The Boys: Starlight's 'Warm Welcome' Is MUCH Worse in the Comic
Here’s what The Boys left out from Starlight's initiation in the original comics.
If you watched The Boys, you can’t possibly forget a particularly unsettling scene with Starlight and the Deep. Yes, that one scene where the Deep blackmails Starlight and basically rapes her. It was disgusting, but it showed us what kind of superheroes live in this universe.
But did you know that the comic version of this event is even more disturbing? Let's dive in and compare the two.
In the TV adaptation of The Boys, Starlight has a dream of joining the Seven, the top-tier superhero group. However, her enthusiasm is quickly dampened when the Deep, another member of the Seven, harasses her.
This event is a turning point for Starlight as it forces her to confront the dark reality behind the glamorous facade of the superhero world.
In the comic book, Starlight's initiation into the Seven is way more problematic in the comics. Instead of just the Deep, she's pressured by three members of the team — Homelander, Black Noir, and A-Train, but it’s actually Homelander who starts it all, the other two just happened to pass by.
It is even more traumatic for Starlight, and the power dynamics are even more evident. The whole scenario is much more explicit and represents a brutal hazing ritual.
You might be wondering, why did the creators of the show decide to tone down this scene? A big reason might be to make the TV series more palatable for a wider audience. The comics are known for even darker nature, and such a graphic portrayal might have been deemed too much for mainstream viewership.
Plus, the show didn't want to hit you with Homelander being a total psycho right out of the gate. They wanted to make it slow. If you rewatch the first episode, Homelander comes off as such a wholesome guy. Who would've guessed…
But it's worth noting that even though the TV version is toned down, it's still impactful and sends a strong message about abuse of power, misogyny, and the corruption inherent in these superpowered organizations. So, kudos to the creators for keeping this scene anyway, even with some changes.