Finale of The Boys Takes a Dark Turn
Antony Starr’s portrayal of Homelander has seen him eliminate numerous adversaries, but who would’ve thought his last target would be so soon? In the finale, he becomes a billionaire “amateur astronaut,” echoing figures like Elon Musk.
This anticipated conclusion shifts the focus from pure action to a pivotal meeting with the government. Homelander is consumed by thoughts of godhood and dominance over the U.S., yet Oh Father (David Diggs) insists that liaising with the billionaire must take priority.
The world’s wealthiest individual, Gunter van Ellis (portrayed by Ivan Shelley), makes his stance clear within moments of appearing on screen. “I’m a destroyer. I’m a destroyer,” he declares to Oh Father while donning a cap that looks suspiciously like Musk’s MAGA gear. He mentions the Starlighters wanting to work without pay in his factory, and when Homelander arrives, Van Ellis audaciously greets him, expressing interest in discussing “white birth rates.”
Interestingly, Oh Father reveals that Gunther has 17 children and is an “amateur astronaut.” It’s almost nostalgic, really. “He represents the Billionaires’ Alliance, and they have certain expectations,” Oh Father tells Homelander. “You’ll need their backing to establish your church.”
For someone like Homelander, besting an apparently invincible figure seems trivial. (But for average American voters, it’s not quite so easy.) He casually walks the billionaire through his garden and, shortly after, returns alone.
“He’s an astronaut. I took him into space,” Homelander tells Oh Father.
This interaction highlights Oh Father’s willingness to submit to someone as formidable as Gunther. Despite being newly immortal and nearly god-like, he still feels beholden to Homelander.
“Listen, I don’t need anyone anymore. I don’t need billionaires,” he states to Oh Father.
This scene is such a pointed jab that it’s hard to overlook the parallels drawn. Viewers flocked to Musk’s social media platform X to commend this striking moment. One user remarked: “The parody of Elon Musk in ‘The Boys’ is spot on LOL.” Others pointed out the show’s critique of “his white genocide propaganda.”
This scene likely echoes sentiments from Trump’s second term, during which Musk lingered around the White House. Although Musk has distanced himself from running the Department of Government Efficiency (after cutting thousands of jobs), he reportedly still holds some influence within Trump’s circle.
The final season of The Boys has been eerily prophetic about American fascism. For instance, Episode 6 features the installation of a golden Homelander statue at Trump National Doral, mirroring the rise of a golden Trump statue. Series creator Eric Kripke hopes to highlight the absurdity and narcissism inherent in such comparisons.
“If conversations about this can illuminate the terrifying reality we face, that’s a good thing,” he shared. This wasn’t necessarily a deliberate commentary, nor was Starr’s Homelander influenced by Trump.
“We were looking at historical fascist regimes, not specifically at Trump,” he explained. “When envisioning the golden statue, we were thinking more about figures like Saddam Hussein.”
The Boys adeptly fictionalizes the darker, absurd elements of the country’s rightward shift in a strikingly relatable manner. Now that the series has wrapped up, it’ll be remembered as one of the standout TV shows from the Trump era.
The Boys is currently available for streaming on Prime Video.
