Warning! Spoilers for The Boys below
Homelander’s secret origin in The Boys showed how truly indestructible and terrifying the powerful Supe really was. In The Boys comic book series, it’s revealed that Homelander’s origin told to the public is all a lie, as he didn’t crash-land on Earth and become the hero everyone loves. Instead, he was kept in a silo in South Dakota for nearly two decades, with a hydrogen bomb strapped to him until he could be proven to be trusted.
Homelander is the most recognizable and popular member of The Seven, The Boys‘ parody of the Justice League. The Supe, who is essentially an evil version of Superman, has used his incredible powers not only for heroics but to commit some incredibly violent atrocities. Most notably, Homelander refused to save passengers on a crashing plane because of the optics involved and, later in the comic, killed a fellow team member on The Seven when they didn’t fall in line. However, Homelander’s actions directly result from his secret origin, which played a key role in transforming him into a monster.
In The Boys #19 by Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson, Simon Bowland, and Tony Avina, the Legend reveals the truth behind Homelander. While the public believes Homelander, like Superman, crash-landed on Earth from the stars and soon became a grown man, the comic book expert reveals that was all a lie. Instead, Homelander’s secret origin was this: He was created by Vought-American to become a powerful super-weapon, as the Supe had a hydrogen bomb strapped to him until they knew they could trust him. It’s quite the stark difference from what the public is told.
Homelander’s entire reputation and backstory was built on a lie, when in reality, Vought-America knew how dangerous he and his powers were from the moment his heart started beating. So they kept him inside a silo at an isolated location with a hydrogen bomb being the only possible thing to stop him if he went rogue. It’s unclear whether that attack would have even worked on the Supe – but Vought was prepared to cause serious destruction to take Homelander out in case their training failed. But, thankfully, they didn’t have to use the bomb on the indestructible hero – not that it makes Homelander’s secret origin any less terrifying. Although, it does explain why Vought felt it was necessary to also build a secret weapon capable of taking Homelander down.
Homelander being strapped to a hydrogen bomb for the first eighteen years of his life while being isolated inside a silo shows the torture and training he went through that shaped him into the villain readers know today. His origin might have been kept secret from the public, but there’s little doubt The Boys’ Supe was permantely scarred from his upbringing, as Homelander’s personal and mental issues are surely the result of the time he spent in containment. But, of course, it doesn’t excuse his actions but does help further explain why he evolved into a powerful monster.
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Read More About The Boys to Prepare For Season 3:
- The Boys’ Soldier Boy Is the Only Hero Considered Homelander’s Equal
- Butcher’s Last Words to Homelander Reveal He’s The Boys’ True Villain
- Butcher’s New Season 3 Powers Will End In Disaster
- The Boys Version Of Thor Uses The Infinity Gauntlet In The Grossest Way
- How The Boys Fixes Season 2’s Compound-V Problem
- Why Vought Desperately Needs Soldier Boy In The Boys Season 3
- The Boys Season 3: Vought’s Zombie Army Theory Explained
- Every The Boys Season 3 Plot Theory Explained
