It’s no secret that, with a few notable exceptions, the supes in The Boys are a group of conceited, entitled, and egotistical individuals who will do everything to further their personal agendas. Their abilities come from Compound V, a mixture created to offer people the ability to achieve things that normal people cannot, but love is a more potent motivating factor that gives the story its core. The majority find their views anchored in love, or at least what they think to be love in some circumstances, whether it’s from members of the eponymous group or the supes themselves. The series wouldn’t have as much heart overall without this unadulterated feeling, and it would no longer rise above the level of being a demonstration of violence and evil schemes.
Our screens are immediately bombarded with messages about love. In the first episode, Hughie (Jack Quaid) is introduced with his devoted girlfriend Robin (Jess Salgueiro), but she is soon killed by an irresponsible A-Train (Jessie T. Usher). As he swears revenge for her passing and sets out on his mission to stop the supes, Hughie’s love for Robin emerges as his motivation and the catalyst for his entire arc. Naturally, Hughie soon develops feelings for Starlight (Erin Moriarty), and this love feeds his fire to stop the evil Seven from causing destruction everywhere they go. Now, he wants to do everything he can to support her, keep her safe, and ultimately, save her. Hughie’s love for her pushes him to go to depths he never dreamed he’d go, despite her persistent insistence that she doesn’t need saving. He starts injecting V-24 so he can fight back against individuals who mistreat other people. On the surface, it appears that he uses it selfishly and rejects Starlight’s warnings to quit putting himself in danger, but in his heart, he is acting in her best interests out of love.
In terms of selfishness, Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) is probably the most maniacal character on the show, ranking right up there with Homelander (Antony Starr), yet he has done everything for his wife, Becca, out of love for her (Shantel VanSanten). As payback for Homelander’s sexual assault of Becca, which he believes caused her death, he initially starts looking for the supes. He makes every effort to locate her after learning that she is still alive, but sadly, their reunion is brief because she perishes as a result of Ryan’s (Cameron Crovetti) deadly blast sent at Stormfront (Aya Cash). Butcher’s troubles are far from over, as he now has a new task to complete. Ryan’s safety was Becca’s final request. This pledge is what ultimately leads to maybe the best illustration of love triumphing over all. In the Season 3 finale, Butcher is finally given the opportunity to eliminate Homelander with the aid of Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles), but she refuses to do so in order to preserve Ryan. His ultimate objective has been to kill Homelander from the beginning, but the strength of love comes through as he defies it to carry out Becca’s request. This deed demonstrates Billy Butcher’s heart, despite the moments when it seemed like he only cared about himself.
The protagonists are occasionally motivated by platonic love or familial love rather than romantic love. Homelander is undoubtedly not the first person who springs to mind when considering love, as he frequently behaves selfishly. He has, on a few rare occasions, though, displayed a more tender side to his character. Ryan, Homelander’s kid, is the object of his devotion in the most significant way. He hasn’t always been an ideal father figure, as evidenced by the moment where he pushes Ryan over the roof, but there have been times when Antony Starr has successfully portrayed a caring father. For instance, in the most recent season finale, Homelander rushes to save Ryan when he is hurt by Soldier Boy, placing himself in danger without thinking twice. Given how narcissistic Homelander has always been, it is a little surprising to realize that he is also capable of love. Homelander has occasionally displayed emotional sensitivity, but his love for Ryan compels him to prevent his son from going through the same suffering he did as a child growing up without a father.
Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso), who is trying everything in his power to stop Soldier Boy, is another example of the extent to which a father can go in order to defend his family. After learning that Soldier Boy killed MM’s family, MM is now determined to stop it from occurring to his new family, particularly his daughter. In addition to abhorring everything supes stand for, he is outraged that Todd (Matthew Gorman), a rabid supe enthusiast, is raising his daughter. MM frequently finds himself facing up against strong supers armed with weapons he knows are inadequate to stop his enemies while well conscious of the risky scenarios he is placing himself in.
Out of genuine love for his daughter, he nevertheless continues to take the threat head-on. This is one of the few instances where love isn’t tainted by ego or used as a justification for moral relativism. This is demonstrated by the fact that Hughie and Butcher take V-24 without hesitation, but MM stands by his principles and declines to grant himself superhuman abilities. He is aware of the risks it poses, and he would rather fail while attempting to protect those he loves than give his daughter a negative example.
Even though the Boys universe is filled with gunfire, explosions, and bloodshed, if you look closely, you can see that love permeates everything. It appears in a variety of ways and is frequently combined with other feelings, but it dominates everything else and gives the series the heart it needs to stand out as a truly significant program.
