The Boys Showrunner Casts Doubt On Adapting Black Noir Comic Twist For Season 4
Unfortunately, "The Boys" aren't going to be back in town anytime soon thanks to the ongoing strikes by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA and their ongoing fight to urge studios to give artists a fair deal. Season 4 of the R-rated superhero sendup has been pushed back from an expected release in early 2024 and, as of now, has no official release date. Over the course of three outlandish seasons, fans of the hit Prime Video series and Garth Ennis' original graphic novel can't help but notice how much the show tends to deviate from some of the major plot lines of the comic book.
For the most part, it's been a welcome curveball that keeps the series feeling fresh and unpredictable, allowing for even more of the jaw-dropping moments that have helped define the show as one of the most biting satires of the superhero genre. Adapting some of the more outlandish twists from "The Boys" graphic novel could also wind up not translating as well from the page to the screen. Part of the beauty of comic books, after all, is the flexibility that the medium allows for writers and artists to come up with outlandish storylines that wouldn't be possible in any other form.
That may be why future episodes of "The Boys" may likely steer away from one of the most pivotal twists from the graphic novel that could dramatically alter the arc of some members of the Seven, namely Homelander (Antony Starr) and Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell) who have an entirely different connection in the comics.
The comic book twist could hurt the show's best character
For a quick refresher concerning the ending of season 3, the finale showed an epic clash between the Boys and members of the Seven against Homelander that did not end well for Black Noir. One of the most mysterious and beloved characters on the show, Black Noir received a devastating blow from Homelander that all but ensured he won't be returning in season 4. It's a fitting end for two of the most powerful Supes in existence that could be completely undermined if a crucial plot point in the graphic novel was ever adapted into live-action. In the comic, it's revealed that Black Noir is actually a clone of Homelander who frames the Vought corporation's star superhero, making it look like he's committed several atrocities.
That leaves the door open for Black Noir to return in another form, but in doing so, it would make suddenly make Homelander a more sympathetic character. Showrunner Eric Kripke rightfully doesn't think that's the best direction for the show to go in, telling Collider:
"Maybe, look, never say never, but I love the comic, but I don't know if I'm going to do that particular twist. The twist in the comic is that Homelander didn't do any of the terrible things he thought he did, this clone of him did, who's disguised as Noir. To me, it marginalizes Homelander from his own story, so that's a tough twist to pull off. So my guess is we probably won't do it."
One of the main joys of watching "The Boys" week in and week out is seeing just how diabolical Homelander really is. In the comic, the original storyline shows how being framed for a series of gruesome murders slowly drives Homelander to the brink of insanity. That's compelling, although it's much more fun to watch his ego and insecurities consume him from the inside.
Could Black Noir return some other way?
Black Noir's death by disembowelment mirrors the gruesome fate he receives in the comic after Butcher rips his brains out to avenge the death of his wife, Becca Butcher. In both versions, the original Black Noir is dead. That could pave the way for someone else to take over the mantle, especially considering that his character is by far the most enigmatic and elusive member of the Seven. If the marketing execs over at Vought International see an angle to bring Black Noir back into the fold, there could be a reason for his return.
Kripke never comes out and says anything definitive, teasing that there's always a chance at resurrection. "There's a lot of hilarious conversations in Season 4 about like, 'Well, if you kill Noir, you can recast him,' so there is certainly discussion. I don't think it's the last you'll see of Black Noir or Nathan Mitchell, the actor who plays him, but what's really fun is he'll have to come back in a very different form."
That form will most likely not be a clone, however. Black Noir's backstory from the graphic novel has already been reshaped to establish a deeper connection between Homelander and Soldier Boy. So, it wouldn't make much sense to suddenly make that a part of Black Noir's origin again. Through flashbacks, "The Boys" has already established that Black Noir was actually a man named Earving (Fritzy-Klevans Destine) who suffered a terrible injury in his past that served as the main catalyst for him becoming the masked, anonymous superhero. There are a lot of ways to bring Black Noir back, of course. For now, all we can do is speculate until season 4 can finally move on with production.