Summary
Ever sinceThe Boysfirst debuted in 2019, Antony Starr has been staking a claim as television’s most compelling villain. The New Zealand actor’s take on the sadistic “superhero” Homelander is nothing short of breathtaking - an effortless blend of narcissism, insecurity, and unadulterated evil hiding behind a polished smile that would make a politician blush.
Unfortunately for Starr’s dramatic charge, history has shown that bad guys of his caliber rarely live happily ever after.Despite being functionally invincible, Homelander’s litany of appalling crimes would indicate that some form of violent end to his violent delights appears to be the most likely outcome. With that being said, this isThe Boys- a shocking ending for the show’s chief antagonist arriving completely out of left field would come as little surprise.
7Homelander Is Killed By Billy Butcher
A Showdown For All The Marbles
It’s a narrative device as old as time - the main character meets the master villain in a winner-takes-all endgame. The show has contentiously been building to a Billy Butcher-Homelander grudge match from the very beginning, withSeason 3’s “Herogasm” brawlproviding a tantalizing preview of what their climactic showdown might look like.
However, for a show that prides itself on subverting pre-conceived genre notions, it could be argued that utilizing a traditional showdown in this vein could be construed as lazy and unimaginative. Butcher is also terminally ill after abusing temporary Compound V - Karl Urban’s foul-mouthed charge is soon unlikely to be in any state to dispatch the most powerful being in existence.
6Homelander Is Killed By Ryan Butcher
The Sins Of The Father
In terms of sheer satisfaction, an ending that saw Ryan Butcher become the Zeus to Homelander’s Cronus would be hard to top. It’s hard to imagine a more delicious comeuppance forThe Boys’chief antagonist than death at the hands of the only individual he even remotely cares about. Ryan’s burgeoning powers mean that he is likelyone of the few individualsin existence who might actually be capable of dispatching his father.
However, it’s hard to escape the sensation that this ending parallels the idea of Billy being the one to kill Homelander. Ryan turning on his father might come across as too convenient and formulaic for a show as unashamedly chaotic asThe Boys.
5Homelander Is Killed By The Virus
A Literal Taste Of His Own Medicine
The virus introduced in theacclaimed first season ofGen Vseems like the perfect way to dispatch Homelander on paper - a disease tailor-made to eradicate superheroes. However, while the concoction proved to have devastating effects on the inmates housed in “the Woods”, Homelander is no young supe coming to grips with his abilities.
He’s the most powerful individual on the planet, a force unlike anything the world has ever experienced before. As such, it would not come as the slightest surprise to discover that even the virus was incapable of finishing him off. Madelyn Stillwell said it best, “there isn’t a weapon on Earth that they haven’t thrown at him.”
4Homelander Is Imprisoned
Locked Away Until The End Of Time
The notion of Homelander locked in a jail cell is laughable for many viewers. Nevertheless, as ridiculous as such an idea may seem, it’s not outside the realm of possibility. Soldier Boy’s imprisonment underlined that powerful supes can still be chemically subdued and locked away like popsicles.
Considering that Homelander may be incapable of being killed, this seems like one of the safest alternatives. With that being said, there’s nothing that dastardly villains love more than breaking out of jail. As such, an ending where Homelander was simply banged up in some form of super-max facility would likely lack an element of credibility and closure.
3Homelander Loses His Powers
How The Mighty Have Fallen
It’s not inconceivable thatMaeve losing her abilitiesin “The Instant White-Hot Wild” was set up to foreshadow the demise of her most hated enemy. Soldier Boy’s Season 3 escapades proved that it is possible for even the more formidable superheroes to become “depowered”.
Granted, Homelander is considerably more powerful than his former flame or Kimiko and Soldier Boy is currently locked away like the Ark of the Covenant. However, Starr’s charge still derives his powers from Compound V, meaning that this ending isn’t an impossible one. It’s a conclusion that would divide fans considerably - while the idea of Homelander living out his own personal hell might sound like an appropriate fate, it could be argued that he got off relatively easily in light of his numerous atrocities.
2Homelander’s Comic Book Ending
Bringing The Boys To Life (And Death) Onscreen
WhileThe Boys’success has never been contingent on rigidlyadhering to the show’s source material, bringing Homelander’s comic book ending to life onscreen would have spectacular results.Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Menreveals that Black Noir is none other than a maniacal clone of Homelander himself, created to destroy the original should he ever turn against Vought.
The live action spectacle of Homelander being ripped apart by his own hands would constitute a biblical conclusion to his twisted saga like none other. The show’s take on Black Noir clouds matters as it has been established that this version of the character is categorically not a Homelander clone. However, a new version of Noir has been spotted in the trailers for Season 4, meaning that this apocalyptic ending isn’t quite dead in the water.
1Homelander Wins
Happy Endings Are Overrated
Amazon’s twisted epic has never been afraid to highlight that evil frequently triumphs over good. Accordingly, the notion of the show’s lead villain coming out on top isn’t all that outlandish.Not only is Homelander capableof ripping every single member of the Boys into bloody shreds, but he would revel in it.
A dastardly supervillain left to rule the world unopposed would be the ultimate genre subversion, a fact thatThe Boyswould likely wear like a badge of honor. With that being said, it’s hard to overstate the harrowing effect that this could potentially have on the show’s fandom. Morally speaking, a Homelander triumph would contentiously be the most devastating ending in television history.
