Homelander | |
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The Boys character | |
![]() Homelander as depicted in the comic book series (left) and the television series portrayed by Antony Starr (right) | |
First appearance |
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Last appearance |
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Created by | |
Based on |
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Adapted by | Eric Kripke |
Portrayed by | Antony Starr Rowan Smyth (child; season 1) Isaac Weeks (child; season 4) |
Voiced by | Antony Starr (Diabolical, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II) Yong Yea (Death Battle!) Jake Green (Mortal Kombat 1) |
In-universe information | |
Species | Supe |
Affiliation | Vought-American |
The Homelander (John Gillman)[1][2] is a fictional character and one of the main antagonists in the comic book series The Boys and the media franchise of the same name, created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. He is depicted as a psychopathic and sadistic narcissist who serves as the extremely powerful leader of The Seven—a group of corrupt and hedonistic superheroes grown and funded by Vought-American—and the archenemy of Billy Butcher. Beneath his public image as a noble and altruistic hero, the Homelander cares little about the well-being of those he professes to protect.
In the Amazon Prime Video television adaptation developed by Eric Kripke, Homelander is primarily portrayed by Antony Starr, with Rowan Smyth and Isaac Weeks portraying him as a child. This version is the megalomaniacal son of Soldier Boy and the father of Ryan, born as a result of Homelander raping Billy Butcher's wife Becca (a crime commited by Black Noir in the comic book series). Homelander has also appeared in the spin-off and promotional web series The Boys Presents: Diabolical and Death Battle!, respectively. Described as the living personification of how the world sees America,[3][4] the character has received critical acclaim along with Starr's portrayal in the series.[5][6] Homelander has been compared to Superman and Captain America.[7][8][9][10]