The hugely popular The Boys recently concluded its third season–and has been renewed for a fourth–and it has maintained the same biting satirical edge it had from its first season. Homelander remains one of the series’ most cynical characters, a man so broken that his superpowers become the means by which he compensates for his own deep-seated insecurities.
Capable of great cruelty, he also has rare moments of tenderness. Though he is a remarkably complex character, there are a number of important quotes that help to sum up his entire personality as an individual.
"I Never Had A Dad. Or A Mom."
Everyone Has A Sob Story
Though Homelander is certainly not one of the series’ most likable characters, it is made clear that his trauma from his childhood is a key part of why he has become the monster that he is. As this quote makes clear, he is particularly (and rightly) aggrieved at the fact that he was denied the most basic love and support that many people take for granted.
His lack of actual parents has led him to become the person that he is, a dangerously charismatic monster.
"That's All I'm Good For, Huh? Smile, Look Pretty, Say My Lines."
He Sure Does Look Pretty
Part of what makes The Boys such a strong offering from Prime Video is its willingness to brilliantly satirize America’s obsession with superheroes as a cultural phenomenon. While Homelander is usually willing to go along with Vought and its corporate attitude, he is quite perceptive about what doing so entails, as this quote makes clear.
Say what you will about him, but he understands how the world works and what his role in it is to be. At the same time, he’s not afraid to express his dissatisfaction and disdain for this state of affairs.
"I Do Not Want My Son To Have To Go Through What I Went Through."
Does He Have A Heart, After All?
Like many of the other fascinating superheroes in popular culture, Homelander is a remarkably complex character. There’s no question that for the most part, he is a murderous monster. However, as this makes clear, one of the people that he genuinely seems to care about is his son.
This quote reveals the extent to which he truly does want to keep the boy from following in his footsteps. There is a heart in Heartlander, even if he doesn’t choose to show it very often.
"I'm Homelander And I Can Do Whatever The F--- I Want."
Willing To Assert Himself
There’s no question that Homelander is one of the most powerful characters in The Boys. It’s precisely this power that makes him such a dangerous and deadly character to anyone who tries to get in his way. In this quote, he makes it clear to what extent he has fully embraced this part of his identity.
He is so enamored of his own tremendous abilities that he looks at himself as something of a god, and it is his hubris that will become one of his most notable aspects as a character.
"So, What, They're All Starving But One Of Them's Got A F***ing Cell Phone?"
He’s Very Callous
Many shocking and wild moments occur in The Boys, but one of the most notable is when Homelander slaughters a man in cold blood for all of the world to see. This comment he makes in response is very much in keeping with his character. He shows no remorse for the death that he has brought about, and he also has nothing but contempt for those who live in other countries.
In fact, he doesn’t appear to show too many emotions at all, and it is precisely this that makes him such a terrifying individual.
“I’m The World’s Greatest Superhero.”
Is He, Though?
If there is one thing that defines Homelander, it is his overwhelming belief in himself, or at least that is what he would like the world to believe. Quotes like this one show the extent to which he desperately wants to believe in the hype that surrounds him.
Somewhat paradoxically, however, it also exposes the vulnerability that exists at the heart of his character. There are moments when it is clear just how much he wants to convince himself that he is truly the best superhero.
"You Guys Are The Real Heroes. We're Just Glad We Can Help."
It’s The Mendacity
One of the most brilliant things about Homelander is that he is able to convince the general populace that he is not really the monster that he seems to be. In this notable quote, he can be seen acknowledging the contributions of others.
However, while this might be what he appears to be doing, the truth is that it is just another moment of PR for him. As is so often the case with this particular character, his cynicism is never far away, and it’s clear that he is only saying it so that he can manipulate others.
"I Will Laser Every F***Ing One Of You!"
Looking Out For Himself
Though most people choose to believe that Homelander is a selfless defender of the weak, some in the show have had to contend with the ugly fact that he is only out for himself. Nothing makes his selfishness clearer than this quote, in which he literally threatens to laser a plane full of people.
It’s a shocking and horror moment, and one in which his full depravity as a character is laid out for everyone to see. Ultimately, Homelander will always do what is in his own best interests, no matter how many he has to kill.
"You're Dispensable, Which Means You Answer To Me."
Asserting His Dominance
Ashley is one of the more compelling secondary characters to appear in The Boys. While she at first tries to assert some control over Homelander, this quote demonstrates the extent to which he will not be bossed around by anyone.
More than anything else, it shows the extent to which he will always do what he has to do to assert his own authority. He knows that Vought wouldn’t be anything without him, and he is determined to use that to his advantage.
"This Is A Superhero Company. Always Has Been. Belongs To Us, Not Him."
It’s His Company
At first, it seems as if Homelander is as loyal to Vought as any of the other superheroes. Very quickly, though, it becomes clear that he is much more cynical and that, in fact, he realizes just how much influence the superheroes really have over Vought’s bottom line.
Just as importantly, this is also a quote that demonstrates just how determined he is to assert some form of mastery over the happenings at Vought, no matter who he has to step on to do so.
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