In a recent interview, The Boys actor Antony Starr said Homelander should not get redemption, and he's absolutely right. Homelander has consistently been an audience-favorite character on Amazon Prime Video's The Boys over the past three seasons thanks to his complex psychological profile and twisted family history. Part of his allure also comes from his mysterious backstory.
Viewers have learned bits and pieces over the years with season 3 revealing Homelander's origin even more in light of the revelation that Soldier Boy is technically his biological father. Homelander was created in a lab by Vought International and systematically raised and trained to become the company's most prominent and most powerful Supe, replacing Soldier Boy. Over the years, it's become clear that Homelander is an unexpectedly tragic figure and a far cry from what the public in The Boys' fictional universe thinks they know about him.
Although Homelander has proven to be a multidimensional character who theoretically could be saved from himself, it would still be a bad idea for redemption to actually happen. Homelander's redemption would go against how The Boys typically operates with its satirical methodology and, ironically, there's already too much potential for redemption from other key characters. Perhaps most importantly: Homelander being ultimately killed without any kind of redemption would be the most entertaining option. That would be better than a tired, stereotypical redemption arc.
Homelander Being Redeemed Would Undermine The Boys' Entire Point
The Boys can often come off as dark and cynical. It's a natural side effect of constantly subverting traditional superhero content, which typically has a much more hopeful tone. However, even The Boys can't deny that redemption is a very useful tool for both character development and overall storylines. Almost everyone on The Boys has experience with the classic redemption arc. Butcher has been running from it his entire life, and one of the more pleasant surprises of season 3 was A-Train's redemption–or at least, the signs he's on his way to being redeemed. With so many characters on the path to proverbial enlightenment, it would make sense for Homelander to be the one who doesn't get saved. That would be a very subversive on-brand decision from The Boys.
One of the most entertaining parts of The Boys is Homelander unleashing his authority on other Supes and regular people. His sheer power is equal parts awe-inspiring and terrifying. The Boys season 3 showed he's not invincible, though. Homelander realized that in real-time as he fought Soldier Boy, Butcher, and Hughie as the highlight of the long-anticipated "Herogasm" episode. As he continues to take more damage through the rest of the series, like Man of Steel received. The only sensible option for The Boys would be a final bloodbath where a defiant Homelander meets his end as a delusional - but still tragic - figure.
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