The upcoming season 4 of The Boys is highly anticipated, following the riveting Season 3 finale that saw Homelander’s darker path unfolding. One of the most chilling moments was the killing of Black Noir, Homelander’s loyal companion, for not revealing Soldier Boy’s true identity as his father. The comic books version of Black Noir’s backstory is significantly different from the show.
In the comics, Black Noir was originally a superhero named Earving, a member of the Payback team, Vought’s first superhero group, which predated The Seven. Soldier Boy sabotaged the team, and Black Noir was brutally disfigured and scarred by him, unable to remove his mask. The showrunners, however, made significant changes to Black Noir’s origin story to offer surprises for original readers.
The original comics present Black Noir as an identical genetic clone of Homelander, created by the Vought-American Corporation to match Homelander’s strength. In the comics, it’s implied that Homelander is more brutal, as Billy Butcher believes he’s responsible for raping his wife Becca, creating the first superhuman child. This theory is proven correct when The Boys discover disturbing photographic evidence of Homelander’s brutal crimes.
Homelander’s mental breakdown upon discovering the photos is not shown in the comics, but it sets him on a path of vengeance against Black Noir, who he believes has betrayed him. In the comics, Black Noir’s face and backstory are very different from the show. He’s not portrayed as a complex character with the same emotional depth as in the show.
A Still From The Boys’ Black Noir (Photo: The Boys)
The show’s interpretation of Black Noir’s character offers a more nuanced portrayal, with a startling encounter with Hughie suggesting he may share some of the same depraved desires as Homelander. Homelander’s decision to break free from Vought control leads to a brutal attack on the White House, and Black Noir ultimately reveals himself as Homelander’s identical clone, created to eliminate him if he ever went rogue.
The impact of Black Noir’s death on Homelander and Butcher sets off a chain reaction, ultimately leading to Butcher gaining superpowers and seeking revenge against every superhero. The Boys comics ended with their final issue in November 2012, but the show continues to deviate from the original story, presenting new and complex characters.
The upcoming season 4 of The Boys is sure to delve deeper into the complexities of Black Noir’s character, and his resurrection as a new hero named White Blanche is likely to bring chaos to the superhero world.
