Does Homelander hate women?
As season 4 of The Boys came to a close, Homelander actor Antony Starr sat down with Vulture for a deep dive into what makes the evil Superman tick, and one question in particular seemed to provide a lot of clarity.
When the interviewer asserted that Homelander seems to hate women, Starr was quick to dissuade that notion, stating that the lab-built superhero has conflicting feelings when it comes to the opposite sex.
"I think it’s a little more complicated than that [Laughs]," said Starr.
In response to the interviewer's reference to Madelyn Stillwell, Queen Maeve, Sister Sage and Firecracker, he replied, "Across the board, those actresses that you listed — fantastic. It’s vitally important that you have a good rapport with the people you’re working with, particularly when you’re dealing with this very strange Oedipal complex Homelander has."
"Homelander wasn’t raised with parents. He was raised in a lab with a lot of psychological manipulation. He’s the strongest man on Earth, but he’s the weakest character in the show. He really craves the nurturing side of women, but his ego demands that he be in control. And he’s been constantly rejected by men."
"He’s deeply threatened by them, and he has to keep all men very firmly in their place. But with women, there’s a different allowance because of the emotional needs."
"A lot of the time with this character, I don’t have clear answers, because I’m trying to ask questions rather than answer them. It’s a little more interesting, I think, to let the audience into the equation, to either form an opinion or to question it."
With Homelander seemingly achieving everything he ever wanted by the time the finale's end credits appear on screen, it will be interesting to see how the Prime Video superhero satire wraps everything up in the fifth and final season.
Just recently, Billy Butcher actor Karl Urban revealed that the fifth season won't arrive until 2026, so there will be a somewhat lengthy wait to see how the conflict between Butcher and Homelander ultimately plays out.
Season 4 of The Boys starred Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Colby Minifie, Claudia Doumit, and Cameron Crovetti. Appearing this season in supporting roles are Susan Heyward, Valorie Curry, Jessie T. Usher, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Created by Kripke in 2019, The Boys has become one of the streamer's most important programs, with two successful spinoffs under its belt including Gen V and The Boys Presents: Diabolical. A third spinoff, The Boys: Mexico, is also in development.
The Boys Season 4 Synopsis: The world is on the brink. Victoria Neuman is closer than ever to the Oval Office and under the muscly thumb of Homelander, who is consolidating his power. Butcher, with only months to live, has lost Becca’s son as well as his job as The Boys’ leader. The rest of the team are fed up with his lies. With the stakes higher than ever, they have to find a way to work together and save the world before it’s too late."