Warning: This post contains spoilers for The Boys season 3, episode 6
Does Soldier Boy kill Homelander in The Boys comics? Homelander is scarier than ever in The Boys season 3, but Soldier Boy’s arrival could threaten his power and his life. Homelander has risen to an even deadlier position of power — not only is he the leader of the Seven, but he is also the head of Vought following Stan Edgar’s arrest. The Supe makes sure that everyone, including his own teammates, fear him to the point that they won’t turn against him.
But before Homelander, there was Soldier Boy, who was the most powerful and beloved Supe of his time. Soldier Boy was kidnapped by the Russians in 1984, but the Boys released him from his chamber prison and made a deal with him. The Boys would help Soldier Boy find the members of Payback if he agrees to kill Homelander. So far, Soldier Boy has proven to be the biggest opponent Homelander has faced. Soldier Boy is just as, if not more, powerful than the unhinged Supe and his return could dethrone him from his seat at the top of the food chain. At the end of The Boys season 3, episode 6, Soldier Boy got really close to killing Homelander, but the Supe managed to escape before any real damage was done. However, the confrontation did leave Homelander shaken and it’s possible Soldier Boy could finish what he started by the end of The Boys season 3.
In The Boys comics, however, it’s not Soldier Boy who kills Homelander — it’s the silent, but lethal Black Noir. In a twist, Black Noir in the comics is actually a clone of Homelander who was framing the Supe for crimes Noir had committed. The only reason Black Noir was able to defeat Homelander once and for all was because he had the same powers as his counterpart. Although The Boys draws from the source material, the series has forged its own path and is well past the point of potentially including such a twist. Black Noir’s identity has been revealed and, since he is not a Homelander clone in The Boys, it makes the comics story less effective and likely. The TV version of Black Noir is, however, terrified of Soldier Boy and, despite being one of the most skilled members of the Seven, has abandoned them and Homelander to save himself.
With that in mind, it’s possible Soldier Boy will be the one to kill Homelander in The Boys season 3. The series has already made quite a few changes from the comics, so it stands to reason the Supe who finally defeats Homelander is different as well. The only thing standing in Soldier Boy’s way right now is his inability to control his powers when he hears Russian music, a trigger that stems from his trauma of being tortured by the Russian soldiers after his kidnapping. What’s more, Soldier Boy needed Butcher and Hughie — who had temporary powers thanks to Compound V24 — to hold Homelander down so that he could land the killing blow.
The additional manpower might be an issue to killing Homelander, but if Soldier Boy is at full strength and manages to control his PTSD long enough to properly fight the deadly Supe, then there’s a chance Homelander could be dead by the end of The Boys season 3. Conversely, Black Noir could still be the one to kill Homelander if Soldier is unable to. While Noir has always been allied with Homelander, The Boys season 3 could still see a shift in their relationship. It's also possible Starlight will be the one to kill Homelander; she does have the desire and motivation to do it. It’s hard to imagine The Boys would kill Homelander at this point, but his powerful and terrifying reign has to end eventually — be it at the hands of Soldier Boy or someone else.
The Boys season 3 is streaming Fridays on Prime Video.