‘The Boys’ season finale depicts an assassination. The timing is coincidental, its showrunner says
As someone who grew up during the height of superhero mania, I’ve always been fascinated by the complexities of these larger-than-life characters. But “The Boys” takes it to a whole new level, delving deep into the psyche of Homelander (played brilliantly by Antony Starr). Having watched the series unfold over four seasons, I can’t help but be drawn to this tortured soul, who despite his god-like powers and seemingly perfect exterior, is consumed by an insatiable need for validation and love.
This article contains spoilers for the Season 4 finale of Prime Video’s “The Boys.”
In the final episode of “The Boys” season, Homelander, the egotistical superhero longing for absolute control, emerges victorious. With a puppet president in the White House, Homelander, portrayed by Antony Starr, effectively governs America. One of his allies, a conservative broadcaster known as Firecracker, becomes emotional as she declares their plan to “Make America Super Once More.”
Before the release of this episode, I must share an unexpected coincidence: An assassination attempt occurred on former President Trump while he was campaigning in Pennsylvania. And guess what? The finale of our show airs on the same day as the last night of the Republican National Convention, where Trump officially accepted his party’s nomination with his famous slogan “Make America Great Again.” This timing was a complete coincidence for our storyline, titled “Assassination Run.” During a recent Zoom call with Starr, showrunner Eric Kripke appeared sheepish when addressing the unplanned overlap of events.
He expressed his worry with the words, “I have serious concerns.” Regarding the reference points, Kripke was open about it, stating, “Indeed, we’re talking about Trump and his narcissistic behavior and egomania. And unlike before, he now has brilliant people around him who could potentially give him even more power than ever before.”
An episode that went live for streaming on Thursday showcases a fictional vice president-elect’s assassination. Kripke declined to comment on this matter when reached out to. A representative from Sony Pictures Television, the production company, stated that filming was completed last year and a disclaimer was included at the beginning of the episode. The disclaimer reads: “This episode includes depictions of fictional political violence. Any resemblance to real-life events is purely coincidental and unplanned. Amazon Prime Video, MGM Studios, Sony Pictures Television, and The Boys’ production team condemn all forms of real-world violence.”
Kripke and Starr made sure Homelander wasn’t merely a blonde Trump look-alike in a cape and spandex, according to Kripke.
In my perspective, I’m not intending to mock anyone in particular, Starr clarified. Instead, I aim to draw inspiration from within the character itself for every aspect of the performance.
As a movie buff, I’m excited to share that Homelander’s reign will mark the end of “The Boys” series on Prime Video, with the fifth season being announced as the last one in June. Despite the expanding “The Boys” universe through the spinoff series “Gen V,” it seems the original group of anti-superhero vigilantes is facing their final moments as they’re rounded up before the curtains close.
If Kripke had to condense the five seasons of a show into a three-act movie script, this part would mark the low point towards the end of Act 2. Therefore, he required an “apocalyptic” event to occur for the characters to face and ultimately triumph over in the series finale.
Kripke didn’t use the word “reflection,” but instead described it as our deepest fear of an exaggerated version of society becoming a reality. He doesn’t believe it will actually turn out this way, but it’s simply a way for us to express our concerns.
Or maybe some viewers will view it as a good thing?
Starr proposed, “Perhaps this could bring optimism and encouragement to those who weren’t overly fond of the show’s earlier displays of liberal views, as expressed in social media criticisms.”
“It’s no secret that ‘The Boys’ has long portrayed the dangers of America embracing fascist elements. In Season 2, for example, Homelander formed an alliance with Stormfront (Aya Cash), who was revealed to be a Nazi. However, this season drives home the comparison more directly.”
Kripke admitted, “This season, I might not be as nuanced as usual. I believe this is due to the coincidental alignment of our storyline with real-life events, such as a presidential election and attempts to take power in the White House.”
I’ve observed that the intriguing narratives in this series are derived from comic books, serving as the foundation for this show. These captivating tales were initially penned by Garth Ennis approximately twenty years ago. Pondering over this, Kripke mused, “Is the antithesis of fate simply bad luck?”
It’s debatable where some of the misunderstanding among ex-supporters lies, but it may stem from Starr’s compelling portrayal of Homelander. Despite Homelander’s villainous actions, such as shooting down a plane with innocent passengers, he is still human and struggles with his own humanity. In this season, Homelander counts his age by collecting gray pubic hairs in a jar. This detail was an unexpected coincidence for Starr, who had been pondering expressing his personal feelings about aging through the character, only to discover it in the script.
Starr spoke about working together on Homelander with Kripke as a “musically in sync partnership.” In their everyday chats, they affectionately nicknamed the character “Homie.” Instead of using common email closings like “thanks” or “warmly,” they signed off with the term “milk,” occasionally written in various languages. This was an inside joke, as Homelander has a peculiar preference for human milk.
“Starr was thrilled with the brilliant thoughts being put forth, ‘It’s usually just a matter of adding to that,’ he shared, wearing an anti-Homelander Rage Against the Machine T-shirt. The partnership, he emphasized, has significantly enhanced the show and character through the shared commitment of two creators to the storyline, characters, and each other’s artistic process and authenticity.”
Kripke shared that Starr’s contribution was priceless for the fourth episode this season, during which Homelander goes back to the lab where he grew up and torments those who conducted experiments on him. In the script, Homelander began acting cruelly right away. However, Starr proposed a different strategy.
During our conversation, Ant expressed his unease, mentioning, “I’m not completely comfortable with that, as he’s returning home, and when one is at home, one tends to revert to one’s former self. You become the innocent child once more.” He continued, “So I believe he would sometimes be inquisitive, other times vulnerable, and both genuinely emotional and then harsh.”
As a dedicated cinephile, I teamed up with my colleagues to finesse the script. During pre-production, I had the creative liberty to experiment with various interpretations of each scene once we began filming.
In her own words, Starr expressed that the experience was extremely unsettling for her. She highlighted an incident when she found herself wanting to chuckle despite feeling agony.
Homelander seems to thrive in uncomfortable situations, particularly during the finale. Just as he’s about to seize power, he believes his scheme has fallen apart, leaving him empty-handed. However, Sister Sage (Susan Heyward), who is the sharpest mind around, had anticipated his mistakes and made provisions for them. It would have been intriguing to see how Homelander would have fared without her intervention.
“It would have been pretty unhealthy,” he said.
Despite his victory, Kripke said Homelander is aware he didn’t earn his success.
“Despite being the ruler of the entire world, Kripke noted, Homelander may still experience feelings of inadequacy about his position. He and Ant frequently discuss how Homelander is the most vulnerable character in the series, and this statement adds an unexpected layer to that observation.”
During our conversation, Kripke was finalizing the specifics of season 5 in the writers’ room, without involving actors as of yet. Nonetheless, he is aware of each character’s conclusion and starting point. Regarding Homelander, his plan includes an opportunity for him to try shaping the world according to his desires. However, Kripke shared a hint about Homelander’s state: “It won’t bring him joy. Spoiler alert: He remains unhappy.”
And as for the real world parallels?
“Initially, I had high hopes that the outcome at the finale wouldn’t be as expected by everyone. But now, I’m less certain about that.” – Kripke.
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2024-07-18 23:06