Warning! Spoilers ahead for The Boys! Fans of Amazon’s The Boys are well aware that the series is notorious for its graphic fight scenes that are not only bloody but often unsettling. Yet, many instances from the comic book series delve even deeper into brutality than the television adaptation could ever portray.
Since its inception, The Boys has provided a subversive critique of the superhero genre, filled with intense violence that can make even the most hardened fans hesitate. While the beloved TV show captures much of this spirit, there are certain moments from the comics that feel overwhelmingly extreme for the screen. Here, we present a list highlighting ten such shocking events from the comic that are unlikely to be adapted in their entirety due to their sheer intensity. Be advised, the following content contains descriptions of graphic violence and deaths.
10 The Boys’ Attack on the Maverickz: A Bone-Chilling Encounter
As Seen In: The Boys #31
The Maverikz, an under-the-radar superhero team in The Boys, faces a horrific reckoning when they attempt to impress Vought-American. Things quickly go awry when Butcher and his crew confront them over the murder of a sex worker. Despite their bravado, the Maverikz’s demise is swift, lasting mere seconds in the ensuing fight.
As the battle unfolds, Butcher wields a crowbar against a Supe, while Mother’s Milk and Frenchie make quick work of their targets with baseball bats. In an unforgettable moment, The Female graphically slices off one Supe’s face and amputates another’s hands. Even the typically reserved Hughie unleashes his rage brutally by repeatedly smashing a Supe’s head, showcasing just how shocking and violent an ordinary day in the life of The Boys can be.
9 Hughie’s First Fight: A Shocking Revelation
As Seen In: The Boys #7
The violent tone of The Boys is firmly established from the start, but it is in issue #7 that we witness Hughie dramatically cross the line into lethal force. After being juiced with Compound V, the substance that grants Superheroes their abilities, Hughie joins his veteran teammates in a chaotic battle against the Teenage Kix.
Initially hesitant, Hughie’s resolve crumbles when confronted by the brutish hero Blarney Cock. As Blarney throttles him, panic sets in and Hughie instinctively punches, unleashing a devastating blow that punctures a hole straight through Blarney’s torso. While the show portrays Hughie as a reluctant participant, the comic presents a grimmer initiation into the world of violence.
8 Brutal Justice: Curbstomping Stormfront
As Seen In: The Boys #34
Although this moment is indeed featured in the Amazon series, the comic book depiction of Stormfront’s demise is far more brutal than its screen counterpart. In issue #34, Stormfront attacks Billy Butcher, only to be ambushed by Mother’s Milk with a vicious blow to the head.
What follows is a gruesome sequence where the team takes turns smashing him with various blunt instruments before Love Sausage joins the fray, ultimately knocking Stormfront unconscious. Hughie, witnessing the savagery, is horrified as Butcher and the others proceed to curbstomp Stormfront until he is lifeless—a grim yet justified end for such a villain.
7 The Female’s Ruthless Elimination of Stormfront’s Children
As Seen In: The Boys: Dead Becky #4
The miniseries The Boys: Dear Becky explores the team’s hidden escapades. In one striking episode, a group called the Children of Stormfront attempts to eliminate Butcher. However, they quickly find themselves outmatched by The Female, The Boys’ secret weapon.
In a chilling display of violence, she utilizes an air conditioner to crush one adversary and swiftly neutralizes another by snapping his neck. The sheer brutality of her methods exemplifies the dark themes pervasive in The Boys, creating a compelling yet shocking narrative.
6 Butcher Stalked and Executed Payback with Savage Precision
As Seen In: The Boys #33
The less revered Payback team becomes a lethal target as they are commissioned to eliminate Butcher. In The Boys #33, Stormfront and company approach with lethal intent, unaware that they are falling into a well-laid trap. Butcher’s cunning and ferocity lead to a shocking escalation, as he blinds Stormfront before launching a deadly assault.
In a dark twist, Butcher brutally murders Swatto under the cover of darkness before dispatching Mind-Droid in a horrific fashion and ultimately interrogating Soldier Boy, who meets his own end shortly after. The tension and brutality in this conflict showcase the dark, unforgiving world of The Boys.
As Seen In: The Boys #53
The brutal history of Payback is further explored in issue #53, showcasing their initial incarnation as the Avenging Squad during World War II. Tasked with assisting military efforts, the squad faces dire consequences due to their inexperience, culminating in a catastrophic confrontation with German forces.
This tragic event leaves numerous Supes dead, including Eagle the Archer, who meets a gruesome fate. Meanwhile, Soldier Boy’s survival is marred by his own injuries, leading to a harrowing narrative absent from the television adaptation.
4 Butcher’s Harrowing Execution of Malchemical
As Seen In: The Boys #43
Malchemical, a psychopathic version of the classic hero Metamorpho, is a character the show has yet to introduce. After a ban from Team Titans, he is placed with a naive group known as Super Duper. When Hughie infiltrates this team to gather intelligence, he uncovers just how twisted Malchemical truly is.
In an unsettling scene, when Malchemical tries to assault his teammates, Hughie attempts to intervene. Outmatched, Hughie struggles against Malchemical’s spiked tentacles, which only intensifies when the latter shifts into a gas form just as Butcher arrives. Lighter in hand, Butcher ignites Malchemical in a carnage-filled confrontation that would likely be too disturbing for the show’s adaptation.
3 Frenchie and The Female’s Merciless Assault on Team Titanic
As Seen In: The Boys #63
Team Titanic parodies the Titans in The Boys universe, featuring a group of elderly former sidekicks. In issue #63, they are tasked with protecting a high-profile individual but are ill-prepared for the chaos caused by Frenchie and The Female.
The ensuing battle is merciless, showcasing their ease at annihilating nearly the entire team. Frenchie suffers a major injury, but The Female avenges him with gruesome efficiency, pulling out a Supe’s rib cage. This intense confrontation culminates in a mess of blood and dismemberment, pushing the boundaries of violence in the series beyond what a live-action representation could handle.
2 Vought-American’s Ruthless Elimination of The G-Men
As Seen In: The Boys #29
The G-Men, a grotesque parody of the X-Men, face a brutal end in issue #29, where tensions with their leader, John Godolkin, culminate in horrific violence. Vought-American’s response to Godolkin’s erratic behavior involves a full-scale attack where military contractors eliminate every member of the G-Men, including Godolkin himself.
The brutality escalates shockingly, as young innocent recruits are also caught in the crossfire to silence any potential witnesses. This arc, filled with unexpected twists, remains untouched in the show, as its sheer horror would be challenging to convey on-screen.
1 The Show’s Inability to Adapt Butcher’s Handling of Becca’s Child
As Seen In: The Boys: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker #4
One of the most significant disparities between the show and the comic lies in the treatment of Butcher’s wife, Becca. In the live-action series, Becca is assaulted by Homelander, ultimately giving birth to a son under secretive circumstances. Contrarily, in the comic, her fate is sealed far earlier; Becca is killed by her superhuman offspring.
In an intensely dark moment from The Boys: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker #4, Butcher awakens to find that Becca has died after her fetus violently tears itself from her body. Before he can truly process the horror, the fetus attacks him with laser beams, forcing Butcher to defend himself by fatally striking the newborn with a lamp. This scene’s bleak nature firmly cements its unadaptability for the television format, where such mature themes would likely be deemed too distressing.
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