The Boys Season 3: Soldier Boy is the Original Homelander

Season 3 of The Boys will feature Soldier Boy, who is actually the original Homelander. Before season 2 of the Amazon Prime series aired, the show’s creator Eric Kripke announced via Comic-Con@Home in July that it had already been renewed for a third season. Kripke is currently writing the upcoming season of the small-screen adaptation of the comic book series of the same name created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. Kripke shared a photo of the script for episode 301 on Twitter and the title, “Payback,” references another team of superheroes – a parody of the Avengers that includes Soldier Boy. In August, Kripke revealed Supernatural’s Jensen Ackles would play the first superhero.

During The Boys season 2, episode 1, Stan Edgar told Homelander that Frederick Vought was a WWII Nazi war criminal who joined forces with the Allies once he realized he was fighting on the losing side. Vought had already discovered a practical application for the use of Compound V, having conducted experiments on prisoners of war. Edgar specifically mentions that Soldier Boy helped deliver victory by killing German soldiers by the dozens. The comic incarnation of Soldier Boy’s powers includes strength and speed, but his ineptitude leads to the massacre of a squadron of American soldiers. An injured Soldier Boy is killed on the field of battle by Greg Mallory. The title is a legacy one, passed on to a new Supe.

Kripke’s version of Soldier Boy appears to differ drastically from the comics. The Boys‘ showrunner told Variety that viewers shouldn’t expect to see the “bumbling” Supe, who is subservient to Homelander.

“As we’re writing him in this, we’re getting to really talk about the history of Vought because he’s like John Wayne: He’s one of these guys that’s been around for decades of Vought history. And he was Homelander before Homelander, so he’s from a different era, but he’s got the ego and the ambition — it just comes across in a different way because he’s from a different time.”

It’s unclear at this point if Soldier Boy shares Frederick Vought and Stormfront’s alt-right views, or why he’s been keeping a low profile for so long. Kripke told Variety, “I think anyone expecting Jensen to show up and be a good guy, they will be disappointed. I’ll say that.” Soldier Boy was the blueprint for Homelander, and Vought’s attempts to improve on the original resulted in a narcissistic monster. Will Soldier Boy more closely resemble the homespun hero they had in mind? One big difference between the two is that, like Stormfront, Soldier Boy was injected with Compound V when he was older. Presumably, he had some semblance of a normal childhood. Homelander, whose power eclipses most Supes’, was raised in a lab, which turned him into someone who a constant need for approval and validation. Conversely, showrunner Kripke’s description of Ackles’ Soldier Boy is one of a confident and self-assured man.

The Boys introduced two other members of Payback during season 2: Stormfront and Eagle the Archer. During The Boys season 2 finale, Stormfront was cut down by Homelander’s son Ryan. Kripke told TV Guide she’s now officially “Stumpfront.” Kripke confirmed Soldier Boy knew the white supremacist when she was Liberty. Eagle the Archer’s sole purpose was to recruit The Deep into the Church of the Collective from which he’s been bounced.

Even though the other members of Payback have yet to appear, Kripke told EW, “Payback, in the world of our show, was the Seven before the Seven. We will be exploring the history of that team and all the members in it.” This focus on Vought’s past calls into question how much contact Soldier Boy will have with Homelander or the rest of The Seven. Kripke seems more interested in focusing on the original Homelander angle more than pitting Homelander against his predecessor. Homelander has always believed himself to be Vought’s most valuable commodity, so season 3 could address what happens when Vought’s prodigal son returns, as well as many other unanswered questions from season 2 of The Boys.

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