In this world superheroes are mega celebrities and are not just fighting but they also act and are involved in brand deals. They do all sorts of bad stuff but all of this is swept under rug because they have money. What is the mega superhero corporation which manages many different superheroes but the big money makers are basically the Seven, basically this shows Justice League.
The show starts with Hughie (Jack Quaid), who works at an electronics shop. His girlfriend Robin comes to see him, and they walk out together. They talk about how their relationship started, and we learn that Hughie is not a confrontational person, he avoids conflict whenever he can. While they’re talking, Robin is suddenly run through by A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) in a gory, shocking scene. She dies instantly. A-Train offers a standardized, empty apology, and Hughie is given a small sum of money as hush fees.
This moment sparks Hughie’s journey for revenge. He is approached by Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), who claims to be an FBI agent, and together they draw up a plan to get justice. Hughie enters Vought Tower under the pretense of signing an NDA contract, but the real goal is to plant a listening device. The plan fails when Translucent (Alex Hassell), one of the superheroes working for Vought, catches on and follows Hughie back to his shop. Translucent confronts Hughie, destroying everything around him. Butcher arrives to help, and together they knock Translucent out. With no way to kill him, they end up kidnapping him.
Starlight (Erin Moriarty), meanwhile, grew up as a Christian girl, raised to believe she was chosen by God to use her powers to help people. She auditions for Vought and is chosen to join The Seven, but things quickly go downhill. The Deep (ChaceCrawford), one of the members, sexually harasses her and implies she will be kicked out if she refuses him. She soon realizes Vought isn’t about saving people, it’s about PR and money.
Homelander (Antony Starr), the “Superman” of this world, is introduced as the ultimate hero, but his arrogance and ego quickly surface. Starlight eventually meets Hughie on a park bench, and they form a bond. Hughie later discovers that Butcher lied. He isn’t an FBI agent. Hughie is then introduced to the rest of The Boys: M.M. (Mother’s Milk) (LazAlonso) (an interesting fact from the comic is that his nickname comes from his obsession with his mother’s milk), Frenchie (Tomer Capone), and Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) (a “supe” created through Compound V).
As they dig deeper, they discover superheroes aren’t born, they’re made. This truth pushes Starlight, who was already doubting Vought, to side with The Boys.
The directors do a fantastic job blending gory detail with dark humor and satire. From the shocking opening scene with Robin’s death to the corrupt reality behind superheroes, the tone is gripping and fresh. Season 1 earned a strong IMDb rating of 8.6/10, and for good reason — the series flips the superhero genre on its head, showing heroes creating as many problems as they solve.
