Warning: SPOILERS for The Boys Season 2, Episode 7
Season 2 of The Boys confirmed a new detail about Black Noir, one that makes a Homelander twist from the comics impossible. The second season of Amazon Prime Video's hit show is quickly coming to a finish. Seven of the eight episodes have now been released and have set up what is sure to be an exciting season 2 finale. While most of the story has focused on Stormfront and what her arrival means for Homelander and The Boys, the rest of The Seven have also been involved.
Black Noir has so far been one of the biggest winners from season 2, as the silent but deadly Supe has received a more active role in The Boys. He's hunted down Billy Butcher and The Boys on the orders of Vought International's CEO Stan Edgar and is one of the few members of The Seven still aligned with Homelander. For those who read Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's The Boys comics, this was intriguing considering the reveal that Black Noir was a clone of Homelander. However, The Boys has now made that twist impossible.
During episode 7 of The Boys' second season, Black Noir got in a fight with Starlight as she tried to escape Vought Tower. Black Noir was overpowering Starlight throughout the fight until Queen Maeve stepped in to help her out. Queen Maeve was able to stop Black Noir by lifting up his mask and shoving an Almond Joy into his mouth, as he has a severe nut allergy. However, the biggest reveal to come from this moment is that the person underneath the Black Noir suit is black. Homelander previously mentioned in season 2 that Black Noir doesn't identify as any particular race, but that doesn't appear to be true after all. Clearly, if Black Noir is black, then he is not a clone of Homelander.
The Black Noir/Homelander clone twist in The Boys was a huge moment with major ramifications on the story, so the show's decision to leave it out is a bit surprising. The purpose of Black Noir being a clone of Homelander in the comics was so that he could be a failsafe to take down Homelander if he turned against Vought. Black Noir was aware of this purpose and eventually began framing Homelander for crimes with the hope that he could finally kill him. However, Black Noir ended up revealing his true nature to Homelander, resulting in a fight between them that ended with Black Noir killing Homelander - and Billy killing Black Noir.
The Boys has already taken a lot of liberties with the story and characters when adapting the comic, and so far it has largely been better for them. The absence of a Homelander clone twist in season 2 and beyond could be disappointing for some fans, but it doesn't mean that the core idea won't exist. Black Noir could still have been appointed to The Seven by Vought with the purpose of killing Homelander if need be. Of course, that is dependent on Black Noir not dying as a result of his Almond Joy exposure. If he is still alive, then Black Noir could still fulfill his comic purpose to kill Homelander later on in The Boys.