‘The Boys’ Bombshell: Antony Starr on the Most Mind-Blowing Scene He Read—It’s All Psychological!
The Boys actor Antony Starr reveals the strangest scene he was a part of in season 4 while speaking at San Diego Comic-Con. As Homelander, Starr has consistently been featured in many of the show’s most outrageous, graphic, and boundary-pushing moments. Season 4 continued this trend as Homelander interacted with and was challenged by the two new additions to the Seven, Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) and Firecracker (Valorie Curry).
Screen Rant attended The Boys panel at San Dien Diego Comic-Con where Starr explained that the most surprising scene he read in The Boys season 4 scripts was between him and Firecracker in season 4, episode 6, “Dirty Business.”
The scene features Firecracker trying to convince Homelander how she can be valuable to him. It takes an unexpected turn that changes the dynamics between Homelander and Firecracker, with even Starr being shocked by the events that transpired. Check out his comments below:
I’ve done a lot of strange things in my career, but one of the stranger things was when I opened it and this human being in front of me [laughs], we get on great, so everything I’m going to say is in context, was when you have breast milk ejecting. That was the weirdest thing because it wasn’t so much, I mean we’ve done weird s*** on the show, admittedly, everyone’s done weird s***. But it was the psychology behind it, and it turned into this love scene.
Why The Psychology Behind Homelander’s Weirdest Season 4 Scene Is Important
It Explains How Homelander’s Mind Works.
While the scene initially makes an impact through The Boys‘ knack for shock value, it is important because it demonstrates that Homelander can still be psychologically controlled by his basest desires. In season 1, Madelyn Stillwell (Elisabeth Shue) used breast milk to manipulate Homelander and make him agreeable in a way that no one else could. She weaponized Homelander’s attachment issues and the 𝓈ℯ𝓍ual longing intertwined with them to control him, and this made him value her even more.
Since Homelander later discovered that Madelyn hid the existence of his son, Ryan, from him, and Homelander subsequently 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed her, no one has been able to fill the void Madelyn left behind or been able to hold any real sway over him since. Firecracker unexpectedly filled that role at the moment when she ejected breast milk, which suddenly made Homelander see value in her as he began listening to what she had to say. Her influence even got him to temporarily stop listening to Sage, despite the promises they had made to each other.
Despite the enormous power Homelander wields through his superpowers, his control of Vought, and now politically through the puppet leader of President Calhoun, he is ultimately a stunted child in the body of an adult man. If Firecracker was able to get through to Homelander and even change his perspective in the way that she did, defeating Homelander in The Boys season 5 may come down to finding a different way to manipulate and defeat him through his base needs. It will be intriguing to see how his relationship with Firecracker changes after Sage delivered on her promises to Homelander.