Who Would Win: Boys’ Homelander or Superman?
Homelander is one of The Boys’ most moving superhero parodies, posing the question of who would win if he and his idol Superman ever faced up. The Boys’ darkly comedic storey lends itself nicely to satirising the superhero genre, with the Amazon series so far taking aim at a number of MCU and DCEU mainstays. The Boys’ Superman parody Homelander is the most venomous of these depictions, essentially bastardising every principle that DC’s poster kid holds dear.
Homelander by Dark Horse and Superman by DC are both based on their comic book versions, and both symbolise the pinnacle of power in their own realms. As a result, given the clear similarities between the two characters, who would win if The Boys’ Homelander met DC’s Superman?
This comparison is largely intended to determine who would win a fair fight between the two caped heroes, given their various powers and regardless of any tactics or friends either could summon for their titanic struggle. As a result, here’s who would win if Superman and his imitation Homelander faced off.
Superman’s Abilities in DC Comics and Films
Superman’s abilities have evolved over time since his debut as Clark Kent in the 1930s in DC Comics. The first Superman is depicted as a being whose “physical structure was millions of years advanced” beyond that of humans, and as a guy whose character is eventually fleshed out as a Kryptonian alien humanoid.
During the 1970s, the scope of Superman’s comics powers peaked, with his godlike potency hitting a critical mass, making it impossible for DC comics writers to come up with new obstacles for the character on a regular basis.
The DCEU promotes Superman’s abilities are on a much smaller scale, with Henry Cavill’s Superman frequently demonstrating a range of abilities that approach the famous character’s “Golden Age” in the 1960s. In the current DCEU narrative, Superman’s Kryptonian physiology provides his godlike powers, with super-strength and speed augmented by imperviousness to nearly every known weapon to the point that his skin cannot be shattered.
How Superman’s Powers Compare To Homelander’s
Because Homelander is a Superman parody, his abilities are canonically supposed to resemble those of his forefather. Homelander possesses superhuman strength, speed, stamina, smell, hearing, invulnerability, thermal vision, X-Ray vision, and the ability to fly. Homelander is definitely the apex predator of Amazon’s The Boys, with no character so far able to harm the Superman parody.
Unlike Superman, Homelander’s power is not drawn from his ancestors, but rather from the villainous Vought himself. Homelander was subjected to experiments as a child involving Compound V, an alchemical super serum intended to generate superhumans. Homelander’s physiology absorbed more Compound V than any other Vought test subject, giving him the upper hand over all other superheroes in the current The Boys’ hero parody universe, whether by chance or design.
Who Would Win in a Battle Between Homelander and Superman?
Despite Homelander’s dominance in his own realm, Superman easily wins this battle. Superman’s exploits and powers dwarf those of his mirror counterpart in any timeline from either DC Comics or the DCEU, whereas Homelander exists to mimic Superman with a variety of powers designed to resemble the renowned hero. Superman has absorbed energy from the sun, destroyed entire planets, and fought interdimensional monsters at various points in his history, hardening him well beyond any fighting experience Homelander has (or is even known to be capable of).
Even if we ignore the criteria of the comparison and assume Homelander has access to a supply of Kryptonite, Superman’s superior tactical knowledge and battle training would still likely outclass Homelander, who has never been in a genuine crisis. In Amazon’s The Boys, the Homelander generally uses his heat vision on foes of any skill level, illustrating not only his cruel character but also the lack of substantial difficulty he has faced during his time as a superhero. Pitting Superman against The Homelander can only lead to one result: The Boys’ opponent fell in a heap at Superman’s feet.
