What The Boys Have Left Behind

It was a show that did whatever it wanted. The Boys was a show that griped the superhero community and areas beyond since it debuted on Prime Video in 2019. Due to the tone the show took, it quickly got interest. Because of the elements The Boys used, the show always had hype on its side with every season. Fans and viewers not only wanted to know where the story and the characters were going but wanted to know how. The way in which the story was told was always captivating. Even more so, were the portrayals of characters. A few of them really highlighted the show, became a vital part of its success. And in combination, what it did with the superhero genre. It came out at an intriguing point of superhero history and used what came before to carve a crude but entertaining mark on it. Critics and fans were in agreement in the quality of the show. Its impact was felt and anticipated. But, things come to an end. The Boys just ended its run. After seven years, the story has reached its end. The Boys stood out at a time where Marvel, DC and others were up high, making The Boys a good story to follow. But now that it has ended, what will The Boys leave behind?

The most obvious impression the show will leave behind is the violent, absurd, and bloody – really bloody – way the show took to tell their story. The Blade trilogy and the first Deadpool film were really the only piece of live action superhero media that embraced that level of violence. Many viewed the violence in Deadpool as bold and refreshing for a superhero live action project. Then, The Boys came along and rose the bar. The violence and bloodshed in the show was shocking to put the least but, in a way…believable. It allowed more freedom, even more logic, for characters that have superpowers. It answered a curious question; what will these powers look like in reality? Some popular powers could very easily and obviously be used for that level of violence. Super strength may be seen as an ability to lift cars, people and boulders but if someone with that power were to punch another person with no powers at all, the result won’t be pretty, won’t be clean. There was need to display that side of the power for shock value as well. A dozen of scenes in The Boys highlighted how absurd these powers could creatively get. Many of those moments had many jaws and eyes of audiences wide open. But those moments were a part of the show’s DNA. It helped it standout among a flood of other superhero content. Those scenes may have been controversial, arguably over the top but it generated buzz for The Boys. But it was more than just shock value and realism. Some parts where that level of violence was shown, set the tone, the mood, and trajectory. The entire series began with A-Train, a speedster, running through an ordinary person. Bones and everything else of that person was shown in slow motion. That scene, being in the first couple of minutes, set the entire tone of the entire series. Set expectations as well. When Homelander killed Black Noir by plunging his fist into his gut then yanking everything it out, it was a raw scene filled with emotion. Black Noir served as one of the last pieces keeping Homelander somewhat humane. But by having Homelander killing him in such a barbaric way, it elevated Homelander’s character by making him more terrifying. So, one part of The Boys’ legacy is proving that superhero projects can lean into the more graphic and be successful. Of course, using that extra freedom could lead into shock value for the sake of shock value. But the way The Boys used it was versatile. The Boys’ style of bloodshed was used for gag, shock value, a type of realism, and even emotional stakes. And it wasn’t afraid to use it.

Another part of The Boys’ legacy are the portrayals of Billy Butcher and Homelander. Karl Urban and Antony Starr did a masterclass in their portrayals in their characters. Each of them are arguably the most layered. Both are always projecting a tough demeanor but every once in a while, a softer side did come out. When Butcher and Homelander displayed that tougher side, it was mean, aggressive, hostile and savage. Butcher and Starr made each of those moments real and authentic. Their intensity extended past the screen and was felt by everyone watching. Then when the softer side was shown, it revealed how well these characters were treated. It made certain that they were not one dimensional. For in universe characters and fans, it created this moral but intriguing dilemma. These are characters that have little redeeming qualities and who are not afraid of bloodshed and collateral damage to obtain their goals. But in those moments when Butcher is making sure Hughie is going to come of a situation alive or when nearly every father figure of Homelander is crudely mocking him, Starr and Urban really sell those moments. Their tone and facial expressions make everyone in that situation feel for them. For a moment, all is forgotten or forgiven. Then they go back to being themselves. But Urban and Starr go in between those situations flawlessly. Pack enough emotion in each of those differing moments to make Butcher and Homelander feel real.

Antony Starr though, has really made Homelander a quality character. From his deceiving smile to piercing gaze to maniacal laughter, Antony Starr has brought magnitude to Homelander. How he has portrayed in the character, is in the same league as Josh Brolin with Thanos and Heath Ledger as The Joker. Starr commands viewer attention when he is on screen. Many of his moments are memorizing because of the intensity – whether subtle, quiet, or explosive – Starr brings. Often, it’s those moments that are some of the show’s best. He was able to make an innocent hand on The Deep’s shoulder suspenseful. His portrayal is award winning and deserving.

Then, there was a time where The Boys was the best thing that the superhero genre had to offer. This was particularly during season two and three of the show. This was a time where DC was having difficulties finding footing and Marvel had no clear path. Invincible gave The Boys some competition but the stakes, quality, writing, portrayals, arcs and action of those two seasons of The Boys had a strong grip over the genre. Served some irony since The Boys parodied a lot of the superhero genre. The quirks, the quips, the cliches were all targets that The Boys went after. Many of the elements about the superhero genre that made fans groan were all the things The Boys made fun of and did not shy away from it. So, it was poetic that the show was the premier superhero go-to for a time. But The Boys capitalized on a moment when the genre was down and ran with it. Owned it. For that short amount of time, the superhero genre belonged to The Boys. And it earned it with the quality that those first three seasons had in abundance.

The Boys was an event, especially after the first season came out and proved that it could perform. It quickly got pulled into the core of superhero content and made its own mark. A large fanbase quickly flocked to and stook around. It knew what story it wanted to tell and more importantly knew how it wanted to tell it. A lot of expectations for the superhero genre was paved out for Marvel; the light fun. The Boys was not that and fans enjoyed the show for it. That tone offered a new and somewhat fresh angle for the superhero genre. And characters are going to be immortalized. Karl Urban brought aggressiveness and an odd soft touch to Billy Butcher. And of course, Antony Starr brought an invulnerability and brutality to Homelander, which of the two, Homelander will stand the test of time. The legacy left behind by The Boys will last. It even set up a blueprint itself. The success, the tone, and the villains and anti-heroes found a seat at the superhero genre while pointing at everyone else and laughing at their faces.