Eric Kripke Explains How Black Noir is Alive and Why He Isn’t Homelander’s Clone

Eric Kripke, the showrunner of ‘The Boys’, has confirmed some big news: the shocking twist about Homelander from the comics will not be featured in the Prime Video series. In the comics, it turns out Homelander isn’t the real bad guy; instead, Black Noir is an evil clone responsible for the worst deeds. But this twist isn’t making it to the TV show.

In a discussion with Variety, Kripke shared his thoughts on why he’s steering clear of this plotline. He mentioned that introducing such a twist could undermine the development of Homelander as the central villain, making the storyline less satisfying. He said, ‘In the comics he’s a clone of Homelander this entire time and is actually the one doing all these horrific things. And again, it’s a hell of a twist. But it’s like, well wait, the villain I’ve been following isn’t really the villain… if I’m going to follow this villain, I want this guy to be the villain. So I was never really into the clone idea.’

Adding to the reasons, Kripke feels that cloning is a bit too fantastical for the series’ tone, which aims to keep things as grounded as possible, aside from the superhero element.

Fans of ‘The Boys’ know the show takes its own route, different from the comic books. The series has built up Homelander as a growing threat, becoming more unstable with each season. Revealing him as not the true antagonist would throw away all that buildup. Kripke seems intent on keeping him as the formidable threat we’ve all come to watch, ensuring he remains so through to season 5.

The version of Black Noir in the series differs significantly from the comic. He’s a former member of Payback who suffered brain damage because of Soldier Boy, not a clone of Homelander. The series is exploring more of Homelander’s past, and tossing a major curveball like the comic twist would disrupt the flow of the story.

By avoiding the comic book’s big reveal, Kripke keeps the suspense and tension around Homelander intact, ensuring he remains a central figure to fear and follow in the show.

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