Homelander Star Antony Starr Names His Ultimate Supervillain — And His Reasoning Actually Adds Up
Homelander himself has a soft spot for Thanos. The Boys star Antony Starr names the Mad Titan as his favorite villain and explains the surprisingly relatable logic behind it.
Let’s talk about Antony Starr—you know, the guy who plays Homelander on The Boys (aka the most terrifying Superman knock-off in TV history). Turns out Starr has some thoughts about villains that might surprise you. In a recent Q&A, he dished on which big bad stands above the rest in his book, and honestly, his reasoning is kind of fascinating.
Starr vs. Thanos: Villain Showdown
When asked about his all-time favorite villain during a Wired interview, Starr didn’t go with any of the obvious TV choices—or even his own character. Nope, he went straight for the top of the Marvel pile and picked Thanos. If you’re expecting the usual 'he’s a cool villain because he’s powerful' routine, think again. Starr’s logic digs a little deeper.
'My favorite villain, and I keep mentioning Marvel. But my favorite villain of recent memory is Thanos, because I think he was doing a horrific thing, but he had such a good philosophy behind it, about like balancing the universe. And there's a little part of me that's like, "He's got a pretty good point, you know?"'
So yeah—Homelander himself basically says he gets Thanos’s deal. He isn’t cosigning snapping half the universe out of existence, but he admits there’s something almost sensible about having a 'big picture' philosophy, even when the actions are monstrous. That’s a rare bit of villain-to-villain respect you don’t hear every day.
Homelander vs. Thanos: Not On The Same Level
If you think Starr is out here comparing Homelander and Thanos as equals, hold up—he actually draws a line between the two. According to him, Homelander isn’t operating on anywhere near the same philosophy or motivation. It’s not a fair fight, basically. Thanos may be a mass murderer, but at least there’s some method to his purple madness. Homelander? He’s more unpredictable—and way less concerned about the 'greater good' (whatever that means to a guy with a planet-sized ego).
Why Homelander Works On TV
Starr also took a moment to explain why people are so hooked on Homelander as a villain. And no, it’s not just because he drinks milk in disturbing ways. Starr points out that the show avoided creating a cliché, one-note villain. Instead, they actually put in the work to show why Homelander is the way he is. Turns out, audiences like a little depth and backstory when their main antagonist is a walking laser-eyed meltdown.
- Starr says the goal was always to do more than just a 'mustache-twirling' baddie.
- He credits Homelander’s complexity as a big reason for the character’s impact.
- The writers actually explore what shaped Homelander, not just how dangerous he is.
In Starr’s words, 'there’s more to him than just the bad guy. And I think people respond to that.' If you’ve seen even one episode, you know exactly what he means. Homelander’s scary because you almost understand him—and then he does something so abominable, you remember why he’s a TV monster for the ages.
Final Lap for The Boys
By the way, if you’re caught up on The Boys, you know the end is nigh—Season 4 is almost over, with just two episodes left. If anyone can outdo Thanos-level stakes in a finale, it's definitely this batch of superheroes and sociopaths.
So next time you’re watching Homelander blast someone across a skyscraper, just remember: even TV’s creepiest villain has his own favorite, and he’s got some pretty nuanced reasons for it. Honestly, between Thanos fans and milk enthusiasts, I’m not sure who should worry more.