In Captain America vs Soldier Boy Fight, The Winner is Clear
Like many characters on Amazon Prime Video's The Boys, Soldier Boy is a more ruthless version of an established popular superhero: Captain America.
Soldier Boy was seemingly killed by the enemy fighting in the Cold War, later revealed to be alive; Cap had the same fate after being frozen in WWII.
The Boys even gave Soldier Boy a powerful shield to use. Both were meant to be the epitome of a patriotic hero to the public.
The main difference: Cap really was that hero.
Soldier Boy drinks, smokes, curses, and occasionally beats his teammates in fits of rage – qualities Steve Rogers doesn't share. Soldier Boy was set up as the big bad for Season 3 and lived up to it, hunting down his ex-teammates who double-crossed him, cursing him to confinement in a Russian cage.
But that's not all that separates the two. Despite their similar look and meaning to the in-universe masses, Soldier Boy is far more powerful than Captain America.
After Jensen Ackles' incredible performance as Soldier Boy earlier this year, fans of both franchises took the opportunity to discuss who would win in a fight.
On the surface, it's easily Soldier Boy. Captain America is a super-soldier, meaning his physical abilities are just above what a peak human can do. In 2014's Captain America: The Winter Soldier, he's seen stopping a helicopter from taking off, albeit with a massive amount of struggle.
But he's still a human. If he gets shot, he dies. In the end of the Civil War comic series, that's exactly what happened.
Soldier Boy, the ultimate Supe, doesn't have those restrictions. He's seen riddled with gunfire without being phased. In a man-to-man fight, Soldier Boy wouldn't have any trouble with Cap.
Other fans argued that it's not so simple. They point to the classic Batman vs. Superman argument; of course, Superman would win in a cage match, but with enough preparation, Batman would construct a plan to win.
Captain America is more than a powerful man – he's the perfect soldier. Soldier Boy hasn't been shown using his mind for warfare, even relying on Butcher and the Boys to help him track down his old teammates. Being ultimately powerful, he's vulnerable in that he's never had to use more than his strength to win. If he matched up against someone like Captain America, he may be at a disadvantage.
This is exactly how fans expect another Boys character to emerge victorious. Like Soldier Boy, Homelander is ultimately powerful. Like Captain America, Billy Butcher and his Boys are at a physical disadvantage. But both Cap and Butcher can be victorious with enough prep time.