Homelander from The Boys might be a sad, pathetic tyrant, but there's still some good in him, and he has demonstrated some heroism.
There's no denying that Homelander is a villain on The Boys, most recently even forcing a young woman to jump off a building when he was supposed to save her, and after she realized she no longer wanted to end her life. It was all because he was upset about Stormfront's death and felt it was unfair that this young lady would live while his old friend did not.
But fans also need to remember that Homelander is a hero who much of the public adores. While they don't see the dark side of him, they do see the good that he does. That ranges from catching criminals to simply being a person young kids can look up to and want to be like. It might all be a façade, but there is some evidence that Homelander has some heroic tendencies and qualities.
Being Myself
"They Want Me To Be Myself?"
After Ashley tells Homelander that he is polling much higher thanks to his controversial rant on his birthday about being used as a puppet all his life, he is completely shocked. She tells him that they found him to be apologetically himself.
This is when Homelander responds with this line as if being his authentic self is a completely foreign concept. More so than that, Homelander isn't even quite sure who his authentic self is. Nonetheless, Homelander is a hero in this moment because he realizes not only that he can just be himself but that people want him to do just that.
I Just Want To Be Loved
"I Prefer To Be Loved. But Take That Away From Me And Being Feared Is A-1, Okey-Doke By Me."
Said to Starlight when she threatened to release the Flight 47 video of Homelander refusing to save passages before the crash, Homelander meant this to be a threat. He prefaced it by going through the various venues, critical infrastructure, and even towns he would take out once he no longer had anything to lose. Despite one of the saddest things about Homelander on The Boys being his self-loathing, he also takes things in a completely other direction sometimes.
But it's the first part of the statement that proves Homelander is a hero: deep down, he really, truly just wants to be loved and appreciated. He is the way he is because he has been manufactured to be someone his entire life. Had he truly been loved, Homelander would have been someone completely different.
Sticks And Stones
"Sticks And Stones Won't Break My Bones, But Words…"
The saying goes "sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me." In Homelander's version, however, no number of sticks or stones could physically harm him. But as a sensitive person, Homelander is easily harmed by hurtful words.
He speaks these words to Starlight, which both terrifies her and gives her a new perspective on the beloved superhero. He might come across as bulletproof. However, like a true hero, he is a human being deep down who has feelings and emotions and deserves to be treated fairly.
It's All Fake
"What If I Took You To A House You'd Never Seen Before, Full Of Photos Of Parents You Never Met, Toys You Never Played With, Hardy Boys Books That You've Never Read?"
Spoken to Madelyn Stillwell during a heartfelt moment when Homelander was working through his sadness about his life and lacking a childhood, the quote continues: "And then I asked you how much all that fake f***ing bulls**t meant to you? How would that make you feel?"
It was a moment of vulnerability for the typically guarded superhero who was opening up to a human about how he felt. It takes a hero to be able to speak out about what's troubling them, and at this moment, Homelander was finally letting his guard down. One of the questions fans have about Homelander on The Boys is why he killed Madelyne, and it seemed that he simply had had enough of her manipulating him and taking advantage of the fact that he didn't have a childhood or real parents.
John Wayne
"What They Want Is A Little John Wayne Frontier Justice. And That Is What I Do."
It's easy to forget given all the deplorable things Homelander does and says that, on occasion, he does some good. He has saved good people, punished bad people, and stopped terrible things from happening. He does sometimes do what he should be doing, which is protecting citizens.
This is evident in this quote, which he speaks about in season one when talking about how people are scared and don't trust Washington or the coastal elite. The comment is self-serving as he tries to convince Vought of the potential opportunity to look good. Nonetheless, it's a reminder that Homelander can, when he wants to, bring true justice and save people.
They're Just People
"They're Just People. But They Snap Their Fingers And We Jump. Why? Why Do We Do That?"
Homelander shows a level of self-awareness in this quote that proves he is much smarter than he comes across as being. While he might have low self-confidence, which is what leads to him always listening to the corporate talking heads at Vought, he does have moments where he questions everything.
A good hero understands their power and realizes they possess it. Homelander is too concerned with being loved and accepted to turn his back on Vought. He's well aware of the fact that he could easily take all of them out if he wanted to but he holds back despite what they have done to him.
You Answer To Me
"You Are Dispensable, Which Means You Answer To Me."
Homelander says these words to Ashley in a long speech after bringing her back to Vought. As a true hero, he sets boundaries and makes sure that he is the one in charge, not someone at Vought. Unlike the comic book version, the show version of Homelander is also very smart, one of many differences between Homelander in The Boys on TV and in the comics.
The quote continues: "From now on, I will set my own agenda. I'll approve my marketing and write my talking points. You tell me everything that goes on on the 99th floor, and I mean everything. Every call, e-mail, group chat. If a f***ing light bulb goes out, you will tell me." He ends off by telling Ashley that under no circumstances will she be the one who decides who gets into The Seven. Homelander knows what he wants and will always make sure he gets it.
You Took Action
"My Point Is, You Took Action. That's What I Love About You, Maeve."
A hero needs to recognize and respect the efforts of others, and while Homelander rarely gives anyone else credit for anything, he did have a special bond with Maeve. And he did once express his appreciation of her.
In a season 1 episode, he tells her these words, not only giving her kudos for something she did but also showing that he respects her as a person and everything she does for The Seven. He also uses the word "love," a strong word for someone like Homelander, showing that he is willing to admit his feelings to others.
Saving You
"You Need Me To Save You."
Homelander might be narcissistic and self-absorbed, but he is also right in that he does save people, and society feels like they need him. He recognizes this as well, as expressed in this quote. The quote continues: "I am the only one who possibly can. You're not the real heroes. I'm the real hero."
While Homelander doesn't always make the right choices, and sometimes harms more people than he helps, on occasion, he does act like a hero. Whether it's saving someone from a predator, capturing a criminal, or stopping a catastrophic event from happening, Homelander can be a hero when he wants to be and has an incentive to be.
Master Race
"We Don't Need A F***ing Master Race. I'm The Master Race."
Fans have to give credit to Homelander for being disgusted when he discovered that Stormfront was a Nazi. As awful a person as Homelander might be, he recognized that Stormfront's ideals and goals were wrong. With that said, it wasn't because he didn't feel the white race was superior: it was because he felt he was superior to everyone, of any race. Homelander is one of the bravest characters on The Boys, but that's also because his powers make him nearly invincible.
Thus, his declaration against Stormfront and what she stood for, even though he remained close with her, was heroic; even if his reasoning for not going along with her plan was arrogant.
