The Boys Theory About Homelander's Victims Is Interesting But Has One Fatal Flaw

It goes without saying that Homelander (Antony Starr) has a dark history. While he presents himself as a wholesome patriotic superhero, the leader of the Seven is actually a vicious killer who has no problem using his heat vision to annihilate his victims — whether they deserve it or not. That said, while the star-spangled Supe is responsible for some of the most disturbing moments in "The Boys," one theory argues that he spares people who aren't afraid of him.

The theory, which was posited by TikTok user @imdylandstar, highlights the few instances where Homelander let some brave people live to fight another day. The first example occurs on "The Boys" Season 1, where he commends Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) for standing up to him after taking Madelyn Stilwell (Elisabeth Shue) hostage. In later incidents, the Supe resists killing Stan Edgar (Giancarlo Esposito), Hughie Campbell (Jack Quaid), Jonah Vogelbaum (John Doman), and Barbara (Nancy Lenehan) when they don't so much as flinch during their own heated confrontations with him.

This is an interesting theory that highlights a recurring theme during Homelander's more merciful moments on "The Boys." At the same time, it isn't 100% accurate, as the villainous Hupe has tried to kill some of those aforementioned names and offed others who don't seem to fear him.

While it appears to be true that Homelander shows some respect to the people and Supes who aren't afraid of him, that doesn't guarantee their survival. The sociopathic hero has tried to obliterate folks he's spared for standing up to him before, indicating that he's prepared to kill anyone if his temper really flares up. Let's examine the evidence.

"The Boys" Season 3, Episode 6 boasts an action-packed showdown in which Homelander sets out to destroy Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) and Butcher. Hughie makes an appearance later on as well, and Homelander isn't exactly happy to see him. Similarly, Season 4, Episode 3 sees the leader of the Seven try to kill Hughie following a massacre on the ice, forcing the latter to hide in some air vents and evade his would-be assailant's deadly heat vision.

Homelander's reign of terror against the brave and the bold doesn't stop there, either. Let's not forget that he kills Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell) in the Season 3 finale, and there's no evidence to suggest that the masked Supe feared his old friend before his final moments. At the end of the day, Homelander's behavior is erratic and unpredictable, and no one is safe from his wicked ways.

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