The Boys comics' Butcher is sadistically evil, which is something the show's version of Butcher has yet to become. While comic Butcher starts his crusade against Homelander and Vought similarly to The Boys show, the character becomes pretty much the ultimate antagonist in the final arcs of The Boys comics.
Following the story arc where the corrupt superhero problems are dealt with and Homelander and the Seven are defeated, Billy betrays and murders the other members of The Boys and has them killed in order to eliminate all Supes in the world, establishing him as the final antagonist of the series.
While there's no denying the depravity of Homelander, Butcher is the darker character - mostly because he's shown to fully understand how evil his choices actually are, and yet continue regardless.
Homelander is the head and face of The Seven and the main antagonist of The Boys. Similarly to Soldier Boy, Homelander is a mentally unstable psychopath with more powers than anyone else in the world.
However, Butcher actually stands above the rest in one regard, as arguably the most popular supe, Homelander, respects him more than any other supe in The Boys - including and especially any member of the Seven.
BILLY BUTCHER (The Cockney Punisher) THE BOYS EXPLAINED
Is Soldier Boy a villain?
Ben, better known as Soldier Boy, is the secondary antagonist of Season 3 of The Boys. He was a former superhero and the leader of a Payback, a team of his until being betrayed by them due to his abusive behaviour. He is also the father of Homelander and grandfather of Ryan Butcher.
Benjamin, better known as Soldier Boy, is a major antagonist of the Amazon series The Boys, where he served as one of two main antagonists (alongside Homelander) of Season 3. He was America's first and greatest superhero before Homelander and the former leader of the superhero team Payback.
Hughie. Hughie certainly is the most good-hearted character among all (considering that a huge majority of them are either deeply rotten or have vague, ambiguous morals). He cares about people and not just the people he loves.
She has also become cynical and contemptuous, constantly adding sarcastic humor to everything. However, despite this, Starlight has become a kindhearted pony who will do anything for her friends.
Throughout The Boys, Homelander is presented as one of the worst Supes to come out of Vought-American. Not only did he possess power rivaling Superman's, he was shown as slowly losing his mind, a result of being gaslighted by his teammate, Black Noir.
Homelander may appear strong, but he would be no match for characters like Superman or Wonder Woman in a face-to-face battle. Green Lantern's ring and Zatanna's magical abilities could easily trap or defeat Homelander, showing that physical strength isn't always necessary.
The first person in Homelander's family line to die is the superpowered fetus that kills Butcher's wife Becky (as seen in The Boys #4). Becky's death is what inspires Butcher's hate for Homelander, as he believed she was sexually assaulted by Homelander.
The Boys is filled with villainous characters, and Black Noir has proven that he's one of them. Black Noir is a former member of The Seven, the silent assassin of the group who was feared by many. He is portrayed as a tragic character throughout The Boys.
Queen Maeve sacrifices herself for Starlight to escape Homelander's influence, while A-Train finally pays for killing Hughie's girlfriend. Starlight is one of the few characters who survives the entire series, alongside The Deep (while Homelander is killed off-panel by Black Noir).
As Hughie prepares to leave a gravely injured Butcher to be captured, he tells him that he secretly killed both of his parents, leading Hughie to stab him in the chest and kill him. Ultimately, Butcher chose Hughie to kill him as a sort of sick way to show how much working alongside him with The Boys had changed him.
Hughie confronts him, enraged that Butcher abandoned them to die in pursuit of his vendetta against Homelander. But Butcher overlooks his anger and states regardless of how they all feel, The Boys need him as their leader.
Alongside her childhood friend Drummer Boy, she joined Young Americans, a superhero team that consisted of teenagers that were opposites of Teenage Kix. She began a relationship with Drummer Boy around this time, and it's mentioned that they lost their virginity to each other.
She is quickly rattled after finding that her membership to The Seven comes at a high price—sexual activity with the male members. Similarly to the show, Starlight is coerced into performing oral sex on Homelander, Black Noir, and A-Train.
The superheroes in The Boys, known as The Seven, are morally bankrupt individuals who prioritize themselves over the greater good. While some members of The Seven have impressive powers, they are ultimately flawed and vulnerable to defeat.
A-Train was one of the main antagonists in The Boys seasons 1 and 2. While portrayed as a superhero and celebrity athlete, the reality of the character is even more twisted, as he's shown to be an egotistical and narcissistic Supe who cares about nothing else except being the best.
Killed by Black Noir, Homelander's demise is an off-panel twist that challenges his self-portrayal in the story. The series contrasts Homelander's anticlimactic end with the emotional, epic deaths of other characters, underscoring their humanity.
Kevin Moskowitz, better known as The Deep, is a member of the Seven and a major antagonist in the Amazon series The Boys, serving as a major antagonist in Season 1, and a supporting antagonist in both Season 2 and Season 3.
However, one exchange with Butcher hints that Soldier Boy's antipathy towards Homelander actually originates from his own toxic relationship with his father. As a result, his hatred not only reveals something tragic about his backstory, but continues a theme of parental abuse and neglect that runs throughout The Boys.
While Homelander may have an advantage in powers, Soldier Boy's durability and mind games give him the ability to defeat him. If Soldier Boy returns in Season 4, he will likely be an even darker and scarier villain than Homelander, with unwavering beliefs and decisions.
After learning from Mindstorm, Soldier Boy reveals the information to a shocked Homelander during a phone call to him. After Soldier Boy informs Butcher and Hughie of the revelation that he is Homelander's father, the two, and later the rest of the Boys and Maeve, become concerned that he and Homelander will team up.
