Amazon's The Boys started as a fan-favorite series based on a cult classic comic book series, but since its first episode in 2019, it's become one of the crown jewels for the streaming service. The ultra-violent superhero satire has managed to bring in an impressive level of entertainment and humor while still bringing forth relevant themes and having a truly engaging story. However, the true key to the success of The Boys' first two seasons and its animated anthology spin-off, Diabolical, is its unique and complex cast of characters.
You wouldn't think that a show with the title of The Boys would be particularly diverse, but in reality, there is a huge amount of variety in the cast both in terms of the actor's backgrounds but also in terms of their characters' roles in the plot. Each and every one of them has a clearly outlined set of goals and moral points of view, ranging from good-hearted pacifists to homicidal psychopaths. Admittedly, most good shows have these archetypes, but The Boys has the obvious benefit of having superheroes without compromising complex characterization and dark thematic concepts.
The long-awaited third season is finally slated to hit Amazon Prime on June 3rd, so here's a brief reintroduction to heroes and villains of the diabolical series as well as a quick introduction to some of the new Supes joining the show.
Just keep in mind that this will contain spoilers for The Boys seasons 1 and 2, Diabolical and The Boys graphic novels. Any information that pertains to the upcoming third season is speculation pertaining to the information providing within marketing material and may or may not be representative of the final product.
Karl Urban as Billy Butcher
With the odds of a sequel to Dredd becoming slimmer and slimmer as the years go on, it's nice to see that Karl Urban has found himself another big comic book franchise to be a part of.
Billy Butcher wasn't always the alcoholic Supe killer that he is when we first meet him. He was once happily married to Becca, an employee at Vought, the company behind the super-powered heroes. Everything changed when Becca mysteriously went missing, and Butcher discovered that the leader of The Seven, Homelander, had raped her. From that point on, Butcher vowed to expose the Supes for the corrupted monsters that they are, even taking more lethal measures if necessary.
Butcher's years hunting for like-minded individuals to help him in his cause eventually lead him to Hughie Campbell, a young man whose girlfriend was killed by another Supe, A-Train. Once he got the reluctant Hughie on board, Butcher recruited some old friends to help in his cause, including the techie wiz-kid Frenchie and the gentle giant Mother's Milk, as well as eventually Kimiko, a mysterious young woman who is a Supe herself. Eventually, Butcher found himself face to face with Homelander himself, and in perhaps as a cruel case of psychological torture, the super-powered sociopath showed Butcher that Becca was alive and was taking care of her and Homelander's son.
At the start of Season 2, Homelander must have been a bit too cocky in his cruelty, as he chose to spare Butcher. This would prove to be a big mistake as Butcher's desire to bring down Homelander and the Supes had only intensified with the revelation that his wife still lived. He ultimately finds Becca again and attempts to rescue her, but an even crueler twist of fate occurs when her son, Ryan, accidentally kills her. With her dying breath, Becca asks her husband to care for Ryan and protect him from his biological father, to which Billy ultimately agrees.
Billy's caring for Ryan shows a dramatic twist in his character, as he has always been adamantly against all Supes regardless of who they are up until now. This shift is probably what led to an even more shocking twist that's already confirmed to appear in the new season, where Butcher takes a serum that allows him superpowers for 24 hours. Now the question is whether Billy Butcher will use his short-term powers to end the heroes once and for all or become exactly what he swore to fight against.
Jack Quaid as Hughie Campbell
Before scoring a major role in the latest Scream film, Jack Quaid became more well known as a lead actor to audiences as the naive young Hughie Campbell.
Like Butcher, Hughie's life starts perfectly normal. He had a normal home life, a normal job, and a normal girlfriend until a chance encounter with the speedster A-Train left the latter an unrecognizable mess of blood and guts on the road. This traumatic experience made Hughie realize that the world of superheroes wasn't as cutesy and fun as it seemed, and though he was reluctant to trust this British stranger named Billy Butcher, he eventually agreed to join him in exposing the Supes.
However, during this journey, Hughie met Annie, better known as the hero Starlight and a member of The Seven, the Justice League-like group led by Homelander. The two quickly form a romance, and even though Butcher is very much against his new pupil getting too deep with someone that he considers the enemy, this leads to Annie becoming a very powerful ally for Hughie and the Boys.
Antony Starr as Homelander
Even though Antony Starr may hail from New Zealand, his character of Homelander is purely American in all the worst ways.
At first glance, Homelander appears to be an on-the-nose combination of Superman and Captain America, with powers that are virtually identical to the former, but the psychology behind the deadly yet beloved figure is far more complex. Being the star of a multi-billion dollar company's real-life superhero franchise, Homelander is the physical embodiment of everything wrong with American capitalism. He's a selfish, egotistical, violent maniac who puts on a facade to make himself look like a lovable hero.
That facade is also hiding some clear developmental issues since his entire life has essentially been artificially manufactured by Vought. These issues most likely led to what appeared to be a pseudo-oedipal complex for his boss, Madelyn Stillwell (before killing her in a rage, of course). Things didn't get much better in the following season when Homelander started a relationship with Stormfront, who turned out to be a virtually immortal Nazi before she was horribly disfigured. As bizarre as these events may seem, what Homelander subconsciously wants is to have the normal life that he was robbed of, making him sympathetic despite how undeniably evil he is.
The latest trailer for season 3 shows that Homelander's mental instability is reaching a breaking point, which is a major issue considering this is someone who could level entire cities if he really wanted to. Regardless of if this snap will happen in this season or will just build until the next, Homelander remains not only one of television's best current villains but also one of its most frightening.
Erin Moriarty as Annie January/Starlight
Erin Moriarty was no stranger to superhero shows having previously appeared in Jessica Jones, but now she has the opportunity to be right in the spotlight as Starlight.
Not every superhero in the universe of The Boys is a multimedia sensation. Some are more small-time and aid in their local communities, and Starlight was one of those heroes. Annie Jones once used her light manipulating abilities to thwart casual evildoers in the Midwest, but then she received an invitation to join The Seven. It seemed like an amazing opportunity, until another member of the team, The Deep, sexually assaulted Starlight. This traumatic event showed Annie the reality that many of the show's protagonists realize: the superheroes they see on TV aren't as clean-cut behind the scenes.
When she meets Hughie, she becomes the Boys' mole as it were within The Seven, providing a direct line to the group as to the plans of Homelander and Vought.
Dominique McElligott as Queen Maeve
While most of Vought's "heroes" have done some heinous things, Queen Maeve's only major vices are complicity and alcoholism.
Played by Dominique McElligott of House of Cards fame, Maeve is a grumpy anti-hero who tries hard to stay in her lane, not wanting to involve herself with her co-heroes or those who seek to destroy them. That changed a bit when her ex-boyfriend Homelander threatened Maeve's ex-girlfriend, Elena, after he found out that Maeve still had feelings for her. This prompted her to have even more resentment for Homelander than she already did, and in an uncharacteristic move, teamed up with the Boys to take down Stormfront and blackmail Homelander.
It remains to be seen if that team-up was a one-off entry or if it was just the start of a longer alliance.
Jessie T. Usher as A-Train
One of the most difficult Supes to get a moral read on is A-Train, played by Shaft's Jessie T. Usher.
When the lightning-fast speedster was first introduced, it became very clear that he was a reckless, corrupt, and dangerous individual. Not only did he unwittingly kill Hughie's girlfriend, Robin, but A-Train also willingly killed his girlfriend, Popclaw, in an attempt to cover up a conspiracy around Compound V: the patented substance that gives Supes their powers. Many of A-Train's actions, regardless of how heinous they may be, seem to be motivated out of fear rather than personal vices.
Perhaps he even feels guilt for what he's done in the past, as he was the one who provided the information that exposed Stormfront to Hughie after he saved his life. This could either be the start of a redemption arc for A-Train or a quick detour on his race to a horrific death.
Chace Crawford as The Deep
The Deep is an obvious satirization of Aquaman, and Gossip Girl's Chace Crawford brings the slimy aquatic scumbag to life in a somehow compelling way.
Deep is the bottom of the barrel when it comes to The Seven, but that doesn't mean he doesn't abuse what little influence he has. His introduction tour of the newly recruited Starlight ends with Deep dropping his pants and coercing her against her will, essentially committing a clear act of sexual assault. It doesn't take long for Starlight and the audience to realize that Deep is a desperate, pathetic loser who is desperate to be accepted by his peers.
His desperation eventually leads him to join a cult, but his desire to rejoin the Seven after he was kicked when allegations of him and Starlight were reported, still remains.
Nathan Mitchell as Black Noir
The sixth and (ironically) final member of the current Seven is Black Noir, the most mysterious member of the team.
The masked menace's powers are even up in the air, though he's exceedingly strong and makes use of an array of weapons, mainly knives. What little is known about him is that he is probably the most loyal hero to Vought, cleaning their dirty laundry whenever they require it, no questions asked (literally).
Noir's origins may be hinted at a bit more in the upcoming season, as the final episode of Diabolical titled 'One Plus One Equals Two' hinted at a connection between him and Homelander, with Noir showing him a message that's content remains a mystery. Perhaps it's even possible that the show could be building up towards Noir's comic origin, where he was an unstable clone of Homelander himself.
Either way, his past is bound to be explored as a superhero team known as Payback is slated to appear, of which Noir is a former member.
Laz Alonso as Mother's Milk
Don't let the goofy name fool you. Mother's Milk is one of the heavy hitters for Butcher and his crew (at least he was until Kimiko showed up).
Mother's Milk, or M.M. for short, is a gentle giant who long ago swore off helping his old companion Butcher to take care of his family and make a difference for others in their own lives. However, even he couldn't sit by and watch Supes trample over the lives of those less fortunate, and agrees to help. His various roles on the team include medic, strategist, and overall the voice of reason and peacemaker for the whole squad.
The trailer shows that M.M. is vocally against Butcher's dabbling with superpowers, most likely fearing that he'll go down a path that he can't come back from.
Tomer Capone as Frenchie
Every great ensemble has the brains behind the operation, and in this case, that would be Tomer Capone's Frenchie.
Frenchie is the group's tech guru, helping them with whatever gadgets, traps, and weapons they all need. If Butcher needs a Supe taken out, Frenchie is the one who will devise a complicated contraption to take them down. Despite constantly thinking about new ways to kill superheroes and a long criminal history, Frenchie has a good heart and always tries to persuade his friends to do the morally upstanding thing whenever a difficult choice enters the equation.
This profound sense of morality is what led to Butcher allow Kimiko to join them, and Frenchie has been smitten with their new companion ever since.
Karen Fukuhara as Kimiko Miyashiro
Karen Fukuhara went from an extremely underdeveloped superhero as Katana from Suicide Squad to a remarkably well-developed superhero as Kimiko from The Boys.
In a grotesque attempt to boost their profit margins, Vought decided that their superheroes needed their array of supervillains in order to stay relevant. Kimiko was one of the unfortunate individuals that were chosen by Vought to become one of these "super-terrorists" against her will, leading to her being experimented on by the shady corporation. When the Boys found her locked up in a basement, the woman they knew only as "the Female" was a ravenous mess, using her superior strength to rip the entrails out of the people who were holding her captive.
Being in a place far away from her home country of Japan, it took a while for the Boys to gain her trust, but she quickly formed a tepid bond with Frenchie who vouched for her. Slowly but surely she became a part of the team, and the bond increased when she found her brother who had also been turned into a super-powered monster against his will. Though she ultimately lost her brother, the tragedy gave Kimiko a new purpose to fight alongside her new friends.
Laila Robins as Grace Mallory
Grace Mallory has been fighting to bring down Supes long before anyone else in the series has, and she was the one who initially brought together the original iteration of the crew together.
At one time, Mallory was the acting deputy director of the CIA, and while her ability was limited in what she could accomplish in terms of relegating superheroes and exposing their crimes, she was still able to track down Butcher, M.M., and Frenchie to help her hold them accountable. Things went wrong fast, however, as a botched blackmailing job on former Seven member Lamplighter led to Mallory's grandchildren getting burned alive.
The group disbanded and parted ways after the tragedy, but Mallory has returned to help the group how she can, even going as far as to foster young Ryan Butcher after his mother was killed.
Cameron Crovetti as Ryan Butcher
Despite taking his mother's last name, Ryan is the biological son of Homelander, and as such inherited his powers.
Like his father, Ryan was raised in a bubble-type scenario that was far outside the real world, trying to condition him with his mother before indoctrinating him into society. When Homelander learned of his son's existence, he expedited the process by trying to have a relationship with Ryan, but his overpowering urge to be a father scared the boy more than comforted him. The Boys tried to help Ryan and his mother escape, but Ryan's powers overwhelmed him, and he accidentally killed his mother.
Now living with Mallory, Ryan is still a threat to others and will have to learn how to control his abilities before he hurts someone else.
Giancarlo Esposito as Stan Edgar
Giancarlo Esposito has become something of a seal of quality for any show he touches.
The antagonistic force behind Breaking Bad and The Mandalorian continues his villainous streak as Stan Edgar, the CEO of Vought, and the Emperor Palpatine to Homelander's Darth Vader. Edgar is a ruthless businessman whose staunch professionalism conceals his company's illegal and immoral enterprises (kinda like a certain fried chicken salesman we may know).
Despite not having any powers of his own, Edgar still has a tight grip over his superheroes, whom he views as capital instead of human beings with thoughts and emotions.
Claudia Doumit as Victoria Neuman
Victoria Neuman seemed like the federal help that the Boys needed to bring down Vought, but season 2's cliffhanger revealed that she was not who she seemed.
A big question that remained for fans of the show was who was the Supe that was able to blow up the heads of attendees of the anti-supe committee that Neuman was running, and the final episode of season 2 revealed it was her all along. What her motivations are and who she's working for remain a mystery (though it's probably Vought).
Colby Minifie as Ashley Barrett
Colby Minifie's Ashley may be a minor supporting role, but she is an important part of Vought's company.
Barrett took over Madelyn Stillwell's job after she had died. She's supposed to oversee the Seven and keep them in line, but being a newbie and afraid of the team, she finds herself constantly being pushed around and ignored by the team.
Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy
The first of a couple of new characters joining the show, Supernatural's Jensen Ackles is portraying Soldier Boy, a character who has been mentioned a few times in the show so far as being a prominent Supe in Vought's early history.
An even closer satire to Captain America than Homelander is, Soldier Boy has been cited in the series as having a connection to Stormfront and with Black Noir having been the leader of super-team Payback. The comics' interpretation of Soldier Boy takes the Captain America satirization even further. He bears a lot of similarities to DC's Peacemaker, just even more unlikable, having a staunch devotion to patriotism despite being a lying, cowardly murderer.
Whether Ackles's interpretation of the role will remain the same as in the comics remains to be seen until season 3 starts.
Laurie Holden as Crimson Countess
Much like Stormfront and Soldier Boy, Laurie Holden's Crimson Countess was an active hero during the Second World War.
Much of her powers are historically based on heat and fire manipulation. Besides that, she was a smaller character in the comic run, so it will be interesting to see how her role in Payback and her relationship with Soldier Boy play out.
Sean Patrick Flannery as Gunpowder
Gunpowder is the most self-explanatory character on this list, and it's appropriate that the gun-toting Supe is played by the star of The Boondock Saints.
Guns, guns, and more guns are what Gunpowder uses to his advantage, an expert marksman who has a literal hard-on for gun rights and the lack thereof of gun control. A very on the nose sociopath that, like everyone else on the show, is a hilarious yet terrifying satire of American culture.