Summary
Contains discussions of sexual assault.
The Boysseason 4 features a disturbing scene starring the Deep - one that flips a controversial Starlight moment from season 1. Starlight’s story inThe Boys' debut season is a dark one, chronicling the days shortly after she joins The Seven and learns about the seedier side of Vought’s superhero world. However,The Boysseason 4 completely flips this dynamic, putting Starlight’s abuser in a similar position to the one Starlight herself was forced into during season 1.
The Boysseason 4 kicks off with a three-episode premiere, which sees the Seven trying to replace Starlight and Queen Maeve with two new supes. Homelander’s iron grip over Vought remains strong, and allmembers of the Seven inThe Boysare much too frightened to resist his commands. Even powerfulThe Boyscharacterslike the Deep and A-Train do not dare refuse their esteemed leader, and this uneven power balance inside Seven Tower leads toThe Boysseason 4’s reversal of season 1’s Starlight scene.
Starlight’s Powers In The Boys Explained
Starlight is one of the few characters in the world of The Boys that has a conscience, and her powers stack up against even the most powerful supes.
Homelander’s Punishment For The Deep In The Boys Season 4 Flips Season 1’s Starlight Scene
The Table Is Turned On The Deep
Despite possessing the control he always craved, Homelander is annoyed at the team’s unflinching loyalty to him inThe Boysseason 4, episode 1, causing him to punish The Deep.Homelander tells the Deep to walk over to A-Train and perform oral sex on him, and out of fear, the Deep complies before he is commanded to stop by Homelander.
This scene directly parallelsStarlight’s controversial introduction to the Deep fromThe Boysseason 1, in which the villainous supe forced Starlight to perform a sex act on him at the top of Seven Tower. This terrifying scene set the Deep up as a rapist, and has defined his character throughout the show.The Boysseason 4 puts the Deep in the opposite position, with Homelander this time forcing him into performing a sex act without consent, but, unlike Starlight, the Deep is not actually made to go through with it.
The Boys: 25 Differences Between The Comics & The Show
The Amazon superhero series The Boys is based on a comic book series of the same name. Some things were changed comparing the comic book vs. show.
The Deep’s Assault On Starlight Is Still Defining His Character After 4 Seasons
And It Will Continue To In The Show’s Future
While the Deep and A-Train’sThe Boysseason 4 scene is dark, it proves that Deep’s assault on Starlight is still defining his character after four seasons. The Deep’s character arc inThe Boyshas entirely centered around the repercussions of his sexual assault of Starlight, with him getting fired from the Seven, joining theChurch of the Collective in season 2, then attempting to rejoin the Seven in season 3.
Now inThe Boysseason 4,Homelander’s abuse of the Deep’s loyalty has thematic ties to the controversial Starlight scene, proving the Deep’s current arc has roots back to season 1, and is still exploring that early, defining moment for Chace Crawford’s character. The Deep’s sexual assault of Starlight will undoubtedly continue to play into the future ofThe Boys- something that is highlighted by season 4, episode 1’s dynamic flip.
The Boys
Cast
The Boys is a gritty and subversive take on the superhero genre, focusing on a group of vigilantes who confront powerful superheroes abusing their abilities, exploring themes of corruption and moral ambiguity in a world where heroes are not always what they seem.
