What The Boys Fans Want From The Show When It Comes To Superpowers

"The Boys" is well known for its more realistic approach to superheroes. Based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis, the Amazon Prime Video series imagines a world of complex, deeply flawed superheroes. From the often vicious Homelander (Antony Starr) to the dangerously careless A-Train (Jessie Usher), the superheroes of "The Boys" often make things worse rather than better.

As a result, the focus of the series often paints the so-called "supes" as the villains instead of the heroes they would typically be in any other context. Meanwhile, the protagonists are a vigilante group of superhero hunters led by the ruthless Billy Butcher (Karl Urban). This juxtaposition is definitely intentional and has led to a legion of die-hard fans.

Of course, fans sometimes want a little more information to go on, and those who follow "The Boys" are no exception. One thing fans want more of, for example, is a distinct clarification on how some of the things that occur in this world are even possible.

On the r/TheBoys subreddit, a popular post from u/Johnny_Mc2 wondered why the show hasn't provided more scientific rationalization for the superpowers in "The Boys." "So we learn how Translucent's power works by his skin turning into a carbon state like diamonds that bend light," they observed. "I would really like more explanations like this for different supe's powers like I want to know what causes A-Train to run so fast in some pseudoscientific explanation."

Like A-Train himself, other users were quick to run with the idea, imagining what real-world consequences and side factors would also affect the lives of the supes. In response, u/TheXominator wrote, "Gecko must need a ridiculous amount of calories to just regrow an arm like that". Similarly, u/HorseKarate wrote, "I mean, speaking of calories, think of how many A-Train would need to eat lol."

Meanwhile, other fans in the thread were skeptical that this addition would improve the show in any meaningful way. "I think there is a limit to what a writer can come up with in terms of explanation," u/Yucas1981 wrote. "And also too much exposition of 'Hey so Maeve is super strong cause blah blah blah' can become tedious."

Would this more grounded approach improve the show for you? Regardless, with Billy Butcher out for Homelander's blood as Amazon Prime Video's third season begins, perhaps we'll get some of these answers in an upcoming episode of the critically acclaimed superhero drama. Of course, one of the biggest questions at the center of the series remains... How do you solve a problem like Homelander?

Obviously, "The Boys" showrunner Eric Kripke is no stranger to building out complex mythologies for his shows. The creator of "Supernatural," Kripke has made a career out of this sort of thing. With that in mind, what other things might he draw from the comic series to build out his adaptation? For example, let's take a closer look at Homelander.

Much of what primes the engine of "The Boys" is Billy Butcher's unrelenting quest to kill the seemingly invulnerable superhero. As we've seen thus far, the only weaknesses the lead supe has are pride and his desire to be loved and accepted (via CBR). In terms of the real-life explanations that fans are asking for above, that's one that certainly anyone can relate to. After all, we all want to be accepted and loved for who we are. 

However, given the fact that Homelander's volatile emotions are so deeply tied to his sometimes unsteady approval numbers, the threat posed by the supervillain character only seems destined to grow. Notably, Homelander's emotional vulnerabilities have even led actor Antony Starr to label him "the weakest character" on the show.

Will Kripke mine the Garth Ennis source material for more weaknesses for these superpowered characters? Or, will he forge his own path? We'll simply have to tune in to find out.