Most superheroes keep their Kryptonite a secret, but Homelander and Queen Maeve are advertising theirs ahead of The Boys season 3. Throughout the first two seasons of Amazon's The Boys, the dynamic between Homelander and Queen Maeve is firmly weighted in favor of the Oedipus-riddled milk-slurper. Effectively a prisoner in Vought tower, Maeve tries to resume her relationship with former love Elena, but Homelander makes their lives a misery, triggering the couple's breakup and a brand new downward spiral for Maeve. By the end of The Boys season 2, however, Maeve has reversed the power balance, blackmailing her ex with the thing he cares most about in all the world - his public reputation.
Production is currently underway on The Boys season 3, and Amazon has unveiled a pair of in-universe promotional posters to celebrate. These cartoonish advertisements show Vought doing their civic duty by teaching kids some manners. Homelander's poster reads "it's super to show respect... show others consideration and be mindful of their feelings." Queen Maeve has her own variant, encouraging the youth of today to be more upbeat. According to her poster, "it's super to be positive... a positive attitude makes good things happen." Clearly, these slogans come with a hefty dose of irony. Homelander is about as respectful as a drunk uncle at a wedding party, and Maeve's frown is considered part of her superhero costume. But these posters also highlight the weaknesses of their respective characters.
In Homelander's case, a lack of respect proved to be his undoing in The Boys season 2. The Seven's leader poked and prodded Maeve, thinking no possible retribution could be brought upon him, never imagining she could somehow fight back. Homelander considers himself several notches above everyone else on Earth, but he should've at least respected Maeve's intelligence, as well as her fighting spirit (even if it had been gathering dust for a few years). It's Homelander's inability to respect his peers that causes him to perilously underestimate Queen Maeve and, ultimately, lose. In The Boys season 3, respect will likely elude Homelander still. After being bitten by Queen Maeve's blackmail and losing Ryan to Billy Butcher, Homelander has the perfect opportunity to amend his ways. Logic suggests he'll double down and be nastier than ever instead, setting up an ever bigger downfall.
Queen Maeve's poster for The Boys season 3 is reflective of her most damning flaw too - cynicism. Since first meeting Starlight, Maeve has mocked the young hero's optimism, whether misplaced or otherwise. Every time Maeve could've helped her young college against the more nefarious members of the Seven, she declined, believing none could possibly defy the will of Homelander. The few occasions Maeve does lend a hand, however, she makes a perfect partner for the Boys, defeating Black Noir with the power of nuts, kicking the fascism out of Stormfront, and freeing Ryan from Homelander's grasp. If Maeve wasn't permanently jaded, she could've made these changes sooner and saved more lives - perhaps even the plane passengers from The Boys season 1. As with Homelander's lack of respect, Maeve's cynicism could still bring her crashing down in The Boys season 3. The alcoholic Wonder Woman might've neutered Homelander for the time being, but Queen Maeve is still hampered by a relentlessly dour outlook.
Amazon's The Boys boasts an uncanny knack for villainous superheroes that the audience love to hate. They're absolutely despicable, but always fall short of being completely beyond hope thanks to brief glimmers of growth. Based on these new posters, that pattern is set to continue in The Boys season 3. The likes of Homelander and Queen Maeve might evolve, but old habits are hard to break. Homelander, now a wounded animal, still needs to learn the art of respecting others, while Queen Maeve can never move forward with Elena unless she drops her cynical goggles and recognizes Starlight as a worthy ally. The pair could start by heeding their own kid-friendly PSAs.