The Boys: How Every Supe Joined The Seven

The last two seasons of  The Boys hinged its brilliance on sharp wit, dark humor, and intricate character studies, including its deeply flawed celebrity “heroes” — the “Supes” who joined The Seven largely for fame and wealth. Based on Garth Ennis’ eponymous comics, The Boys follows a group of vigilantes at odds with a team of corrupt superheroes, who enjoy celebrity status much like the Hollywood elite. Season 1 shows Starlight first joining the Seven, demonstrating how the “superhero” team is more about marketing and merchandising than saving the world.

Owned and managed by Vought International, The Seven has had fluctuating members over the course of the show, with some members being incarcerated or put on a sabbatical due to varying narrative factors. Currently, Homelander remains the leader of the Seven, whose actions can be deemed atrocious, to say the least, although his character is far more complex than meets the eye. Other current members include Queen Maeve, Black Noir, A-Train, and Starlight, although the show’s constantly shifting status quo might bring about a change to this now-established lineup.

Most Supes who are a part of the Seven are incompetent in tackling serious world crises, as depicted by their utter failure during the September 11 attacks. Based on Starlight’s experiences in season 1, the members were selected based on their potential to become popular icons (rather than their effectiveness as heroes). With the upcoming controversial Herogasm arc in The Boys season 3, it will be interesting to witness how each surviving member of the Seven will be factoring into the show’s events. Here’s a run-through of how every known Supe who has been a part of the Seven joined the organization.

Homelander

Although not much is known about Homelander’s origins, The Boys season 2 revealed that he was raised in a lab whilst being constantly experimented on by doctors such as Jonah Vogelbaum. In the comics, Homelander was cloned from the DNA of Stormfront, which explains some of his disturbing tendencies. Although it is never established, Homelander most likely joined the Seven in the late 2000s, as his official wiki places his birth before March 1994. While Homelander initially joined the Seven with the intention to use his powers for good, he immersed himself in cruelty-fueled hedonism over the years, becoming more depraved and violent with time.

Starlight

Born Annie January, Starlight is perhaps the only member of the Seven who genuinely wishes to save the world and bring about positive change. Harboring this dream ever since she was a child, Starlight arrived in New York with the hopes of meeting her heroes. As she has had a history of being in the spotlight since childhood, she is soon selected to be a member of the Seven after being interviewed following Lamplighter’s retirement. Fresh-faced and brimming with optimism, Starlight’s hopes and dreams are dashed when she realizes the cruel reality of the Seven, especially when she undergoes harrowing trauma after being sexually assaulted by The Deep. Over time, she is forced to disregard her morals in favor of Vought’s intended profit plans, although she expresses her anger during the Believe EXPO, only to be threatened by Homelander later on. Although she was briefly excommunicated from the Seven after being discovered as a mole and ally of The Boys, she is soon reinstated in season 2 after revealing Stormfront’s murky, Nazi past.

A-Train

A-Train was initially known to be a member of a team known as the Teenage Kix, which he left to join the Seven as a replacement of Mister Marathon, the group’s original speedster who died on September 11. Despite possessing superhuman speed, A-Train has little control over his abilities, a plight that is exacerbated when he starts abusing Compound V. After he inadvertently kills Robin Ward while under the drug’s influence, he is kicked out of the Seven by Homelander. However, he has been reinstated since then, currently making him “the fastest man in the world.” Although A-Train is known to push his limits and do anything in order to be a part of the Seven, season 3 might upset his delicate position within the group: in the comics, he is killed by Hughie for Robin’s death.

Queen Maeve

Born on March 26, 1986, Queen Maeve’s cover story involves her portrayal as the Empress of the Netherworld. Being dosed with Compound V in Vought American’s laboratories since conception, Queen Maeve probably joined the Seven due to a genuine urge to do good by the world, a resolve that eroded over the years due to cynical disillusionment. Deemed as one of the “real heavyweights” of the Seven, it is implied that she and Homelander possess unparalleled abilities when compared to the rest of the Seven. Much is unknown regarding Maeve’s childhood and parentage, as both the comics and the show focus more on the internal tussle with her idealism and gradual progression in thwarting Stormfront and Homelander.

Black Noir

Silent and enigmatic, Black Noir is perhaps the most feared member of the Seven, owing to his expert combat skills and extraordinary strength. Almost next to nothing is known about Black Noir’s true origins, life, or identity prior to him joining the Seven. However, it is believed that he was a ninja trained by a masterful sensei during his formative years, but this could potentially be a fabricated backstory by Vought for the public. While the comics posit Black Noir as Homelander’s clone, the Amazon show might veer his backstory in a new direction altogether, as the character in the show has displayed sensitivity on various occasions (and is Black). Currently, it is unclear whether Black Noir was simply created to keep Homelander in check, or whether his presence within the Seven harkens a greater mystery. Following his confrontation with Maeve and Starlight, Black Noir remains unresponsive and is being currently treated by Vought medical staff.

Stormfront

Stormfront is a prime example of the wide gulf between appearance and reality, as she initially comes across as an endearing, edgy character, but is later relieved to be a violent, ruthless bigot. Apart from taking pleasure in taking lives, it is revealed that she had committed a horrific, racially motivated murder, and used to be the wife of Frederick Vought — the Nazi scientist who created Compound V. After being a member of The Church of the Collective at some point, Stormfront joined the Seven as Translucent’s replacement. While her past is shrouded in mystery and the details remain murky, it is believed that she took on the Supe persona of Stormfront sometime before 2020. In season 2, Stormfront’s true motivations were outed, and she currently remains incarcerated after being critically wounded by Ryan Butcher.

The Deep

Born on March 1, 1985, The Deep first became aware of his aquatic telepathy at the ripe age of nine, as he had begun to hear the thoughts of every aquatic animal he encountered in daily life. As The Deep’s powers are a result of Compound V as opposed to being created in a Vought laboratory like Homelander, little is known about his homelife prior to joining the Seven. Just as in the comics, The Deep is a long-time member of the Seven who is regarded as inferior by its members, especially Homelander, and he is known to the public as the King of the Seas. Acutely aware of his position within the team, he mocks and manipulates the newest member, Starlight, preying on her to the point of sexually assaulting her. After this crime is made public, Vought is forced to put The Deep on a sabbatical, and it remains to be seen whether he will be reinstated in the group.

Translucent

Little is known about Translucent’s origins, apart from the fact that he was born in 1980 and was a part of The Seven due to his carbon metamaterial skin that rendered him bulletproof, invisible, and difficult to capture. When not fighting crime, Translucent uses his abilities to prey upon women in changing rooms and sorority house showers. After being ambushed by Billy Butcher, Translucent is killed shortly after by Hughie after being blown up to shreds. How Translucent came to join the Seven is unknown.

Mister Marathon

Deemed as the original speedster of The Seven, Mister Marathon was quickly replaced by A-Train after his death during the September 11 attacks. Not much is known about his past, but he is once said to have run so fast that he traveled back in time to 1918, and did not come back for about two weeks.

The Lamplighter

Lamplighter does not appear in any of the episodes in season 1 of The Boys, but is frequently mentioned in the context of his “retirement.” He was able to activate his pyrokinetic abilities at the age of 4, after which his father believed that he was destined to be a famous Supe. At some undefined point, Lamplighter became one of the original members of The Seven, after which he was demoted and sent to Sage Grove Center as an orderly. In The Boys season 2, Lamplighter uses his lighter to set himself on fire, committing suicide by self-immolation.

About The Author

Debopriyaa Dutta
(328 Articles Published)

Apart from being a features writer and critic at ScreenRant, Debopriyaa is a news writer at /Film. She is also a contributor to High on Films & Fansided, and an editor at Digital Mafia Talkies. Her poetry has been published in a wide array of journals, such as Gideon Poetry, White Noise Magazine, and Literaria. Find her on Twitter @angelusatani.

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