How Soldier Boy Changed The Way We Look at Villains (The Boys)

Summary

The video script discusses the complexity of villain portrayal in the TV show 'The Boys,' particularly focusing on the character Soldier Boy introduced in season 3. It explores the moral ambiguity presented by the show, where characters like Soldier Boy and Homelander, despite their villainous acts, are given depth and humanity that makes the audience question who to root for. The script praises the performance of Jensen Ackles, who plays Soldier Boy, for adding layers of complexity to the character. It also draws parallels with the villain in 'Daredevil' season 1, Wilson Fisk, another well-humanized antagonist. The discussion highlights how Soldier Boy's introduction and his relationship with Homelander add to the narrative's richness, making the audience empathize with characters they know are not good. The script concludes by expressing anticipation for Soldier Boy's future appearances and the continuation of the story in season 4.

Takeaways

• 📺 The show 'The Boys' features complex characters, with Soldier Boy from season 3 standing out as a particularly interesting villain.
• 👊 Soldier Boy starts as an ally to the protagonists but ultimately becomes the primary antagonist due to his conflict with his biological son, Homelander.
• 🤔 The season explores the theme of 'Fathers and Sons,' creating a moral dilemma for the audience on who to root for between Homelander and Soldier Boy.
• 🎭 Despite his villainous actions, Soldier Boy is portrayed with humanity and likability, largely due to Jensen Ackles' performance.
• 🧐 The show makes an effort to provide Soldier Boy with a backstory and motivations, making him a relatable and well-rounded character.
• 🎬 Soldier Boy's character development and traits, such as his singing and reminiscing about the past, add depth and make him stand out.
• 🔥 The character's actions are purposeful, contributing to his realism and challenging the traditional concept of a villain.
• 🌟 The dynamic between Soldier Boy and Homelander is central to the season, with their relationship driving key plot points and emotional moments.
• 🤝 Billy Butcher's goal to kill Homelander leads to an alliance with Soldier Boy, despite Butcher's own moral ambiguities.
• 👨‍👦 Homelander's character is further humanized through his relationship with Soldier Boy, showing a softer side despite his evil actions.
• ⚔️ The final battle in the season presents a complex question of loyalty and morality, as each character has a reason to fight, challenging the audience's allegiance.

Q & A

Which character from 'The Boys' is considered the most interesting by the speaker?

Soldier Boy from season 3 is considered the most interesting character by the speaker.

What is the central theme of season 3 of 'The Boys'?

The central theme of season 3 is 'Fathers and Sons'.

How does Soldier Boy's relationship with Homelander affect his role in the story?

Soldier Boy's relationship with Homelander, his biological son, becomes his main conflict and ultimately turns him into the primary antagonist by the end of season 3.

Why is Homelander considered one of the best and most consistently written characters on television?

Homelander is considered one of the best and most consistently written characters due to his complexity, the depth of his character development, and the consistent portrayal of his actions and motivations throughout the series.

What makes Soldier Boy's character likable despite his actions?

Soldier Boy's likability comes from Jensen Ackles' performance, which adds a level of humanity to the character, making the audience understand his point of view in certain situations.

How does the show 'The Boys' challenge the traditional concept of a villain?

The show challenges the traditional concept of a villain by humanizing characters like Soldier Boy and Homelander, presenting them with understandable motivations and internal conflicts, thus making it difficult for the audience to choose a clear side.

What is the significance of the scene where Soldier Boy accidentally blows up civilians?

The scene signifies Soldier Boy's internal conflict and his attempt to convince others (and perhaps himself) that he is not a bad guy, despite his actions.

How does the show 'Daredevil' season 1 handle its villain, Wilson Fisk, in a similar way to 'The Boys'?

Both shows humanize their villains, providing backstory and motivations that allow the audience to understand and even sympathize with them, making it harder to simply dislike them.

What is the main goal of Billy Butcher throughout the series?

Billy Butcher's main goal is to kill Homelander, which drives much of his actions and alliances throughout the series.

How does the character of Mother's Milk relate to Soldier Boy?

Mother's Milk has a genuine reason to hate Soldier Boy because he threw a car through his house, killing many of his family members.

Why does the speaker believe Soldier Boy has changed the way we look at villains?

The speaker believes Soldier Boy changes the way we look at villains because the character is complex, has a full backstory, and elicits both rooting and questioning from the audience, making it difficult to decide who to support in his conflict with Homelander.

Outlines

00:00

🌟 Soldier Boy: A Compelling Antagonist

The first paragraph introduces Soldier Boy as a standout character from season 3 of 'The Boys,' who initially appears as an ally but ultimately becomes the main antagonist. The season's theme revolves around fathers and sons, with Soldier Boy's conflict stemming from his relationship with his biological son, Homelander. The paragraph explores the complexity of rooting for characters who have done terrible things, creating an examination of who the real villain is. It discusses how Soldier Boy's character is portrayed as both likable and entertaining, despite his actions, largely due to Jensen Ackles' performance. The narrative also touches on how the show humanizes its characters, making it difficult to categorize them simply as villains or heroes, and how Soldier Boy's traits and motivations add depth to his character, changing the viewer's perspective on what constitutes a villain.

05:01

🤔 The Complex Dynamics of Soldier Boy and Homelander

The second paragraph delves into the relationship between Homelander and Soldier Boy, highlighting how Homelander's descent into instability in season 3 is exacerbated by the introduction of Soldier Boy as his father. It discusses how Homelander's hope for a family is dashed, leading to a climactic cliffhanger. The paragraph also examines Billy Butcher's role, whose primary goal is to kill Homelander, and how he strategically allies with Soldier Boy to achieve this. As the series progresses, Soldier Boy transitions from a side character to a full antagonist, prompting a reevaluation of Butcher's methods. The humanization of Homelander, especially his paternal instincts towards his son, adds complexity to his character. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on the moral ambiguity presented in the final battle, where each character's motivations are explored, and the audience is left questioning who to root for. It ends with a note on Mother's Milk's unique perspective towards Soldier Boy due to a personal tragedy, adding another layer to the character dynamics.

Keywords

💡Soldier Boy

Soldier Boy is a character from the show 'The Boys', introduced in season 3 as a villain who becomes the primary antagonist. He is significant because he challenges the traditional concept of a villain by being both likable and complex, which is a departure from his comic book counterpart. His character arc and motivations are deeply explored, making him a central figure in the narrative of the season.

💡Homelander

Homelander is a central character in 'The Boys' and is portrayed as a villain who has done terrible things. Despite his evil actions, the show humanizes him, making the audience understand his perspective and even sympathize with him at times. His relationship with his biological son, Soldier Boy, adds depth to his character and is a key element in the narrative of season 3.

💡Billy Butcher

Billy Butcher is a protagonist in 'The Boys' with a singular goal of killing Homelander. He is willing to ally with Soldier Boy to achieve this end, which raises questions about his methods and morality. His character is tested throughout the series, especially when his actions begin to resemble those of the villains he opposes.

💡Villain

The concept of a 'villain' is redefined in the context of the show 'The Boys'. Traditional villains are often one-dimensional, but in this series, characters like Soldier Boy and Homelander are given depth, backstory, and motivations that make them more than just antagonists. This complexity challenges the audience to reconsider who they should root for and adds a layer of moral ambiguity to the story.

💡Humanization

Humanization in the context of the video refers to the process by which the show 'The Boys' gives depth and relatable qualities to its characters, even the villains. This technique allows the audience to understand the characters' perspectives and motivations, making them more than just one-dimensional antagonists. It is particularly evident in the portrayal of Soldier Boy and Homelander.

💡Moral Ambiguity

Moral ambiguity is a key theme in the video, as it discusses how the characters in 'The Boys' blur the lines between good and evil. Characters like Soldier Boy and Homelander, despite their villainous actions, are portrayed in a way that makes the audience question their own moral compass and who they should be rooting for. This ambiguity is a significant part of the show's appeal and its narrative complexity.

💡Mother's Milk

Mother's Milk is a character in 'The Boys' who has a personal vendetta against Soldier Boy due to a tragic incident involving the death of his family. His perspective adds another layer to the moral complexity of the show, as he represents a character with a justified reason to hate the villain, yet the audience is still encouraged to understand and even sympathize with Soldier Boy.

💡Character Arc

A character arc refers to the personal journey and development of a character over the course of a story. In 'The Boys', Soldier Boy's character arc is particularly notable as it explores his internal conflict, his relationship with his son Homelander, and his evolution from a seemingly heroic figure to the primary antagonist. This development is crucial to the narrative and the audience's engagement with the character.

💡Likability

Likability, in the context of the video, refers to the unexpected appeal of the character Soldier Boy, despite his villainous actions. The show manages to make a character who does bad things still likable through the portrayal by the actor Jensen Ackles and the depth of his character's backstory and motivations. This likability is a key factor in how the show challenges traditional notions of villains.

💡Cliffhanger

A cliffhanger is a plot device that ends a section of a story with an unresolved situation, encouraging the audience to continue watching. In the video, it is mentioned in relation to the end of season 3 of 'The Boys', where the relationship between Soldier Boy and Homelander, and the ensuing conflict, leaves the audience eager to see the resolution in the following season.

💡Daredevil Season 1

Daredevil Season 1 is mentioned in the video as another example of a show that humanizes its villain, Wilson Fisk. This comparison is used to highlight how 'The Boys' is not alone in its approach to complex villain characters. The humanization of Fisk in Daredevil makes him a sympathetic figure, which parallels the treatment of Soldier Boy and Homelander in 'The Boys'.

Highlights

The show 'The Boys' features complex characters like Billy Butcher, Homelander, and Starlight, with Soldier Boy emerging as a standout villain from season 3.

Soldier Boy's character complexity lies in his initial alignment with the protagonists, which evolves into him becoming the primary antagonist.

Season 3's theme revolves around 'Fathers and Sons', influencing Soldier Boy's conflict with his biological son, Homelander.

Homelander is portrayed as one of the best and most consistently written characters on television.

The narrative challenges the audience to decide who to root for between Homelander, with his terrible acts, and Soldier Boy, who is also abusive and mean.

Soldier Boy's likability, despite his actions, is largely due to Jensen Ackles' performance, which adds humanity to the character.

The show makes viewers understand the characters' points of view rather than presenting them as one-dimensional villains.

Soldier Boy's accidental harm to civilians is portrayed as a believable mistake, adding depth to his character.

Jensen Ackles plays Soldier Boy with a sense of righteousness, making the audience question his actions despite their wrongness.

Soldier Boy's internal conflict over his mission and his newfound son, Homelander, adds to his character's moral complexity.

The character's traits, such as his love for singing and reminiscing about the past, make him stand out and feel realistic.

Soldier Boy's actions are given reasons and context, making his character more relatable and less of a stereotypical villain.

The show 'Daredevil' is mentioned as another series that humanizes its villain, Wilson Fisk, to create a compelling narrative.

Homelander's character is further humanized when he shows genuine care for his son, Soldier Boy, during a critical moment.

Billy Butcher's goal to kill Homelander leads to an alliance with Soldier Boy, despite Butcher's own questionable actions.

Mother's Milk's hatred for Soldier Boy due to the accidental death of his family adds another layer to the conflict.

The final battle between Soldier Boy and Homelander forces the audience to question who they should root for, as both have valid points.

Soldier Boy's character is seen as a game-changer in how villains are portrayed on television, being both likable and morally questionable.

The character's depth and backstory, along with his actions, make Soldier Boy a compelling villain that challenges traditional views.

The speaker anticipates Soldier Boy's continued presence in future seasons and a potential spin-off to further explore his character.

Transcripts

the boys is a show that has always had

interesting characters Billy butcher

homelander UI Starlight so many to name

but the most interesting one to me came

from season 3 of the show and that's the

villain of said season Soldier Boy and

yes soldja boy is a villain he sides

with our protagonists But ultimately

becomes the primary antagonist to

everyone by the End season 3 was all

about Fathers and Sons that's the vibe

of this season and Soldier Boy's main

conflict comes from his relationship

with his own bi ological son homelander

homelander is another fantastic

character probably one of the best and

most consistently written characters on

television and I kind of need to talk

about him for the context of today's

video to make sense so here we go begs

the question who do we root for

homelander who we know has done terrible

things and has been the main antagonist

for butcher since the show started or

Soulja Boy Who is another not great

person who's abusive and mean to people

it creates this interesting examination

on who's the real villain and that's why

I believe Soldier Boy changed the way we

look at villains and that's because who

do you root for when everyone is just as

bad as each other but we follow every

character in the story you could argue

soldja boy and homelander are both the

villains and Butcher and the boys are

the heroes but butcher is using soldja

boy to try and kill homelander and buter

himself has done questionable acts so it

becomes a lot more complicated than just

having two antagonists plus yes soja boy

is a bad guy although like homelander

every scene with him is entertaining and

I would even say soldja boy is likable

despite all the bad he's done and this

is in large part to Jensen ael's amazing

performance he seriously adds a level of

humanity to the performance that I think

only he could bring and you kind of

understand where he's coming from in

some cases the show does a really great

job at making you understand the

character's points of view rather than

them just being mustache twirling

villains take for example the scene

where he blows up a bunch of innocent

civilians in a later scene with yui he

tells him that it was an accident and

that he's not a bad guy and yes it was

an accident but he is definitely a bad

guy as we learn more about his past but

the way he says the line makes the

audience believe that he believes he's

not a bad guy like the way we believe

that Thanos believes in his goal in

Infinity War just because what a

character is doing is wrong or evil that

character might not believe so therefore

they have to play the part as if they're

doing nothing wrong Jensen akles plays

into that and he gives the performance

as if he truly believes he's in the

right another great scene is where he's

having internal conflict with what to do

with homelander who he's just found out

is his son he goes back and forth with

himself debating whether to stick to the

mission or not and you can see how it's

taking a toll on him but he does stick

with the original plan and this adds so

much to his character's morals about

sticking to his word this character

could have easily just been evil or

shitty Captain America like he is in the

comics but the show gives him an actual

personality and reasoning for doing

everything he does he also has a lot of

interesting traits like he really seems

to like singing and in fact has a voice

of an angel or how he reflects on the

good old days all the time the way he

talks and what he says makes him stand

out the fact that he likes women way

older than him all these traits are

interesting and bring this character to

life everything soldja boy does has

reason to it which further makes his

character realistic and this ties back

to why he changed how we look at

villains because yeah he's a bad guy but

you do believe where he's coming from

and that is so interesting to me and I

would say he's not as bad as homelander

they're very close but homelander is

just on another level of evil but the

show frames it as soldja boy being the

main villain of the series so it does

change the way we look at things there

is another great show that does a

similar thing as what the boys does when

it comes to its villain and I would

quickly like to bring it up and that's

Daredevil seeson 1 Daredevil season 1 is

probably the second best piece of

Television I've ever watched and it is

very underappreciated go watch it and

the villain in that show Wilson Fisk is

a villain you understand deeply because

of how the show makes you understand

where he's coming from we constantly cut

the scenes of Fisk and we understand why

he is the way he is we get an origin

story and enough content to see where

he's coming from and even sympathize

with him you will root for Daredevil to

take him down but because the show

humanizes Fisk and we spend enough time

with him he becomes a main character of

the series making it harder to dislike

him and depending on what perspective

you look at it you might even root for

him so yeah he's a great villain or hero

if you're a psychopath the same thing

happens in the boys with soldja boy and

homelander I personally think homelander

needs to die by the time the show comes

to an end but because the show does a

great job at humanizing him it will have

to be a satisfying death to pay off for

his characterization I also love how

soldja boy Arc directly ties into

homelanders homelander is starting to

snap in season 3 but when soldja boy is

introduced and he finds out he's his

biological father he thinks he can have

a family and keep it all together but of

course that doesn't happen and

homelander has to learn to be more

independent again and that's why we get

a great Cliffhanger at the end of the

season so season 3 made soldja boy the

villain to the villain but where does

butcher fit into this Billy butcher's

main goal has always been to kill

homelander that's like all he wants so

when he realizes that soldja boy could

probably kill homelander if he got the

super blast on him he of course takes

that opportunity to team up with him so

the show originally framed Soulja Boy as

a protagonist but as the series goes on

solder boy slips from side character to

actual antagonist by the end it makes

you question butcher's methods and like

I said he's not as bad as homelander but

he's definitely done evil acts in the

show to get what he wants obviously

Billy never goes too far gone and

becomes the villain but he gets pretty

close sometimes but in the end saves his

friends and does what's right by them I

do like that soldja boy becomes the

antagonist to everyone by the end the

fact that homelander genuinely seems to

care for his son also adds a lot more to

his character because again yes

homelander is evil but he's also

humanized further with this when soldja

Boy Hits Ryan homelander doesn't fight

soldja boy straight away he runs over to

check on his son and see if he's okay

the show makes you care for homelander

at this moment because it makes him seem

like a real father let me repeat that

the show makes you care for homelander

and that's why soldier boy makes you

question everything because he wants to

kill homelander who's a bad guy and

butcher wants to kill homelander but now

soldja Boy Hits Ryan and butcher doesn't

like that so you kind of don't know who

to root for in this final battle because

everyone's point of view is right and

that's what's so interesting to me the

only one who is kind of right is m mm oh

yeah let's talk about mm so mother's

milk is the only character who has a

genuine reason to hate soldja boy and

that's because soldja boy threw a car

through his house killing like half of

his family so mother's milk doesn't like

him and soups in general a fair reason

not to however soldja boy didn't mean to

kill his family definitely not a good

thing that happened and soldja boy is

definitely killed innocent people but it

gives you another look into his

perspective Soldier Boy views lives of

collateral damage if he's on the mission

and therefore sees it as him doing

nothing wrong so yes mm's motivation

also adds to who you should be rooting

for because we like mm he's great but he

doesn't like Soulja Boy and we kind of

need Soulja Boy to kill homelander and

we also kind of like Soulja Boy so in

this final battle everyone has a reason

to attack Soulja Boy and he has a reason

to fight back but the main focus is on

soldja boy versus homelander and it

becomes a question of do you root for

the bad guy who wants to to kill the

more evil bad guy or the bad guy who

wants to protect his son and that's why

I believe soldja boy changed the way we

look at villains because it becomes more

of a question of who we like more I

think soldja boy is just a really

interesting character and I hope we get

to see more of him he is appearing in g

v well already appeared by the time this

video launches and I think he will

obviously be very good in that well good

as in characterization not good as in a

person and I do hope we get a soldja boy

spin-off of some sorts in the future

because I think it will be a great way

to flesh out his character further and I

know that sounds like Peacemaker but

there are ways to make a soldja boy show

that is different to that who knows

maybe he'll appear in season 4 you never

know I definitely think we'll see quite

a bit of him in the future or maybe he

dies in GV I hope that is not the case

please God don't make that the case so

soja boy is a great villain because he

changed the way we look at certain

situations he's a douchebag yes but when

a lot of the characters are douchebags

does it really really matter he's a

villain with a lot of personality and

that is not uncommon these days but to

make you root for him is another thing

Soulja Boy is likable and has a point

but he's definitely not a good guy it's

such an interesting way to handle a

villain that I have never seen done that

way before I have seen villains that are

right and have a good point but I've

never seen a villain go up against

another villain and you can't decide who

to root for because both points of view

are fair that was up until I saw soldja

boy the show humanizes him and gives him

a fulfill backstory and character Arc

whilst making you both root for him and

question him at the same time I really

appreciate how well this character was

handle considering the source material

was basically a joke I can't wait to see

more of soldja boy and I can't wait to

see what happens in season 4 of the boys

that's all I have to say in today's

video thank you for watching make sure

to like And subscribe to join the soldja

boy Army and I'll see you in the next

[Music]

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