superhero show to an end. However, just because the main show is ending, doesn’t mean Kripke is done withThe Boysuniverse. Season 2 of the successful spin-off,Gen V, is also in production, and there are two new spin-off shows in the works.The Boys: Mexico, starring Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal, has been in development for some time now, but Kripke assures fans the international series is still going ahead. The latest spin-off to be announced isVought Rising. The show is set decades beforeThe Boys, and explores the founding of the titular superhero conglomerate.
