The Boys Trailer Supports A Huge Soldier Boy Season 3 Theory

Does The Boys season 3's trailer confirm a huge team-up between Soldier Boy and Butcher's Boys? From Karl Urban's laser eyes to last season's seismic Victoria Neuman twist, The Boys season 3 offers plenty of reasons to get excited, but Jensen Ackles' Soldier Boy might just be this season's feature attraction. Inspired by the original comic character (who, in turn, is a hilarious parody of Marvel's Captain America), Soldier Boy became Vought's first true star thanks to his heroics during World War 2. According to a statue glimpsed previously in The Boys, Soldier Boy supposedly died in 1982. True to form, Vought hasn't been entirely truthful about his current status...

Soldier Boy makes his The Boys debut in the aftermath of Homelander suffering a very public downfall. Flailing popularity, an affair with a 100-year-old Nazi, and losing control over The Seven have all combined to put Homelander in a dangerously unpredictable position - a red, white and blue grizzly bear poked into a corner. An immediate, violent reaction was expected, and based on The Boys season 3 trailer footage, that's exactly what Homelander delivers. The prospect of Homelander becoming an even looser cannon prompted some to theorize Soldier Boy and The Boys team up to bring him down. Vought effectively used Homelander to replace Soldier Boy, so the veteran supe's interests very possibly align with those of Billy Butcher.

The Boys' season 3 trailer goes a long way toward supporting that theory. In the very final scene, a hairy and disorientated Soldier Boy emerges from some kind of cryogenic chamber. Billy Butcher loiters in the background exclaiming, "Christ... Soldier Boy," then Kimiko narrowly saves Frenchie from a huge energy blast emanating out of Jensen's torso. Though full context isn't provided here, The Boys season 3 trailer footage strongly implies Butcher and the gang are responsible for Soldier Boy's liberation, which sharply increases the odds they'll eventually join forces against Homelander.

Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy in The Boys

Since Butcher sounds surprised when Vought's iconic WWII supe staggers out of his chamber, The Boys probably didn't know who or what they were freeing. Maybe Butcher receives a tip-off with details merely describing where to find an "ally" or "weapon" that can defeat Homelander. He takes Frenchie and Kimiko to investigate, and they're all flabbergasted to discover the mystery asset is actually a still-alive Soldier Boy. Sadly, The Boys season 3's trailer also confirms friendship won't blossom right away. An earlier shot depicts Butcher and Hughie staring up toward a burned, destroyed building. The damage matches the devastating energy blasts Soldier Boy is seen firing, which could confirm Ackles' character embarks on an uncontrolled rampage after being released, rather than immediately shaking Butcher's hand and asking where they might find a blonde guy in a cape.

Nevertheless, Butcher and The Boys freeing Soldier Boy from captivity paves the way for an eventual alliance once the legendary supe calms down. Evidently, he doesn't adjust to modern life (if kissing your ex's great-niece can be described as "adjusting") quite as quickly as Steve Rogers, but neither does the military man seem quite as awful as his Vought successor. Also interesting is how The Boys season 3 trailer footage lingers on a costumed Soldier Boy while Queen Maeve drops the line, "Maybe we can use it to blow Homelander's f**king brains out." Though she's most likely referring to the 24-hour Compound-V in this scene, the combination of visual and dialogue points toward Soldier Boy being Butcher's weapon against Homelander.

Soldier Boy's presence might even explain why the green Compound-V comes into play. When Butcher hears about a weapon that can defeat Homelander but only finds an out-of-control Soldier Boy, doping with Compound-V perhaps becomes his next best option. Then, once their leader inevitably hits rock bottom and kicks the habit, The Boys look to Soldier Boy for assistance once again. The Boys season 3 remains rammed with diabolical possibilities, but a Soldier Boy team-up certainly ranks among the strongest theories out there.

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