Just when you thought Homelander’s ego could not get any more inflated, along comes Season 4 of The Boys to deliver him as a man going through a major midlife crisis. After establishing himself as the God of all meta-humans in the previous seasons (and pulverizing anyone who dared doubt or defy him, completely destroying A-Train’s spirits, mind-controlling Queen Maeve, killing Black Noir by pulling his guts out. The list can go on.) our so-called “hero” reached a new peak of power.
But absolute power, as time has it, corrupts all. And it seems that even a seemingly invincible Superman stand-in like Homelander has his limits. It’s not news that Homelander is a profoundly unhappy person. He is insecure and lonely. Beneath his tough exterior lies discontent with his current state and a growing desperation to be loved. Homelander is no longer the forever-young poster boy of Vought.
The Boys
- Release Date
- July 26, 2019
- Seasons
- 4
Towards the end of Season 3 of The Boys, we were hinted that Homelander’s turmoil was beginning to bubble because of all the battles he had lost. Season 4 begins with him having an abstract sense of victory.
He seems to have it all – he has complete control over Vought Industries, he has the sole custody of Ryan and is preparing him to follow in his footsteps, he is working alongside Victoria Neuman and is unbothered by Democratic President Robert Singer’s election, and he’s no longer threatened by The Boys.
And yet, nothing is going his way. Homelander is having nightmares. He is not happy with being on trial for the murder he committed, and he is feeling helpless with Starlight turning half the population against him. As if that’s not enough, Homelander is facing the downside of being human – for better or worse.
How Old Is Homelander in The Boys Season 4?
Already going through a mental disarray and being annoyed with the fact that no one at Vought is brave enough to stand up to him, Homelander pays the new Supe, Sister Sage, a visit at her apartment. Little does he know, she is about to expose cracks in his carefully crafted image.
Sister Sage’s first impression on the viewers is that she is elegant and blunt. She wastes no time pointing out that Homelander’s stylist is dyeing his hair more often, which suggests he is graying, and that his prostate is swelling, connecting it all to Homelander’s encounter with Soldier Boy and saying,
“You’ve got a lot of power, but you
do
age.”
Speaking of which, in the series adaptation of The Boys, Homelander is shown to have been born in 1981, which means he is slightly older than 40 years old in Season 4. The idea that he was beginning to age, albeit slowly, was laughable. Yet somehow, the realization sunk deeper under his skin, planting an itch and making him scrutinize himself even more than usual.
Considering how much money and effort Vought International puts into The Seven’s pristine appearances, it is easy to forget that all the members of the team are going through something or the other, with their bodies betraying them more each day. Homelander’s mental state continues to spiral because of all the stress he is facing, and the question is, how far would he go before becoming obsolete?
Why Is He Collecting His Gray Hair?
If Homelander’s aging comes as a shock to you, a bigger revelation is the fact that he’s collecting singular strands in a glass jar, tucked safely along with his most prized possessions. These mementos from his glory days include a picture of Stormfront and a milk bottle. Clearly, they remind him of the bittersweet moments that symbolize all that he’s lost.
Confronting his mortality has sent Homelander in a limbo – he is at the peak of his popularity but he also needs to consider maneuvering things to avoid transforming into a lifeless, hollow shell of nothing. He admits the same to Sister Sage, who is quick to realize that Homelander’s graying hair isn’t just a cosmetic issue; it is a reflection of his internal struggle. Of his dissatisfaction. Of the power dynamics enveloping Vought. And the weight of responsibility as leader of The Seven.
During a recent confrontation with Hughie, who climbs up into a vent above the room Homelander, Victoria, and Sister Sage are having a conversation in, we see the full extent of Homelander’s aging reflexes and his dark, desperate acts. Normally, he would easily flick a human away without thinking. But for the first time, his instincts and his aim fails him, which is a frustrating reminder that God or not, Homelander is not immune to life’s cruelest trick.
Eric Kripke and Homelander’s Mounting Existential Angst
When Sister Sage accuses Homelander of having an “existential mid-life crisis” of sorts, it puts a lot into perspective. Season 4 of The Boys is clearly more than just surface politics and unchecked violence. It portrays the main antagonist as a man who simply cannot find happiness of any sort. In a recent conversation with Eric Kripke, IGN found out that the showrunner intended to send Homelander in the throes of a full-blown midlife crisis.
To quote Kripke:
“Every season we try to dig a little deeper into every character, and Homelander is no exception. There’s one thing he’s been wanting for three seasons now. What would happen when we give it to him? The answer is, he’d be miserable… Spoiler alert, anything he gets isn’t going to make him happy or anything he thinks he wants isn’t going to make him happy because he’s a deep, gaping black hole of neediness and insecurity.”
Anthony Starr’s character has had one too many vulnerable moments on the show where he unloads his turbulent thoughts. Whether he’s at a final breaking point, speaking to three versions of hum staring back at him in a mirror or speaking to his own portrait inside Vought Tower, the taunts and sympathy burrowed into his brain manage to surface. This is because Kripke wants the audience to understand Homelander.
He mentions in the same interview, “I don’t want them to sympathize with Homelander – he’s a psychotic – but at least I want them to understand what is making him do the things that he does.”
Towards the end of the third episode of Season 4 of The Boys, Homelander is seen entering a red door that leads to where it all began – home. So strap in, because in the coming episode, we will be witnessing another twisted villain origin story.
