The Boys: 10 Things Only True Fans Know About Homelander
Homelander's childhood was more screwed up than you could ever imagine.
In 2019, Amazon adapted Garth Ennis' comic series, The Boys, which is set in a world populated by superheroes AKA Supes.
The corporation that created Supes, Vought-American, manipulate events so every aspect of the world centres around their prized commodities. Even though their superteam, The Seven, are perceived as the world's greatest heroes, they are just as corrupt as Vought-American's higher-ups.
However, no one on the team is as ruthless as The Seven's leader, Homelander. Even though he is distinguished as humanity's greatest champion, his callous upbringing turned him into a heartless psychopath who kills without a second thought.
Because his true persona is hidden from the public, little is known about him. And even if you've seen every episode and read the comic, there's a couple of things about Homelander that may have escaped your attention.
Did you know Superman isn't the only person he's based on? Are you aware of his vulnerabilities? Do you know what his childhood was like? If you ever wanted to know more about the big bad of The Boys, take a look at these ten facts about Homelander.
10. He Killed As A Child
Homelander may come across as evil incarnate throughout the show but there was a time where he just wanted to be loved. Injected with Compound V as a foetus, Homelander (or John as he was called back then), had superpowers as soon as he came into the world. Raised in isolation by Dr. Jonah Vogelbaum for most of his life, John grew bitter and sociopathic.
Although we don't see much of John's life pre-Homelander in the series, there is a deleted scene that gives a lot of insight about his upbringing. In the scene in question, Vogelbaum hired a female tutor to serve as a maternal figure for John. As his relationship with her grew, John saw her more and more as his mother and one day, showed his affection by hugging her. Underestimating his strength, he clutched her too tightly, snapping her spine.
This scene is interesting since it emphasised the point Vogelbaum made at the end of Season 1 that Homelander 'should've been raised in a home with a family who loved you.' Also, John's smile upon seeing his mentor's corpse is the first indication he is on a path to pure villainy.