In the world of The Boys, superheroes are far more corrupt and evil than fans might be expecting, but that doesn't mean there aren't some heroes worth rooting for. One of the most likable characters in the show is Mother's Milk. While intimidating in size, this member of the Boys has shown a supportive and caring side few other characters in the series possess.
As captivating as Mother's Milk is in the show, he is considerably different in the comics on which the show is based. With a stranger and sadder backstory, some big moments, and shocking twists, there is a lot that fans might not know about Mother's Milk if they haven't read the books.
How He Got His Nickname
Mother's Milk is certainly an odd nickname and one that brings up a lot of questions. In the show, it seems to have been answered in a fairly uninteresting way by revealing that Mother's Milk's real name is Marvin Milk.
In the comics, Butcher says the nickname comes from the fact that he is the purest of the group, but that ends up being misleading. The real truth is that M.M. has a rare condition that requires him to rely on his mother's breast milk even in adulthood.
Born With Compound V
Unlike the show, all members of the Boys in the comics have Compound V in their system. This is the chemical that gives the Supes their powers, and the Boys use it so they can stand toe to toe with their super enemies.
M.M. is the only member of the group who was born with Compound V in his system. His mother worked at a Vought facility where she and the other employees were regularly exposed to Compound V. It had a lot of negative effects on the employees, but in the case of M.M, he gained super strength.
His Brother
While the Compound V in M.M. gave him a leg up against Supes, he doesn't see it as a gift. That is likely due to the fact that Vought and their careless disregard for their employees destroyed his family.
Like M.M. himself, his brother was born with Compound V, which caused him to develop learning difficulties. But the real tragedy came when the drug kicked in during his brother's youth. While playing football, M.M's brother started expanding grotesquely. Unable to get his helmet off in time, his head was crushed.
His Father
In the show, M.M. tells a story about his father attempting to fight against Vought by suing them in court for some unspecified offense. He says that his father put all his work into making them pay only to die of a heart attack at his desk.
While the other details of his family tragedy have not been discussed in the show, this does mirror the comics. His father did sue Vought many times for what happened with M.M. and his brother, eventually winning some small payout which Vought lawyers shrugged off as a meaningless punishment. Following the death of M.M's brother, his father tried to launch another lawsuit only to die in the process.
His Time In The Army
After growing up, M.M. decided to join the army, where he eventually became a boxer in the services. And just like his brother, his Compound V picked a very bad time to suddenly kick in. While in the middle of a fight, M.M punched his opponent, taking his head clean off.
M.M. was thrown into military prison for the incident. It was then that Greg Mallory and Butcher visited him and recruited him as a member of the Boys.
His Wife And Daughter
In the show, much of M.M's motivations revolve around his family. He is a loving family man who will do anything to make his wife and daughter happy. While his work with the Boys creates a lot of complications in his marriage, his is still a very loving family.
Things are very different in the comics. M.M's wife is addicted to drugs and tries to take their daughter from M.M. She later gets their daughter addicted too, and M.M. is continuously trying to get his daughter back.
His Bond With Butcher
During one of M.M's family drama issues, he has to meet with a drug dealer who has been selling to his wife. Knowing the situation is going to be dangerous, Butcher decides that he will go with M.M. as backup.
While M.M. is meeting with the drug dealer, his goons are outside picking a fight with Butcher. When M.M. comes out of the room, he has to fight them off Butcher, who has been beaten to a pulp yet shows no regret in helping M.M. This cements the brotherly bond between the two men.
Incident On The Brooklyn Bridge
In the comics, the events of the real world happened, but with superheroes involved. This includes the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001, which played out much differently.
Looking to make an impression with their new superhero investments, Vought used their political connections to allow the Seven to save the day. Things went terribly wrong and the incompetent heroes caused a hijacked plane to crash into the Brooklyn Bridge. M.M. happened to be on the bridge and the horror he saw fueled his hatred of Vought and their superheroes.
Mother's Milk Vs. Butcher
Much like in the show, M.M. is the second command of the group and the one who often has to keep Butcher in check. He is not afraid to stand up to Butcher and tell him when he is going too far. He's also not afraid to go behind Butcher's back.
It is revealed that M.M. has been slipping information about Butcher's activities to their old boss Greg Mallory, as he thinks Butcher is losing control. This causes a rift with M.M. which inevitably comes to a head.
Killed By Butcher
In the show, Butcher is a violent and disturbed man, but he is actually quite heroic compared to how he is in the comics. When the series comes to an end and the Seven are defeated, Butcher enacts a final play to kill all Supes in the world.
M.M. finally thinks Butcher has gone too far and must be stopped. This leads to an emotional fight between the two friends, which ends with Butcher sticking a grenade in M.M's face, then strangling him to death.