The Boys stars Antony Starr and Erin Moriarty talk about the intense rivalry between Homelander and Starlight after the events of this week’s episode.
The Boys is back on Prime Video for season 3, and the dark superhero satire has already become edgier than ever before. It has not slowed down in popularity, either, having already been renewed for season 4 barely a week after its premiere. The title refers to a ragtag bunch of outlaws who are preparing to destroy the power-hungry supes run the Vought corporation, but the first half of the season has spent plenty of time showcasing how one supe in particular is terrorizing his comrades.
Homelander (Antony Starr) has lost any semblance of control he previously had thanks to his ex-lover’s Stormfront ending her life. And while Starlight (Erin Moriarty) has been doing her best to stave him off with the thread of power she gained at Vought, even bringing in allies to her cause, it all fell down like a house of cards in this week’s episode, “Glorious Five Year Plan. “
Screen Rant spoke to Moriarty and Starr about their shared arc in The Boys season 3, which led to a spirited debate about the wisdom of Starlight’s one-woman war on Homelander and his own loss of control in the face of Stormfront’s demise.
Screen Rant: Starlight has some tenuous power in her grasp over at Vought. How has that affected her dynamic with Homelander?
Erin Moriarty: In a massive, massive, massive way. First of all, she’s having to work alongside the person who symbolizes everything that she’s trying to fight against. And someone who she thinks is just a sociopathic, murderous – what else? – rapist. All of the adjectives.
But what I will say is, aside from that, because Homelander is so massively insecure, we see that manifest also in a massive ego. When she gains power that is equal to his, I think that’s a that’s really what – unbeknownst to her in the beginning – is really bad news for her. Because any increase in her own power? He sees power as a pie. She’s taken a bigger piece from it, and that takes away from his own.
Antony Starr: That’s a little naïve, don’t you think, of Starlight? To accept the role?
Because the thing is – hear me out. The thing is it’s not just about you; it’s about everyone close to you. Homelander is a known quantity at this point, to a certain extent. He’s always been a nutbar and always been dangerous, and also pretty conniving. The inevitable thing is keep your friends close and your enemies closer – which, from your perspective, means jeopardy for everyone in your life.
Erin Moriarty: Yeah, I think also that’s why viscerally, she’s initially like, “No, I’m not doing this.” And she makes sure to say that in front of Homelander, so he knows she’s no threat to him.
But eventually, Stan Edgar really convinces her. I think he is a convincing man. And the strongest part of her, which is that inkling to change this corporation that she hates so much, comes through. But you’re right. I mean, I mean, you’re, you’re right, and she learns that lesson the hard way.
One thing that we that gets revealed early on is like what happened to Starflight, which was very shocking to me. What does Stormfront’s demise say to you about Homelander’s ability to ever even try to connect?
Antony Starr: [Stormfront’s] demise was pretty grim and scarring for this guy.
What’s happened to him is he’s always been operating in the world according to external opinion, and how he’s been marketed and packaged by the company. And I think Stormfront was always an extension of that.
I think that’s the end of the road in terms of him dancing to the tune of other people. He really on his own now and trying to figure out what that means, he’s really doing it on his own. He’s a big boy now, he’s leaving the nest – and that’s good and empowering in one way, and it’s really difficult because there’s no one there to help clean up your mess.
If he could be even more ostracized from the world, it adds to this whole idea that he has that he’s a victim that everyone’s picking on him at all times. “Now look what happened to Stormfront!” The world hates him, and it all just adds to his fear and loathing.
The Boys Season 3 Synopsis
It has been a year of calm. Homelander’s subdued. Butcher works for the government, supervised by Hughie of all people. But both men itch to turn this peace and quiet into blood and bone. So when The Boys learn of a mysterious Anti-Supe weapon, it sends them crashing into the Seven, starting a war, and chasing the legend of the first Superhero: Soldier Boy.
Check out our other interview with The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke, as well as stars Karl Urban, Karen Fukuhara & Jack Quaid and Chace Crawford, Jensen Ackles & Claudia Doumit.
The first four episodes of The Boys season 3 are currently available to stream on Prime Video, with new episodes dropping every Friday.
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