The Boys: Rescuing Us From Superhero Stories

[@josh043p6]

Homelander is one of the most terrifying TV villains Ive ever seen. That smile is so unsettling

[@stringer2295]

Josh043 P he deserved an Emmy for his performance

[@igabobalushi]

No, it isn't him. Its YOU GUYS!! 👍

[@perfectbeat]

I agree. But he also makes me laugh.

[@chrisprusinowski5287]

He's such a dumb over-the-top character.

[@noirAtYT]

Chris Prusinowski Really? He actually seems fairly realistic in the setting of the TV series/comics. How a man who is seemingly nigh-invincible with Superman like powers but is raised in a terrible environment in a laboratory; his nihilistic and psychopathic tendencies the byproduct of such a hostile and merciless upbringing Theres a reason why he’s being called as one of the -best- villains of all time. And I absolutely agree with that. Psychologically, he makes sense to be the way he is, and he’s a lot more realistic than most over-the-top villains we’ve seen anywhere else

[@adamdominguez656]

Martin figures out how to answer his Tolkien question- don’t finish your books

[@alexisogbemudia5458]

Adam Dominguez he said by next year latest

[@mandude7266]

He’s said that every year

[@MFBloosh]

Even if GoT's ending was rushed, that doesn't mean that GRRM will do the same thing. DnD rushed seasons 7 and 8 because they wanted to start working on Star Wars. So instead of the nuanced, layered writing we got in seasons 1 through 6, they decided to only focus on the major points and completely breezed through everything in between. It's not that they're bad writers, because some of my favorite stuff was original content by DnD... Like Arya and Sandor in season 4. It's the fact that they somehow didn't want to take the time to finish the biggest show in TV history because of money AND their own personal agendas getting in the way. It will never make sense to me how HBO allowed them to shorten the seasons and end the show earlier than expected. GRRM should understand that his ending could be great as long as all of the blanks are filled in.

[@adamdominguez656]

@@MFBloosh I'm not sure his ending can be great. The thing I love about Martin's writing is how he treads through tension and sets up mysteries. But it's shallow. The answer to these mysteries don't really mean much to us on Earth. What kind of ending can it have that will stick with us humans? I think Tolkien's ending was perfect and shines even now.

[@Furzkampfbomber]

@MFBloosh The problem is, GRR Martin is 71 years old, severely overweight and not in the best medical condition. And it took more and more time between the release of the books. So how are the chances that he drops dead before he can finish the series?

[@acetrigger1337]

There's one Scene that says everything about the entire series in quite a simple way: the Scene of "Homelander" heating up the Gun of a Criminal to such a degree that it literally melts onto his hand... but the kids he is "Saving" are just staring at how cool he is. "The Boys" ain't just about showing how Super Heroism can be scary... but how people shouldn't ignore the consequences behind their Super-Powered actions.

[@plzletmebefrank]

... I just realized... I don't remember the gunpowder igniting and sending molten metal flying everywhere. In other words... That should've killed a lot of bystanders and doing that would've been stupid and reckless.

[@firebreathingguy561]

True

[@Christrulesall2]

Homelander: Lift the plane? How.. we dont have that kind of budget.

[@magicman3163]

Christrulesall2 there’s no fucking ground what is he gonna lift it off

[@zayindarkmore1616]

Ivanperez 128 It is possible though would be intensely difficult, if he pushes it to hard he bursts through it and if he tries to little nothing happens. He could do it best if he could find something large to push against it in order to disperse his force.

[@magicman3163]

Zayin Darkmore yeah but a plane is made of multiple parts and isn’t one whole solid piece

[@zayindarkmore1616]

Ivanperez 128 Yeah, honestly he should break off the wings, use one to push against the fuselage and slow it enough to carry and land it.

[@zayindarkmore1616]

Ivanperez 128 even then it would be extraordinarily hard to do it and keep it in one piece. But it is plausible even if highly improbable.

[@FBI-dz8ps]

People don't seem to realize that Homelander isn't bad because he's human, it's because of his upbringing. He was raised in a lab, with detestable parental figures, and role models. While Superman was raised in a small town by loving parents that taught him compassion, kindness, and mercy as well as controlling his strength and helping others. Homelander could have been a decent human being it he had a decent childhood.

[@christbenitez8797]

Black Noire is more worst than homelander. (Spoilers

[@OverLorD768]

@@christbenitez8797 it's in the comics. The show is obviously going it's own way.

[@Isaax]

This should be obvious and is heavily shown in the show

[@ronjayrose9706]

@@christbenitez8797 they're probably gonna change his backstory

[@roninr.d2732]

@@christbenitez8797 Its kinda already shown in the new clips they aren't going the same way with the comics since Black Noir isn't unhurtable and Stormfront isn't a man

[@slyanna3688]

that airplane scene gets me every time

[@alanpennie8013]

Not for anyone who has a fear of flying.

[@TheeKittyPie]

In a good way or bad way

[@LoneWolf677]

kittypie both, that shit was bone chilling

[@michaelcardno9859]

In the comics it's about 9/11. Even more dark

[@RedOli84]

@@michaelcardno9859 comics have a good premise but ruin it with shitty edgy stuff. Butcher bangs cia woman in her kitchen right then and there, starlight gets gangbanged, the 9/11 stuff, plenty more. For the same reason why superheroes movies are unrealistic in the way they portray benevolence, the boys' comic is over the top in a bad way in the way they portray the evil of supes.

[@awesomewaffle6068]

Except for you Noir. Keep it up

[@Crick1952]

@Michael Markowsky me too. I really hope it's not the same as the comic, honestly the reveal just wouldn't work in the show

[@gorkamorka41m84]

I honestly thought that it's at least partially making fun of the fact that Batman is the superhero that gets the most attention always when he is part of a story.

[@asain3586]

@@gorkamorka41m84 Thought tek knight is batman

[@thatguy8777]

His name is literally Black Black

[@muhammadnajmimurindo9723]

I think he is the real superhero, he's mute yet i never see him doing something bad manners and sinful though ...

[@jamesmacleod9382]

Yeah there was a Superman story about why he needs the Clark Kent persona rather than being Superman 24/7. It kept him human and not Godlike

​@eviad Kill Bill is one of my favorite movies but that monologue suck ass (no the delivery tho, David Carradine was amazing). It describe Superman as a godlike alien who acts like a coward and patetic reporter because that's how he sees humanity. That's not how Superman sees humanity.

[@vicount3944]

@eviad That monologue is dumb.

[@guldmattbb473]

Ignacio Cañas Exactly! The real reason Superman is Clark Kent is because he was raised as Clark Kent. He was just a normal boy for so long, until he one day learned he was a man of steel that could do literally anything. But, the reality is that, ironically enough, the humans that he saves every day have more freedom and more choice than Superman ever could. They are allowed to decide their fate. Superman’s is already decided for him, in a way. He wants to be Clark Kent, because he wants to be free. Superman wants a chance to live a normal and quiet life, but is also too selfless to ever abandon his post. Which is why he cannot give up being Superman as long as Superman still exists within him. So having Clark Kent is an essential compromise he’s made to still remain capable of holding control over his own existence

[@awesomesharkhand1876]

@ So people perceived the monologue as incorrect because it was delivered by Bill, the antagonist who believes in that line of thought, hence his actions against the Bride, hence the conflict.

[@carso1500]

@@awesomesharkhand1876 maybe it is supposed to be wrong, since he is after all the villain and all that

[@ashura9706]

Wait, the boys isn’t about the vulture, green goblin, electro and rhino?

[@ynog0978]

I get that joke but sadly no here lol

[@keylakettlemjardim8282]

I think Spider-Man has like, over 200 villiains lol

[@michaelmartinez976]

😔😔

[@ActivelyCursed]

@@keylakettlemjardim8282 bro wtf

[@miva93hp59]

@@ynog0978 I do too and I die everytime I do 😅😂😥

[@JoseRS1186]

You namedropped Hancock over Watchmen. Bravo *golfclap*

[@alanpennie8013]

Very impressive.

[@GeahkBurchill]

Watchmen just wasn’t very good at this (film version) it wasn’t very realistic and failed to really capture ‘what would real superheroes be like’. Snyder was way too concerned with everything looking cool for that to happen.

[@Liberator130]

Personally, I think the director's cut of Watchmen is the best version of that story ever made.

[@Th3-3nd]

@@Liberator130 Ultimate Cut.

[@Liberator130]

@@Th3-3nd I did like the Ultimate Cut, but I prefer the Director's cut because the narrative is a lot more focused and with the extended running time, there are some pacing issues that tend to crop up.

[@AbelDuviant]

Glad to see The Boys getting the attention it deserves... And glad to see you being a man of culture

[@homelander1601]

MCU is for babies

[@AbelDuviant]

@@homelander1601 Fuck off, Mr. Superiority Complex

[@boukh_h]

Abel Duviant hell yeah fuck that guy His user name and pfp shows his over the top obsession I mean I love the show but god damn

[@AbelDuviant]

@@boukh_h there's literally nothing wrong with having a username and pfp reminiscent of or identical to your favorite character, so you can fuck off too.

[@Ezio999Auditore]

All media is for babies, to stupify the cattle of mouthbreathers, only the struggle matters.

[@thealien2437]

I think the Boys is less about if heroes were real, and more of a mockery on how people idolize heroes/celebrities.

[@slemangerdy8407]

right, for example captain America, which is chris evans in a cosplay trying to be patriotic with some unrealistic superhuman fight scenes in style

[@Doctor_Straing_Strange]

Nah, I think it's also about heroes being real. I mean that would TOTALLY happen. Companies would find a way to capitalize on them for sure.

[@W4TSKY]

Maybe it's both? I could definitely see that though, many people worship celebrities or fall for the public persona they or their team creates for them when really they are terrible people re: Ellen

[@CrimesForDimes]

@@slemangerdy8407 Idk what your saying but yeah captain America really doesn't care about being a idol he's just doing the right thing. That's the reason why I want to watch falcon and the winter soldier it show's what happened after endgame and how the government is replacing him anyways have a good day.

[@slemangerdy8407]

@@CrimesForDimes i love action scenes, and his story fits well with the movie, but to idiolize his looks and try to be patriotic because of "My HeRo" doesn't make you a good person, most of people love him, they don't just like the movie, i am also waiting for the show it looks epic

[@Queue3612]

i esspecially like how on starlights first day translucents priority is to discuss copyright infringment and illegal merchandising of their merchandise. it was only when homelander who was trying to give a good impression said to tell about someone they saved today the conversation shifted

[@radhiadeedou8286]

That scene really got me, despite everything that already happened I was still naive ( just like starlight) and when he said they needed to talk about serious crimes I really didn't expect it to be about copyright

[@leazribi8388]

Complex and layered characters are the bread and butter of any story. A good fictional world needs actions and consequences of these actions made by those characters.

[@someghostinthewild]

That's not true. Many of the best books and movies in story doesn't have complex and layered characters. Fahrenheit 451, I, Robot, movies like Orange Clockwork, Blade Runner, etc. A good story is the one that can get your attention and make you forget details and enjoy the journey

[@leazribi8388]

@@someghostinthewild I agree with you that most stories on television like having iconic characters. But to my opinion (and I should have added that on my first comment), for a good story you need a cast of good characters who are not defined by one trauma (Harry Potter) or just a quirky flaw (any romcom) or just one bad/good decision (Superman who chooses no to kill people). They change because of *many* choices that they make or all the stuff that happened to them, in a realistic way. That's why I like complicated characters that will result in a realistic depiction of a fictional world (in my opinion, I prefer game of thrones than Lord of the rings). Nobody is simple and iconic. It's true that it depends on taste but my personal preference is a story lead by layered characters.

[@Anubis-xk4ht]

@@leazribi8388 frieza from saiyan arc was heartless and merciless monster with no remorse or sympathy and a terrifying badass he was pure evil to the core but still a total badass and a great villain/character

[@leazribi8388]

@@Anubis-xk4ht true. I also enjoyed dragon Ball as a kid. And all the Disney villains! But animations are meant to be exaggerated. The bad guys are really bad and can give you good conflict without complexity. It's basically "I'm gonna destroy the world and be green or purple cause that's the bad guy's colours." And the protagonist and any sane person would be against so you easily root for the hero. Plus your entertained by the witty jokes from the villains. I mean it's not bad but when you want to give a feel of realism while world building, a tiny bit more of complications is necessary.

[@Anubis-xk4ht]

@@leazribi8388 lmao frieza wasn't like any Disney villain and this sympathetic villains have been used too much say whatever you want but he was a great villain

[@09Dragonite]

I'll be honest, if nothing else, this analysis makes me appreciate Spiderman even more. The comic itself and its intended narrative goes so far out of the way to show that Spiderman is a kid in the beginning, that he makes mistakes, that people get hurt and he faces those consequences. Not just the people close to him either, people everywhere die in Spiderman stories and it messes with Peter on a level that many comics struggle to approach. If he weren't able to lead his dual life and continue hiding his identity, I think there could be a much darker version of his comics that parallels this series. He just happened to be loved by his Aunt and Uncle, so his nurturing was much more positive than Homelander's.

[@barry2349]

Basically spiderman upbringing is the same as superman

[@raheemaslam7363]

I actually had a thought experiment of putting Spider-man into the boys’ universe with the same origin

[@GaiusIntrepidus]

@@raheemaslam7363 he'd be less inclined to work with Vought and is serious about his job

[@raheemaslam7363]

@@GaiusIntrepidus which makes me think what would Vought do if they found out that kid who had no record of having spider like powers is running around being a vigilante

[@djsosonut]

One of my fave changes from the comics--besides Homelander--is that The Boys themselves aren't superpowered. Well, beyond the Girl. I hope it stays that way, for awhile at least. I really had trouble connecting to The Boys' mission to take out supes when they're suped up themselves. The entire thing just seem hypocritical. By keeping the main crew unpowered it makes their struggle to overcome the supes they're up against far more gratifying.

[@alanpennie8013]

djsosnut Agreed. This is a well thought out adaptational change.

[@99RedRedfake]

Well that is the point. The Boys in the comic are complete hypocrites. They're not as depraved but they are psychopaths. They are killers. Hughie is the hero because he hates the violence but the Boys LOVE it. Did you read it to the end? I don't want to spoil it for you but the ending is very telling.

[@djsosonut]

@@99RedRedfake Oh I read the entire story. Still prefer this take on the characters. Looking forward to what they're going to take and what they're going to leave. Because all the characters have far more depth in here than they ever had in the comic.

[@99RedRedfake]

@@djsosonut Well, I deeply disagree. Some of the Seven do, but they never the center piece. The Boys are so much weaker. I connected so much with the idea of ultra macho men being both completely toxic but necessary. Yet so dangerous once they don't have a purpose. It's like Ennis who himself is that macho man admits that men like Hughie are so much better for the world but so naive at the same time. Plus the sheer excessive pussification of superheroes felt catarthic XD The show feels like it pulls a lot of punches. The Boys are supposed to be military men. Real men. They're not supposed to struggle against superheroes. The supes are supposed to be so damn pathetic but think themselves so powerful. But the comic brilliantly refuses to make heroes out of the Boys. It keeps them, if not as bad as them, certainly not a force for good. It's brilliant and the show misses that so much in my opinion.

[@djsosonut]

@@99RedRedfake All that depth you're seeing in the comic I'm not getting. It's was just Ennis being Ennis. Supes had depth? Where? Homelander was an incompetent manchild. That was his entire arc. Queen Maeve was basic eye candy and last minute turncoat. Damn near no presence in the story. The Deep had no depth. The Lamplighter was stuck playing with his poo. Sparkle was just a punching bad and Hughie's fuck buddy. Black Noir is the only one with any real depth of character, mainly cause he played everyone. Still, even that doesn't make much sense. I don't want to spoil the reveal just in case the show goes that route, but you should know what i'm talking about. And if he was made to be like that, at least the people that made him should've been able to catch on to what he was up to. Especially James Stillwell. (Probably my favorite character in the story. So callous and corrupt.) I think you're confusing sensation with depth. I don't mind if they don't the route of having full on group recliner circle jerks for shock value to show how depraved and damaged the supesin that world are. They can pull that punch. Ennis can be too Ennis sometimes. (Still remember him having one character have sex with a monument of meat in Preacher. I much prefer how they played that character and his obsession with meat in season one of Preacher.) I think the supes are far more interesting here. They aren't racist, homophobic, baby eating, pedos that it's easy to enjoy the Boys take out. They're damaged in a far less sensational but realistic way. Trapped by their fame in the roles they play and the things they do to stay there. Which makes things more grey when the Boys take them out or blackmail them. The Boys aren't heroes here either. Show Butcher blew up a house with a baby in it, on the slim chance he could take out Homelander. There is nothing heroic about that. That's what I enjoy. I like the show more because I like the characters more here. They're so deliciously messy, yet grounded in their hyper reality that is a funhouse mirror of our own. For me the show took something that I thought was just okay, and made it great.

[@King_Cisco]

Homelander: I can't lift the plane. There's no ground. Superman: Pathetic.

[@heyitsvonage2768]

Also Superman: I can lift a book with infinite pages... It weighs infinity...

[@WiiWarrior933]

@@heyitsvonage2768 doesnt black adam like fuckin read it? to the end

[@masterzero7146]

Even if Superman couldn’t lift the plane, he would have put as much effort into flying to and from the plane to save as many people as he could. Hell, he’d dive underwater when the plane crashed if it meant saving at least one person. Homelander didn’t even try

[@JesusRodriguez-rs8jq]

@@masterzero7146 cause homelander is pretty much evil and has no morals because of where he grew up

[@therealist499]

@@heyitsvonage2768 Also you: Idk what I'm talking about but I heard something that sounded fye from an unconfirmed biased source. If the book can be read it's not infinite.

[@TaigaXsenpai]

I love that in contrast to comics, the Boys don't have any powers.... This gives total sense of danger, how normal people react to people with super powers. Beside the fact that they rely simply on guns, tactics make them look like regular criminals robbing banks. Criminals that Spiderman or Superman stop like every day. ... Imagine playing Spiderman PS4 and being defeated during regular crime fight on street during free roam xD you defeated bosses like Shocker, Scorpion, Rhino but you got knocked by a guy stealing old lady purse ;D

[@MoffatLee]

And that's one of the reasons why the comic version of the Boys is generally not as good as the tv series.

[@dawnleacock6581]

I mean he had to beat an old lady with a stck to get that purse

[@TaigaXsenpai]

@@dawnleacock6581 ;D

[@AveTrueToCaesar8212]

I’d imagine that Butcher will eventually get powers in order to properly combat Homelander, but the others might not.

[@TaigaXsenpai]

@@AveTrueToCaesar8212 I only hope they will reserve it for finale :o I prefer it when the Boys don't have powers :o it makes better contrast with the Seven

[@christopherlee7334]

I think superheroes are, literally, the secular world's version of mythology and religion. Recreating the gods, but in shapes and forms more comfortable to a modern audience. If superheroes existed, most of them would probably be either gods or dictators. Their powers are so far above that of human mortals, there simply is no comparison. Beings that can run so fast, bullets move as if through thick syrup. Beings that can destroy entire cities just by looking at them. Beings that can control the minds of every moral on the planet. There wouldn't be any mutant wars, at least, not with humans. We'd just be pets, slaves, and another endangered species. The real wars would be apocalyptic ragnarok struggles, with mountain ranges leveled and oceans turned to steam, before the hands of the gods bring the dead back to life and cause the forests to regrow, or time itself is reversed at a mere whim.

[@TheeKittyPie]

Damn fam write a book

[@Ixe2077]

I fell that someone would be good.

That last part kinda remind me to Kingdom Come...

[@Ranchor489]

You're already presupposing that power and authority begets corruption or worship, that it is black and white, good or bad. God or dictator. Their emergence not taken after the fact what they were once or how they were brought onto the earth. What if one chose to be neither and live among humans? What if they do it in the shadows? Or sequestered themselves? You're treating superheroes like they're the Elder Dragons of MTG when in most cases, they are just plainly human beings as well. For all the shit religion gets, it literally is the cornerstone of morality, ethics and philosophy in any civilization.

[@cake6851]

Smh power does not corrupt people. It only shows you what people truly are.

[@The5lacker]

The last time I was this early Tony Stark was building a suit, in a cave, WITH A BOX OF SCRAPS!

[@fredede1525]

"We're not Tony Stark..."

[@Pikashades]

@@fredede1525 Tony Stark is a piece of shit. We should be happy we are nothing like him.

[@BlazingOwnager]

@@Pikashades lmao someone never saw more than 5 minutes of the first Iron Man

[@Pikashades]

@@BlazingOwnager my opinion on him is based on the ending of Civil War.

[@mohamed-degkayse7265]

Pikashades Wait, the comic book version or the movie version?

[@CamilaCuevas]

I've been binge watching all your videos this last week, it's all super helpful and very well explained! Thank you for making these it really helps you see how subtle some dialogue is but how important the pay off can be if executed correctly. Excellent videos

[@savagebooks7482]

Thanks so much Camila! I am glad you enjoyed my stuff :)

[@istvanbrooks5319]

Hey, I didnt know you watched this channel Love your animations Btw, just remember to take you time and dont let anyone force you to rush you to animate faster

[@cybersearcher1041]

Yooo, it’s cool to see you here. Good luck on your dialog writing

[@Kiss_My_Aspergers]

I just ended up here cos I was bingeing The Boys content, and who do I see in the comments? Sometimes it feels like you're everywhere, Camila!

[@inferno0020]

I think a lot of people have overused the term "deconstruction", which has been interpreted as turning the genre on its head. That is why we have so many self-claimed deconstruction of superhero that ended up as box office flops. Those successful case of "deconstruction" must have stories to tell in the first place. George R. R Martin created Game of Throne based on Medieval British history; Alan Moore satirizes not only superheroes but also Americanism in both pop culture and cold-war politics. Frank Miller simply used Batman-Superman rivalry to describe America's widespread fear and discontent in the 70s and 80s.

[@AlbertoFolres]

All that RR Martin says is ignored by D&D on season 8. It ended exactly like LOTR: Bran ruled fair and peaceful. And the Dothrakis, we don't care about them adapting to Westeros...

[@elpaladindeltrolling6037]

Eh...it's not a peaceful ending. Actually, it's a really bittersweet one. Like the one Martin wants to the franchise, actually

[@sachxtrem]

@@elpaladindeltrolling6037 it was only bitter because of how awful the ending is, and sweet because that travesty of a season finally came to an end. D and D are hacks.

[@MistCellaneous-5]

This is why I don't like RR Martin, it's kind of like as if he can't suspend the reality of fantasy. sure there has to be tension and cruelty in a fantasy world, but you still have to understand that this is a fantasy world, talking just only said the basis of a hero's journey narrative and also a fantasy epic, the point of it is to escape to it and to hope for a better world.... Not filled with very awkward incest and rape. :/

[@Queue3612]

The dothrakis? you mean the ones that died at the battle of winterfell then came back for the destruction of kingslanding?

[@Birthday888]

@@MistCellaneous-5 If you're reading Game of Thrones hoping for escapism and a happy ending where the heroes win and live happily ever after, you shouldn't really be reading Game of Thrones. Just like people who want a light-hearted comedy at the moment probably shouldn't be watching a horror movie.

[@karatekoala7345]

The Boys has one of the darkest stories but one of the happiest endings really. That's the trick. The darker your story is, the more hardships your characters face only makes the victory sweeter.

[@anastpro1558]

It hasn't ended yet though

[@joesmith201212]

i love the character building they did with the bad guys, Homelander is evil because he never had a family, he never really knew love, he was raised in a lab, And Queen Mav it was so sad to see she just wanted to have a relationship but she couldn't maintain it if she wanted to be this super hero. I love how the evil characters became real and we see that their evil nature was just a product of their environment. they didn't chose to be evil, they were just raised and fostered that way.

[@billlyons7024]

If you like this type of superhero story, there is one more movie that I don't often see referenced. Check out "Chronicle". Yeah it looks like another shaky-cam crapfest, but the characters are well developed and well acted. Basically, it takes an abused and suffering person and gives him the power of Superman.

[@zayindarkmore1616]

Bill Lyons Yeah it’s pretty good, giving a depressed man who is furious with the unfairness of the world superpowers is really sad and really terrifying.

[@bigboibubba5528]

Man, Chronicle is gold. I wish Max Landis got to make his sequels, it would've been great. Andrew's character is so well developed and believable; his helplessness made me care for him so much. I love that movie

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

@@bigboibubba5528 Well, there's a sequel called Martyr and the script was already finished which it's in 2012. But that's sad because it was cancelled.

[@bigboibubba5528]

@@poweroffriendship2.0 very sad. rip

[@poweroffriendship2.0]

@@bigboibubba5528 I haven't even finished the script yet but if there's an opportunity to make a sequel, it could've been gold.

[@chicostephenson]

every time i read a comic the first thought i have is... what would happen if these things REALLY did happen. Watchmen was our first insight into that. Then there was Kick Ass and now this. Just because you have super powers doesn't automatically make you super. You are still a flawed human being like everyone else.

[@jadenbryant9283]

chicostephenson what about dark knight

[@christopherlee7334]

I think superheroes are, literally, the secular world's version of mythology and religion. Recreating the gods, but in shapes and forms more comfortable to a modern audience. If superheroes existed, most of them would probably be either gods or dictators. Their powers are so far above that of human mortals, there simply is no comparison. Beings that can run so fast, bullets move as if through thick syrup. Beings that can destroy entire cities just by looking at them. Beings that can control the minds of every moral on the planet. There wouldn't be any mutant wars, at least, not with humans. We'd just be pets, slaves, and another endangered species. The real wars would be apocalyptic ragnarok struggles, with mountain ranges leveled and oceans turned to steam, before the hands of the gods bring the dead back to life and cause the forests to regrow, or time itself is reversed at a mere whim.

[@Ayeato]

Don’t forget chronicle, that’s a great movie, very dark though

[@loop5720]

@@Ayeato Never watched that movie before, but thanks for mentioning it. Gonna watch it next time!

[@carso1500]

Theres a diference between being human and making mistakes, and, you know, the boys

[@hirambodon7086]

Gosh. Everyone in this comment section is so smart and sophisticated. Gosh.

[@oceanguy1249]

Darn, all these crazy mother- (pardon my language) freakers are so garsh darn cool.

[@wills.e.e8014]

Fuck all y'all

[@wills.e.e8014]

Shiiieeett! Everybody's a fuckin pussy. Shiieeett!!!

[@edwardmillard4398]

If i had to re-title this video i would add: Rescuing us from superheroes "in the most redundant way possible".

[@FGirao]

I know right

[@jackkraken3888]

I love how big business gets it grubby hands on the super heroes and makes loads of cash with them. That felt so close to reality for me.

[@lacrartezorok4975]

Yes, The Boys has a lot of deconstructed superhero tropes, but it also has a lot of subverted ones. It's not just that they're not paragons of virtue, unlike the comic A-train kills Hughey's girlfriend not while fighting a supervillain, but buying drugs, the strech guy not only hides he's gay, he preaches against them and Homelander isn't a failed Superman, he is a straight up villain. And yes, the series gives the "superheroes" more dept, but also turns them from not good enough into actually evil.

[@kadasrichard]

Finally a comment from someone who also read the comics.

[@savage7882]

The "super" part of superheroes has to do with morality also. I dont believe a character like superman could really exist but tony stark or captain america are pretty realistic archetypes of people. Tony grew a lot from being an alcoholic megalomaniac to going as far as to sacrifice himself for everyone.

[@princetchalla2441]

Supermen exist all around us, but they're not usually recognized because merit isn't often the focus of our pop culture and politics. Kissinger getting a noble peace prize and living a long happy life is a great example.

[@joeymorrissey5916]

I love that you called Civil War Avengers 2, accident or not,

[@tehcerialgamer]

we don't talk about Age of Ultron, Civil War is the real Avengers 2

[@spring8246]

@@tehcerialgamer not talking about avengers aou, then civil war wouldn't make sense

[@rmglover3191]

I literally combed through the comments to find this. because - I was gonna!

[@zzz43344]

@@tehcerialgamer Fair enough

[@superlord1428]

I personally love traditional superheroes stories. I love the larger then life adventurers, I love the titanic battles and most of all I love the wholesomeness and altruistic of superheroes. I like seeing people do good things both in fiction and in real life. I was not really going to check out the show as I hated the comics series it was based and I am generally getting quite sick of superhero deconstruction as it quite over done. Oh sure if your only familiar the movies and TV shows it seems fresh to you but if your a comic reader like me you have probably already read quite a few deconstructions already. Lord knows there is no shortage of them in Indie comics. Don't get me wrong there have been some very good ones that offer new and interesting ways to look at superheroes but a lot of them just boil down to "what if the heroes were not so heroic". It's like Kurt Busiek said. "Superhero creators who engage in deconstruction fall into two categories: There are the guys who do it because it's easy, because it gets an audience reaction if you point out that superheroes must be a bunch of psychotic nuts. And there are the guys who do it because they're actually interested, and they're trying to get at what's going on underneath. They're interested in the process and the results." I just don't find the whole "if superheroes were real they be assholes" approach all that interesting. All that said this video has convinced me to give this show a chance. Sorry for the long commit but this video really got me thinking. Nice one mate.

[@JustShin11]

Well said mate well said. Also off topic team iron man lol may he rest in peace.

[@miy1925hassun]

This. 100% this.

[@superlord1428]

@@JustShin11 Amen to that.

[@danielasarmiento3101]

You pretty much summed up my feeling toward magical girl and super heroes, just because its edgy and blacker than 13 black cat s does not make a deconstruction or good

[@ScottTangents]

Your profile is Superman I can see why you don’t like these comics, your childhood hero Superman is the epitome, the omega, the prefect Boy Scout.

[@thisisfyne]

To be fair, Marvel's whole storyline since Civil War touched on the repercussions of innocent casualties / collateral damage due to the hero's actions. It's a huge thing in Black Panther as well. Sure, it's still in the Marvel formula, but at least they acknowledged this side of the story and used the opportunity to enlarge/complexify their world and explore a new kind of villain. This being said, The Boys does it a lot better, and I really appreciate that it's a core element of the show.

[@shadowx8145]

Marvel and dc comics have done this before tho

[@eazy_100s6]

There has been multiple times before civil war that marvel went that route

[@buldockschannel1528]

What's different about Marvel imo is that the heroes are too infallible. The only ones who actually still have problems AFTER becoming a super hero is Spiderman and the Guardians

[@magnusprime962]

@@buldockschannel1528 Bruce Banner and Tony Stark still have some pretty big problems they have to sort out after becoming heroes. Bruce’s problems are pretty self-explanatory, and Tony is practically the poster child for flawed superheroes. Iron Man 2 shows that Tony remains a very flawed person even after becoming Iron Man, and his PTSD from the events of Avengers leads him to create Ultron. And that disaster started a cascade of other problems that eventually led to Thanos winning in Infinity War.

[@zipblockarchives900]

If you like the Boys check out these comics. Irredeemable, Incorruptible and Jupiter's Legacy. They all do a great job of destructing the superhero genre. Jupiter's Legacy is being adapted into a Netflix series and is being filmed as we speak hopefully it turns out good.

[@iamtrash288]

"...and more realistically depicted than a superhero like... Booster Gold could ever be" So you've chosen, death

[@jabohonu]

man, i'm amazed on how nobody's talking about how "The Watchmen" was the creation of the genre and a direct inspiration to this comic/serie.

[@plzletmebefrank]

I mean... Satire and parody have existed a split second less than story and narrative itself. To blindly call The Watchmen the creation of Satire Comic Books is... Kinda ignoring the fact that it almost certainly wasn't. But yes, it was one of the first well-known ones, a direct inspiration for The Boys, and very important in making way for other approaches and parodies. (Then again, I mostly just don't really buy into the idea of genres because all story is kinda linked and genres deal more with theme and setting than actual meaning and what the story is really about... And yeah. I'm sure there was satire about age-old myths thousands of years ago. And I bet some would even be similar to Watchmen or The Boys in meaning and story.)

[@TheSnoozeFox]

Watchmen didn’t create this type of superhero story at all

[@plzletmebefrank]

@@TheSnoozeFox Do you know which ones kinda kicked the genre off? I'm quite curious about it now.

[@asherujudo7383]

I'm a huge fan of the Boys, but do not bring Watchmen down to its level. For all its flaws, Watchmen actually has something interesting and slightly logical to say. The Boys is pure nihilism, which makes it just as unrealistic as the stories it is parodying. Only darker. Even Alan Moore noticed it shortly after the Watchmen era. He said a lot of writers started making up these excessively dark stories that had nothing going for them other than the fact that they were dark.

[@TheSnoozeFox]

@@asherujudo7383 I love The Boys but you are 100% right. Its fun violent schlock whereas Watchmen is a bit more complicated. Both are great in their own ways.

[@fryphilip7474]

Superman isn’t a myth, he not supposed to be like us, “in our dark days, in our dark moments we imagine a men who would never fail us”

[@ynog0978]

Watchmen : "who you?" The boys : "I'm you, but not too complicated"

[@endlesnights3817]

Can i make a recommendation for all those who enjoy this show to look up the comic series "Uber" by Kieron Gillen. A series that goes about deconstructing the romanticization of the second world war & some of the archetypal supers heroes it established, as well as using super powered characters to highlight the horrors of war. While it's very easy to look at who the villains of the second world war are, it can be often glossed over just how many cities, homes, and generations of people were burned down and whipped out to stop them.

[@Oakshield2]

I'm glad I found your comment. That comic is great.

[@endlesnights3817]

No problem, plenty of hidden gems out there to share around, if you're also into Roleplaying and tabletop games, you might like another one of his ongoing works "Die". Very different artist who's done one heck of a stylised and just about every panel is its own painting.

[@max8m1]

A bit late, but there's also the Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson for those who're into reading. It's set in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by "super heroes" and is about a small team of regular humans trying to bring their tyranny down. It's well written and very enjoyable overall

[@endlesnights3817]

@@max8m1 Thanks for the recommendation Wombat, I'll check it out some time.

[@shivanshtyagi3254]

I really needed a video essay on The Boys. Thanks man. And it's well written and anlaysed. Keep up the good work

[@andyrebelo]

_..a film that comes to mind that rigorously applied reality to superpowered individual is.._ Me: *WATCHMEN* _...Hancock._

[@rainbowfury1019]

Close enough

[@motti6569]

Hancock is actually a much better fit to his point though. Watchmen as a movie was actually less grounded than Hancock, despite lack of popularity

[@WilliamSmith-gj8wc]

I always love the conflation of realistic and bad/painful/terrible/grimdark

[@lukeraywood538]

Homelander: I'm worlds best hero Superman: hold my plane

[@cy-one]

Homelander: No.

[@aaronbruce5568]

3:13, I think you're forgetting the real RomCom formula: "Boy finds girl, boy loses girl, girl finds boy, boy forgets girl, boy remembers girl, girls dies in a tragic blimp accident over the Orange Bowl on New Year's Day." -The Naked Gun

[@LeviticusStroud]

Goodyear?

[@aaronbruce5568]

@@LeviticusStroud No, the worst.

[@tavianarmstrong974]

The incredibles was a visionary tale well ahead of its time now that i think about it. It opened with them being heroes and deal with a decent part of it with them trying to stay heroes and bob even crossing the line into criminal territory more than once

[@katsasgeorge]

As glad as I am for this series' existance, I am also glad that the avengers and the jl weren't conceived during our time. Cause coming up with them in today's climate . . . They would end up like this, no doubt.

[@chrisprusinowski5287]

A very good reason why The Boys just plan sucks. Why would I want to watch a rendition of a superhero story that just continues to remind me how shitty the real world is?

[@obamakiske]

@@chrisprusinowski5287 superhero stories are meant to get away from the reality and push us to do good. The boys is just a apparent thing called “what if superheroes were real?” even though it has nothing new to say other than “haha, look, the heroes are misusing their powers again”, it’s literally just supervillains running a oversized scam in the story.

[@nituldeshptha99]

Don't throw shade at Booster Gold pls He's a real hero just not one that anyone around him knows

[@Tom-re6zo]

personally I'm not interested in the application of "Realism." If anything, I prefer the exploration of potential. I am a sucker for redemption stories. It is very rare that a murderer changes his ways, finds the light, and tries to atone for his past evils or failures. But it isn't impossible. I like the encouraging thought, that anyone has that small chance of realizing their mistakes, and can seek their own justice to right the wrongs of their past.

[@plzletmebefrank]

Huh. If you read books much, you would probably like a book I know. Shadow of the Conqueror by Shad Brooks.

[@marcogarcia7944]

Watch bojack then

[@CamJames]

The sex club the supes went to was the realest aspect of this show. That's exactly what would happen.

[@Archangeldawn]

I haven't watched the Boys yet, what happens in the Strip club scene?

[@CamJames]

Archangeldawn it's more of a private club that offers every kind of sin the supers may want to partake in, including midair sex and lines of coke.

[@Crick1952]

@@CamJames Don't forget the Ant-Man pussy dive

[@sifatshams1113]

Unbreakable is by far the most underrated superhero film ever.

[@Th3-3nd]

The trilogy as a whole really.

[@CapitanJusticia]

The most boring too!

[@gazoonman]

Film that directed by Shyamalan, who did the last air bender? NO THANKS LMAO

[@rainycloud10]

@@gazoonman Shyamalan started out making great movies. His earlier works are actually really good.

[@thelittlepasty8360]

Gazoon Man Yes, judge a director’s work based on a mistake he made several years after unbreakable was made. Brilliant

[@hayleyhistorynerd2211]

I've been leaning towards watching The Boys Karl Urban is a favorite of mine and I've been interested in the concepts and how they are executed. I didn't know Eric Kripke was the show runner, that seals the deal for me, he's great with character creation and development. This is a great video SavageBooks, thank-you for sharing your thoughts. Hayley ^_^

[@alanpennie8013]

I've really been enjoying it, despite Karl's rather dodgy British accent. There are some remarkably gruesome scenes so prepare to be grossed out.

[@TheHelpful2]

This sounds oddly like something that could happen in the "My Hero Academia" universe outside of Japan.

[@vicount3944]

Keep that kiddie shit away from me.

[@giantWario]

I mean its pretty much literally what happened in My Hero Academia before All Might came around. All For One was basically Homelander, he just preferred to stay in the shadows instead of seeking the spotlight.

[@michaelmoore9819]

I can't get in to it. It's extremely weird infused with strange dialog & ideas and porn

[@JackClockerinos]

Captain Celebrity is literally just Homelander without the mass murder

[@alfa01spotivo]

@white america's worst nightmare lol how edgy.

[@gavinmorin]

I loved this video. I just finished the first season of The Boys for the first time and I absolutely loved it. I've been trying to find a good deep dive into the show and I finally found yours. I will 100% be subscribing and coming back for more videos!

[@denkdirdocheinnameaus_573]

7:07 I see your a man of culture 😉

[@davidspooner4582]

WRRRRRRRRYYYY

[@Jay_Synner]

Oh ho, you're aproching me?

[@krazy958]

I cant beat the shit out of you without getting closer

[@theculturewatch2414]

What anime is that from?

[@krazy958]

Jojos Bizzare Adventure

[@lordodysseus]

The Boys had some of the best foreshadowing I've ever seen. Just a throwaway line here or there and a few hours later that line comes back to bite you in the ass.

[@herrflantier3739]

7:07 I was expecting a JJBA reference of some sort when this title popped up, and saw this.

[@speeddemonji9547]

TOKI WO TOMARE

[@krazy958]

Oh your approaching me? Instead of running away your approaching me? Event though your grandfather, Joseph, told you the secret of ZA WARUDO?

[@rainbowfury1019]

Look down

[@Vivigreeny25]

I literally only know this show exists from one time I got an ad for it on KZbin, and the time it took over every single Tumblr ad to ever exist for a little while.

[@Alknix]

To all the circus seals clapping their flippers off to the tune of "OMG, that's what the superheroes would be in real life!", you do realise that brutal, immoral or malicious superpowered characters exist in mainstream comics as well? They're called superVILLAINS. Some of them even pretend to be heroes. You cannot even say that "Boys" depicts the world without real superheroes, because that's not true - there's Starlight.

[@CavalierNSN]

I'm telling you, it's like you ripped the thought right out of my mind through my nose! It's no different than any other story that leads you to a special place inside yourself. These are the same people that joined the "Thanos did nothing wrong" human, meme-linked fence. Oh, the hypocrisy. Starlight, in the show, was the purest form of the traditional hero to me. What happened to her, throughout the show, felt more like the embodiment of the contempt the creators and a notorious "executive producer" all have for real "Supes." I don't mind the original video post, but sometimes, we engender more bias in our praise than we realize, or even intend.

[@CavalierNSN]

Here's more proof. Man of Steel failed for the same reason that "the Boys" succeeded; the deconstruction of super heroes. Zach Snyder didn't want to tell a wholesome story about a special "kid raised in Kansas" anymore than "the Boys" wanted to tackle the plight of the comic book superhero against diabolical "evil in the world." In either case, there is an oft hidden, seething contempt or irresistible urge to debunk the virtue and conviction that would create a superhero. I've seen this before. How much better would Sausage party have been if Seth Rogen wasn't hell bent on his "seething contempt or irresistible urge to debunk" Christian faith? Sometimes, when some people don't want to cop their own misgivings or shortcomings, they lash out at others who don't have those issues. Although I really enjoyed the Boys, the attempt of the showrunners to flip me off because they made it on the train in "time" only prevented me from returning the empty wallet they left on the bench.

[@alanpennie8013]

Those exchanges between Hughie and Starlight in the last episode were pretty great, though I did think she forgave him rather too quickly.

[@Lunacorva]

4:05 I'm going to be honest, this movie already does not sound like my cup of tea at all just from this comment which is a microcosm of the biggest problem I have with so many "Superhero Deconstructions." They're not as smart as they THINK they are. Everyone of these movies tries to "Deconstruct" the superhero premise by going: "What if someone gained superpowers who WASN'T a good person??" and they approach this question with such condescending smugness that it's clear they think they were the first to come up with it. Except... they aren't. Even in that comment, the writer is blatantly wrong. The MCU has ALWAYS had greedy or selfish or otherwise flawed characters gaining superpowers. They're called SuperVILLAINS. And that's just it. These movies CLAIM they have some great insight into superheroes, but all they're doing is just showing characters who are BAD at being heroes, super or otherwise, and then trying to claim their selective sample is a more "realistic" take than the classic, even though it's actually much SHALLOWER. Showing only the failures, when Marvel has shown the successess AND the failures and all in between. And on a philosophical note, these movies send what I feel is a VERY toxic message that: "Heroes don't exist." It spreads an EQUALLY mythical viewpoint of a fantasy world where everyone's an asshole and Good=Dumb, which is a blatant falsehood dressed up as "realism".

[@obamakiske]

YES. YES! FUCKING FINALLY! A GENIUS AMONG US! all hype aside, i really think the main antagonists of the boys are just outright supervillains

[@louiserottweiler5599]

I understand what you’re getting at but you have to remember that the Vought Supes are seen as heroes by the masses (but not by us, the audience). Supervillains in MCU are seen as supervillains by everyone. The Boys explores morally grey areas with protagonists and antagonists alike. While it’s certainly nothing new, I’d disagree that it’s “SHALLOWER”.

[@rohithkumar8708]

The only thing sad here is the fact that "realistic" is people not being good. If anything good superheroes could leave an imprint on children and raise them into better people as they could have them as a reference point. Just leave them as good people. Just Let it be a reference

[@JameboHayabusa]

The point is they ARE good people, but they're put in real life circumstances, so they're also shitty people. Just like real humans lol, no one is perfect. I do think their needs to be more heroes who are little more selfless like Starlight shown though. It seems just about everyone in the super hero industry in The Boys is corrupt. This is one area I think OPM did a great job in showing what a corporate run super hero characters would be like.

[@speeddemonji9547]

@@JameboHayabusa this is correct.

[@speeddemonji9547]

as expected by BHNA.

[@rohithkumar8708]

@@JameboHayabusa supers are jot the good ones. They're total shit. The boys are good ones

[@rohithkumar8708]

@@JameboHayabusa thing is i met people. People as good as steve rogers and i met absolute piece of shits too . It's not unrealistic to have people like tony stark or thor. Are they perfect . Of course not, they had flaws . Tony is a straight up selfish asshole, who's arrogant . Doesn't give a shit about others lives. But he changes. Same with thor, arrogant shit who alwayss wants to pick a fight . People can be aa good as thor or steve rogers or peter parker . They can be shits, I'd rathee meet more people like steve types which like i said I've seen. Mostly cause I've lived with them for years. Media has an effect . You can't be like " this is it this is the reality" cause it's not. It can really change people.

[@Free_Krazy]

Where has this channel been all my life! After just 3 mins im spiritually relating to this guy whilst also looking at other uploads, my childhood and understanding of film based literature and cartoons is about to be turned upside-down!

[@kcconnor2636]

The Boys has reinforced upon me that the biggest superhero from the DC universe is Jonathan Kent.

[@Batman88878]

And Martha. Why did I say that name?!? Because she was as important to Clark's upbringing as Jonathan.

[@zm1786]

Having good parents is the real best super power

[@hollykm]

Erik Kripke is the BEST. Supernatural, Timeless, and now, The Boys. You can hear his voice in all three of these and it's amazing

[@Dwarfurious]

Looks like they're having it both ways. You cant "not" lift a plane while flying but ALSO stop a speeding armored vehicle by letting it hit you. You're not heavy enough to stop and you have nothing to brace against except the air behind you and a little bit of ground which would give out.

[@steelbear2063]

I mean at least with the bank van it's you against it. That plain would literally crumble from its own weight

[@gur262]

She impacted hard. Sure, feet burried in asphalt that bit aint quite enough, but at least something

[@malubarroso]

If you're interested, there's this other show that operates as a deconstruction of the superhero genre called The Umbrella Academy. It's about a family/team of superheroes (ala the x-men) who reunite at the funeral of their father/mentor and discover via their decades missing brother that the world is going to end. However, they're so dysfunctional and closed off of each other that they just make things worse. The deconstruction is less about "What would happen if superheroes existed?" and more "How screwed up would be a family who were groomed to save the world from an early age?" It's a bit more weird than the boys but it's pretty good. Also, grat job as always with the analysis!

[@limbofightingsurvivorl.f.s37]

Homelander actor is such a great actor !! that airplane scene...

[@lordsxman]

This was probably the best review or dissection of The Boys I've seen. Great job! 👍

[@asdffjsdjasd]

The Boys is kind of like a reverse Watchmen. Watchmen was an amazing deconstruction that got adapted to an stylized cookie cutter superhero movie. The Boys was adapted from a good but a bit generic "dark and gritty" superhero comic to an amazing deconstruction in the TV series.

[@Pikashades]

''stylized cookie cutter superhero movie'' what movie did you watch?

[@darlalathan6143]

Both were based on "dark and gritty " superhero comics. Watchmen was one of the first, drawn in the 1980s.

[@MJGianesello]

@@Pikashades the one that carbon copies 80% of the plot of a graphic novel that was entirely about the deglamorization of the superhero, portraying them as inherently ridicolous and broken individuals and utilizes the comic book golden age aesthetics of costumes and even plot points to an extent to draw an even sharper contrast, and what it does is fetishize them, their screen presence and everything that surrounds them; Moore says "look at this nutcase in a spandex costume who violates civil rights on the daily because he's a shell of a man who can't hold a regular job anymore, who in their right mind who'd worship him?" Zack Snyder goes "look how fucking cool Rorschack is with his coat in slow mo in the rain busting jaws, isn't it cool? Aren't silk spectre and nite owl awesome when they send a goon flying against a wall ten meters away with one punch and then have slow motion sex looking like victoria's secret models?" That's the movie. That movie is proof like no other than you can copy the plot and still fail to convey the story entirely, so yeah, it is a cookie cutter because instead of being a deconstruction of the genre it is just an edgier, darker, more allegedly "realistic" version of the same spandex suit action porn moore was criticizing; despite his writing doing all the work can to mend the dissonance, snyder's puerile directing tramples all those efforts

[@Pikashades]

@@MJGianesello are you sure that is not you saying those things in Zack Snyder’s voice instead?

[@MJGianesello]

@@Pikashades well, look at the movie for reference

[@filippians413]

I'm so glad I decided to give this series a chance. What a breath of fresh air

[@maggoli67]

Martin subvert my expectations and finish your damn books!

[@celondelon]

This was brilliant, it broke down the unique narrative, subtext and characterisation of the show that demonstrates why it's so unique and timely and why the deviations from the original text are necessary when creating a series for television.

[@guardianknight5417]

Pretty good video as someone who is writing a superhero story this helped out a lot

[@VallornDeathblade]

"The World" I see you there DIO.

[@arthurfortes8398]

Ego, Thanos, Loki, Hela and Ronan are many examples, from Marvel, that not everyone with powers would be completely benevolent.

[@thedilltrickle7486]

They aren’t human, they are aliens or beings of power it is not the same thing. Humans with powers is what he is referring to

[@arthurfortes8398]

@@thedilltrickle7486 Red Skull is an example

[@arthurfortes8398]

Also Ghost and Kaecillus

[@vejacomlegendasrs]

The thing is, in the very Iron Man movie, of 2008, Tony Stark literally says he is not a hero, despite proving the opposite, and, as far as I can remember, says he is too flawed to be one. Besides the fact I see the reason Tony believes in that is because he is responsible for so much of the problematic circunstancies in the movie, I think it is kind because of his humble opinion about himself that shows why Tony is really a hero and many of the supers of The Boys tv show aren't. I mean, in the movie, Tony Stark tries to help a family that has their car thrown by Obadiah Stane, even if it ends with him getting run over by the very car and people he saved. In many ways, Vought is very similar to Obadiah Stane, they are powerful hungry rich people who are capitalizing on a heroic image to gain more money and power, but don't care about the collateral damage their "products", the supers, could cause. So Hughie and his allies are pretty much a more limited Tony Stark, that got dragged to the messed up world of Vought supers. Also, I think the show is more of a critic on the very notion a superhero, by the end, becomes an unquestionable perfect paragon of virtue, instead of a flawed human paragon of virtue, like in many superhero movies, the reason MCU movies constantely show that, even after the heroic deed is done, the heroes, including Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, still have personal and external problems to resolve, and that makes them human and relatable. The Boys TV series shows that when the supers are put in messed up conditions, be by Vought or the public, of having their humanity ignored, they can become become corrupted, fame hungry and completely insecure, like A-Train and the maniac of Homelander, or have their moral compass and world vision almost completely shattered, like Queen Maeve, Ryan or Starlight. Billy, Hughie and many of the human characters are just the reminders of how important to see anyone with powers as a flawed human being, that could be force for evil or for good. Maybe, being a paragon of virtue, as shown by Tony Stark, is just having the virtue of knowing personal flaws despite being a hero.

[@hyperion447]

most superhero stories will make the protagonist never believe they are or could be a hero despite that the audience are clearly meant to, which crates an illusion that the heroes never sought out that kind of power, but just stumbled upon it, because we all know a truly good person would never seek out that kind of power for themselves but we simply know thats not close to reality at all, iron man is my favourite superhero movie, but i have to admit that it is probably the most unrealistic superhero story ive seen, theres just too many ramifications of a superhero like that existing for the movie to just suddenly end with Tony announcing himself like that, while the rest of the MCU with iron man tried to address it, it ultimately ends back at the same outcome of the hero becoming that "perfect paragon of virtue" once again until the next sequel. Simply put, the boys isnt just showing us corrupt super heroes, its showing us that the entire concept of superheroes and the desire for them itself is a corrupt idea, because a truly good person would realise that a single person having that kind of power is never good for society and will always be a threat to society because no one person can be perfect enough to have that kind of power responsibly, thus they would find a way to even out the power imbalance and find a way to justly even out that power across society, would which make them much like powerful and therefore not a super hero anymore, Iron man is the biggest example of that.

[@ninjabryan9668]

I’ve been noticing a transition from the public craving stories of superheroes as a means of fantasizing about the best people can be to people having been made cynical through the utterly depressing state of the world and thus only being reminded of the lack of a superhero-esque attitude towards the betterment of all humanity within our world; as of late, seeing perfect people who dedicate their lives to upholding good and protecting the earth only reminds them that our world is run exclusively by people who couldn’t care less about the people they govern, and that a hero - one that doesn’t care about anything EXCEPT the people they protect - can’t exist in reality. Deconstructing the superhero genre empowers people, because it shows very flawed people working towards what they believe in an imperfect manner. Seeing a perfect idealized hero hurts, but seeing a flawed and relatable person standing up for their beliefs gives us hope that we who are unhappy with the state of the world can also defend our ideals and make a difference without being a perfect human specimen with superhuman abilities.

[@lorzazu_zay]

Seriously, huge kudos to Eric Kripke. He's such a smart writer and such a creative and talented showrunner.

[@thecustomizer2008]

Ahh yes, I want a book where we learn how Aragorn handled the economy and tax issues of Gondor

[@jadabates9719]

Sadly Growing up I’ve always been painfully aware of the death of civilians in both movies and shows. I’ve never been able to enjoy a movie with out being aware of all the death that happens around it.

[@tetrakings]

5:28 Did we get answers to why a guy that throughout 7 seasons said he could never be lord of anything ended up being the King?

[@lillydevil2486]

'Genre isn't just for escapism and light, easy conversation' That is exactly it. It is what I strive for not only in my own writing, but in the books and media I intake. I don't want 'comfort', I want 'real'. I don't want a story about the world ending while a cast of siblings are home alone and are conveniently protected from grievous harm by plot armor. I want the older brother to catch a stray bullet to the face and suddenly the immature, bratty middle child has to take care of her three younger brothers. I don't want clean, squeaky stories where the male protagonist goes through horrific scenarios but only comes away with scars. Or the creature monster conveniently takes out the human monster...

[@thealexriveraa]

That plane scene really made my stomach turn

[@UdoADHD]

4:47 If this man is ever strapped for cash, he could play Santa Claus at the mall.

[@alanpennie8013]

That blanket scene! Homelander is so detestable and so pitiable.

[@SmileytheSmile]

I don't understand one thing - right after the plane scene, Homelander was shown floating in place, looking at the falling plane, meaning that he can control his flight freely, moving at any direction at any speed he wants. So that means that he's not kicking air or whatever to fly, so if he wanted to lift a plane in midair he would've just needed to fly upwards, and if he has the strength to move the plane along with himself, then he should be able to do it easily, ignoring the actual physics of that much force being applied to a small area. My point is, I don't think it would have been impossible.

[@thelostgaminghq_8053]

I like that he got sponsored by amazon, while doing an amazon prime show

[@l00d3r]

Brandon Sanderson did the same with his The Reckoners trilogy, and his inspiration came when he was upset at another driver for cutting him off. He thought if he had superpowers he would have hurt the other driver. Steelheart (first book of the trilogy) was born.

[@malikevans634]

Honestly, I'd probably be consumed by revenge, if a loved one was killed the same way Robin was. It's one thing to have them killed in an accident, or even intentionally for whatever reason. It's another entirely to have the reason be recklessness, like a fucker who was juiced up on drugs, and then either making fun of it or playing it off. I don't wanna say Huey is right, but *can you blame him if he doesn't come around?*

[@steelbear2063]

I see him as a soldier in a war against Capes. Yes, vengeance kills a person, but that's what soldiers do. They go through hell so that others wouldn't. Rage and pain and revenge will consume him, but his sacrifice will allow others to avoid that.

[@TheDUDE101GOOD]

for homelander it would've been possible to save those people somehow, he just wasnt trained for these types of situations/ and didnt want to.

[@happyjohn354]

most people dont realize this but Hancock is Zeus...

[@112steinway]

Oh for heaven's sake, Alan Moore has been doing this for DECADES!

[@obiwanshinobi87]

It's not the tv show we deserve! But it's the tv show WE NEED!

[@tylerleach1833]

...really?

[@iant720]

Home lander freaks me out. Total serial killer. Can be so dark and terrifying than immediately whip out a smile and sound so righteous.

[@14s0cc3r14]

I do hate the “Dark and gritty equals more realistic” trope. There are just as many logical flaws in The Boys universe. Also it’s unfair to say this is a “groundbreaking deconstruction” of the Hero genre when comics have been doing the dark and gritty takes for a while

[@christiana5453]

yea comics have been doing it for years, but it's hasn't been deconstructed this deeply on mainstream networks

[@wh5601]

It depends on how you are defining ‘realistic’. If you just mean whether there are inconsistencies in the story then yes, the Boys isn’t anything new. But I don’t think that’s what most people mean by realistic. They mean that it speaks to a more likely real life outcome of a common genre. The Boys is undoubtedly a more likely result of superheroes existing in the modern world than the MCU for example

[@14s0cc3r14]

W H If anyone thinks the government would allow any corporation to possess essentially nuclear weapons-level military power, they are living in a fantasy

[@Drstrange3000]

I agree. I think Spiderman got it right with the balance. His story and world are so human and more relatable to me. It took me a while to really appreciate it.

[@myself2noone]

@@wh5601 Not really. Its just an opposite extreme. A real life example would be something so shackled by bureaucracy and red tape that it's impossible to get anything done. The venture brothers is more "real." You know why these tropes keep being used? Because it's the law.

[@melindathomas4138]

The ”Boys” is not about superheroes and ”absolute power corrupts absolutely” but about superheroes being corporate which is a separate issue. At their best superheroes are morality tales. Karl-El has to land in Smallville because there is a mythos about small town middle American family values. If Superman’s spaceship landed in Georgia, California or evening France or Australia and he was raised by a single mom, that would change his story considerably because he needs the Norman Rockwell two parent small town farm upbringing because that is his moral compass. So much of Hollander is is because he didn’t have a “normal” childhood not just because of his powers. Spider-Man is all about the mantra “with ultimate power is ultimate responsibility”. The Superheroes created before the Vietnam war have longevity because they represent the nurture over nature narrative. Even with Butcher, his father’s abuse is why he is what he is as opposed to the more loving approach of Hughie’s father.

[@dyltack5349]

I feel like I’m the only one who really doesn’t feel like deconstruction of any genre means it’s good

[@kauswekazilimani3736]

Deconstruction is a neutral term. Some of it can be shit.

[@lanceexe5685]

Yeah, some formulas work for a reason but its always nice to see a twist to it. The problem is focusing more on being different more than having substance.

[@morahm1486]

Worm is also a brilliant deconstruction of the superhero genre. It also delves into many of the same themes as The Boys, and in my opinion is one of the best stories I have ever read.

[@Rotaretilbo]

Obligatory comment plugging Worm, a brilliant reconstruction of superhero tropes self-published as a web serial back in 2011-2013. Seems relevant, given the subject of conversation here.

[@guardianknight5417]

Oh worm is a brillant execution of superhero deconstruction

[@XPSGames]

Anyone who likes The Boys should read Worm. I think Worm was inspired by the original comic, or has many similarities to it.

[@Rotaretilbo]

Before I elaborate, I want to define my terms, because I frequently see the terms used interchangeably, and that can get confusing. Both decontruction and reconstruction generally take tropes that have become particularly saturated in a given genre, and seek to take them apart. The difference is in intent, and follow through. In deconstruction, the purpose of taking the tropes apart is to demonstrate them to be absurd, usually to the apparent detriment of the genre being deconstructed. In reconstruction, the purpose of taking the tropes apart is to understand what makes them so appealing within that genre, so as to better understand how to write effectively within that genre. Earlier, I called Worm reconstruction. That's because, while it absolutely takes apart superhero tropes, it obviously comes from a place of respect. Wildboar clearly loves superhero stories, but wants to ask tougher questions. He wants to know Superman's tax policy, if you will. I'd obviously also term A Song of Ice and Fire reconstruction. Murder Santa loves fantasy, and particularly Tolkein, but wants to ask tougher questions and explore deeper societal issues. Now compare this with the Watchmen comics, which was written by a bitter man who loathed the superhero genre. He didn't want to write more effectively within the genre; he wanted to see it destroyed. I bring up this distinction, because aside from coming from a different place, it also goes to a different place. Deconstruction, as I would define it, almost uniformly goes to a bleak, hopeless place, because the author has a bleak, hopeless attitude towards the genre he or she is deconstructing. Reconstruction might go to very dark places, but it will generally have a somewhat more optimistic view overall. I will disclaim that I have neither read The Boys, nor watched its adaptation. However, I have read and watched material about them, and my understanding is that the source material falls very squarely into deconstruction, a bleak, cynical world that indulges in edge for its own sake, where everyone is fundamentally corrupt to their very core and the world is a harsh, bitter place; the characters are not morally gray, they've all been set on moral fire and the resulting charcoal dipped in moral tar. And it sounds like this adaptation of The Boys took issue with that, sanding down some of the edge to deliver a more nuanced world and characters in what I would probably classify as reconstruction. All that to say, I think anyone who likes The Boys, the live action adaptation, will probably like Worm for similar reasons, whereas I suspect that anyone who likes The Boys, the original comic, will find that Worm is insufficiently edgy and optimistic for daring to portraying any character as being anything but narcissists and psychopaths. And, to that end, I think that, if Worm was inspired by the The Boys comic, it was because Wildbow was dissatisfied with the comic's reductive approach to the genre.

[@guardianknight5417]

@@Rotaretilbo thank you for this response

[@nimdewhirst7939]

Rotaretilbo oh it’s so good man

[@casualsanta]

Homelander: What do you want me do? Lift the plane? There’s nothing to stand on; it’s fuckin AIR! Superman: iTs FuCKiN AiR