The Great Debate: Is Homelander an Anti-Hero or the Ultimate Villain?
Ah, the beauty of the internet, where one tweet can ignite a firestorm of debate over the moral alignment of fictional characters. Enter Homelander from Amazon Prime’s The Boys, who was recently caught in the Twitter crosshairs. This time, it’s not his laser eyes sparking up a heated conversation, but the question of whether he’s an anti-hero or a full-blown villain.
The Tweet Heard ‘Round the Fandom
Let’s backtrack a bit. A recent viral post by Twitter user @vinhlegacy decided to list Homelander alongside characters like Deadpool and Chris McLean from Total Drama as quintessential anti-heroes. Hold on—did someone just say Homelander is an anti-hero?
these are the 4 greatest anti-heroes in all of fiction pic.twitter.com/kzqhDvP2jy
— JV🕷️ (@vinhlegacy) October 17, 2023
The Twittersphere Claps Back
Several users jumped in to share their strong opinions on the subject.
the boys creators seeing people dickride homelander even after three seasons of telling you he’s a villain with no redemptive qualities https://t.co/GLLtTWRtAW pic.twitter.com/7Uz01aCRbq
— zeek 💎 (@superboysbestie) October 17, 2023
There is literally nothing that makes Homelander an anti-hero.
bro fell for the in-show propaganda 😭😭 https://t.co/JzkKRmfD1m
— Jorby (@JorbyPls) October 18, 2023
Repeat after me, Homelander guys: a character isn’t an (anti)hero simply because he’s a protagonist. A character isn’t an (anti)hero simply because he’s a protagonist. A character isn’t an (anti)hero simply because he’s a protagonist. A character isn’t an (anti)hero simply becaus https://t.co/jWlnL1PDgV
— Alisha Grauso (@AlishaGrauso) October 18, 2023
The fans seem unanimous in their conviction that Homelander is no anti-hero. But hey, let’s dig into the story a bit more to see where this characterization comes from, shall we?
Homelander: A Villain By Any Other Name?
Brought to life by Anthony Starr, Homelander is the poster child for the Seven, the superhero group sponsored by Vought International. On the surface, he’s your all-American hero, but peel away the layers, and you discover a narcissistic, megalomaniacal character who could give even the likes of Hannibal Lecter a run for his money.
Homelander is NOT a Fuckin anti-hero bro 😭😭 https://t.co/6eVfaA02ry
— Nicholas (@NicholasPas5) October 18, 2023
What is it with y’all and classifying this facist, racist, r/pist man Homelander as an anti hero? Well written does not mean redeemable. https://t.co/LJ2dbycNOU
— jaylyn day (@blackncomictwit) October 17, 2023
deadpool is the only anti-hero here. 💀
chris mclean is a deranged psychopath and homelander is quite literally the superman version of the antichrist. https://t.co/5U1s1J7hoL
— JOLLY J✨ (@DynamoSuperX) October 18, 2023
It’s not just that he does villainous things like leaving the passengers of Flight 37 to die. It’s that he enjoys doing them. And here’s the kicker, folks. Not only is Homelander an unrepentant villain, but he also has a legion of die-hard followers who eat up his diabolical actions like it’s their morning cereal.
Future Seasons: Will Homelander Find Redemption?
With Homelander facing a trial in the future, are his worst days behind him, or are they yet to come? The Boys has never shied away from showing the Supe’s twisted psyche and terrifying actions. Season 3 ended on such a note that it seems there might be no turning back.
“Homelander is an anti-hero” “homelander is a hero”
This was the first episode 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/uwT3cv7IIp
— Riley is out of juice🥤🧸 (@Riley__Senpai) October 18, 2023
If you think Homelander is an anti-hero, I genuinely question your media literacy https://t.co/b3FXifdJAI
— The Lunzard Returns (@Lunwi88) October 17, 2023
Really dumb statement but there are literally 0 redeeming qualities to homelander, he’s the definition of evil. He’s not an anti-hero https://t.co/csaMtXmBL7
— JT (@Jtaylor0_3) October 18, 2023
So, What’s the Verdict?
Look, in the world of television, characters often tread a fine line between good and bad. But Homelander? He took that line, incinerated it with his laser eyes, and then used it to fuel his narcissistic tendencies.
To settle the argument once and for all:
The amount of people saying Homelander, the biggest piece of shit, racist, bully and overall dickhead in the series is an anti hero is very concerning💀 https://t.co/QE54RVouK5
— Mustakro🐀 (OPEN commissions) (@mustakro) October 18, 2023
Vaught Enterprises be tripping if they try to rebrand Homelander as “anti” hero
Also Chris McClean????? Anywhere close to “hero????” I’m
(Pasted not quoted to avoid Engaging With A Blue Check) pic.twitter.com/25TLGashXJ
— Alex Internet Man (@Alex_MOInternet) October 18, 2023
He’s a villain, folks. There’s no two ways about it. As we look forward to the next season, one thing is clear: Homelander will continue to be The Boys‘ ultimate bad guy, no matter what any Twitter debate says.
