**Homelander’s Most Unsettling Scene in The Boys Was Completely Unscripted**
Season 4 of “The Boys” has delivered some of the most intense and disturbing moments in the series, but none more so than a particular scene involving Homelander, played by Antony Starr. This moment, which occurs in episode 4, showcases the supe’s most gruesome and unsettling behavior yet, and it turns out that the most chilling part of the scene was completely unscripted.
In this episode, Homelander revisits the Vought lab where he grew up and confronts Marty, a scientist who tormented him in his youth by giving him the nickname “Squirt.” Seeking revenge, Homelander orders Marty to pleasure himself in front of everyone and then castrates him with his laser eyes. However, the scene took an even darker turn thanks to Starr’s improvisation.
Showrunner Eric Kripke revealed in an interview with TVLine that Homelander’s sadistic, maniacal laugh was not part of the original script. Initially, the script called for Homelander to simply blast Marty and be done with it. But Starr’s decision to add the unsettling laugh made the scene far more terrifying and uncomfortable. “When Ant is playing that laugh, when I saw it in the dailies, I just was like, ‘Jesus Christ, that could be the scariest I’ve ever seen Homelander, and I’ve seen hundreds of hours of Homelander film,'” Kripke said. “That to me was just such a terrifying and brilliant performance, and I would like to announce my campaign entitled Give That Guy an Emmy Already.”
While Marty is the immediate victim in this scene, the moment is deeply tied to Homelander’s dark history. Starr believes that his character’s horrific actions are driven by a warped sense of justice and catharsis. In the same interview, Starr explained that the massacre was a cathartic moment for Homelander, one that he believes could lead to some twisted form of personal growth.
“It was a little messy, particularly for other people, but I think, at the end, he comes out of it really thinking he’s done the right thing and done something great to move forward, and he can be a better father now for the kid,” Starr said. Of course, Homelander’s actions in the episode are far from commendable and certainly won’t win him any parenting awards. However, the sequence stands out as one of the most disturbing scenes in “The Boys,” which is no small feat.
Despite the dark and challenging material, Starr enjoyed filming the scene, especially Marty’s final moments. “As dark and f**ked up as that seems now, that was probably one of the most enjoyable sequences I’ve had on the show,” he told Variety. “I had a ball doing it. It can’t get weird enough or dark enough for me and I love that. We get to do things on-screen that we never get to do in real life so it was a huge amount of fun.”
Starr also praised Eric Kripke for allowing him the creative freedom to take risks and create memorable moments. It’s clear that everyone involved in the creation of this scene had a good time on set, even if it left viewers reeling from the carnage.
The unscripted nature of Homelander’s laugh adds a chilling depth to his character’s dark persona. It gives viewers a glimpse into Homelander’s self-delusions, contrasting his perceived redemption with his unstable reality. Kripke emphasized that rooting for Homelander is misguided, highlighting his unsettling behaviors and weaknesses in the show.
In the episode titled “Wisdom of the Ages,” viewers are drawn into a deeply personal subplot centered around Homelander. The episode functions almost as a standalone exploration of his psyche, delving into his traumatic experiences at Vought Labs. Within this narrative bubble, the notably disturbing scene unfolds where Homelander brutally humiliates Marty, a figure from his past. This act of vengeance, while unsettling, becomes even more pronounced as Starr breaks into a maniacal laugh, a chilling departure from the scripted action.
Kripke pointed out that this moment was completely unscripted. Starr’s spontaneous outburst of laughter wasn’t in the original script, which simply had Homelander attacking the researcher and then approaching him menacingly. “To be clear, that was not scripted. In the script, he blasts the guy and then walks over to him. When Ant is playing that laugh, when I saw it in the dailies, I just was like, ‘Jesus Christ, that could be the scariest I’ve ever seen Homelander,’ and I’ve seen hundreds of hours of Homelander film.”
Homelander’s story takes a turn in Season 4 when Antony Starr’s character goes into what he perceives as a redemptive exploration at Vought Labs. According to Starr, this episode represents a crucial moment for Homelander, believing he has undergone a transformative, almost therapeutic experience that rehabilitates him and positions him to be a better father. Yet, the climax of the episode shatters this illusion, showing that he remains as unstable as ever.
The contrast between self-perception and reality reveals the delusions that fuel Homelander’s actions. Starr’s portrayal allows viewers to momentarily glimpse what appears to be genuine introspection, only for it to dissolve into the familiar chaos that defines him.
Source: TVLine, Variety
