Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Boys season 4, episode 6, “Dirty Business.”
Summary
- “Dirty Business” highlights inconsistencies in Homelander’s hearing abilities.
- A-Train’s trip to Toronto may be an overreaction, but it shows respect for Homelander’s hearing.
- Homelander’s hearing may require conscious activation to detect subtle sounds.
The Boys season 4, episode 6, “Dirty Business,” doesn’t seem to want to decide on how effective one of Homelander’s superpowers actually is, as the installment shows various characters approaching Anthony Starr’s character with disparate levels of caution. Returning to play another huge role in the cast of The Boys season 4, Homelander’s superhuman abilities are just as fearsome as ever. While no one dares cross the Superman parody directly, the show has revealed a shockingly easy way he can be subverted – but it may not make sense.
Some abilities, like Starlight’s powers in The Boys, are a little vague, and it’s therefore difficult to work out what she’s truly capable of. On the other hand, powers like Homelander’s have permeated the superhero genre for decades. As a result, it’s usually easy to sit back and enjoy his scenes, knowing full well how and when he could cut down those who oppose him. However, “Dirty Business” muddies the waters by highlighting the inconsistencies regarding one of Homelander’s more subtle abilities.
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The Boys Season 4, Episode 6 Is Very Inconsistent With How Good Homelander’s Hearing Is
A-Train’s Toronto visit seems very unnecessary after events later in the same episode.
Terrified of being discovered as Vought International’s leak, A-Train speeds to Toronto and calls Mother’s Milk. He gives his reasoning for leaving the country to MM by saying it’s, “So [they] could talk.” The implication here is that the speedster traveled so far from New York because he feared Homelander’s V-augmented hearing would be able to pick up on the conversation if he were any closer. This could be an overreaction on A-Train’s behalf, especially considering MM himself is still in New York on the other end of the call. However, it does show a healthy respect for Homelander’s hearing.
MM infiltrates Tek Knight’s mansion with Annie and Kimiko, all while Homelander is there schmoozing the politicians.
Confusingly, in the very same episode, MM infiltrates Tek Knight’s mansion with Annie and Kimiko, all while Homelander is there schmoozing the politicians. They are not quiet as they move about the house, no matter how hard they try to be. They have physical altercations with both Firecracker and Sister Sage, with MM even firing a gun at the latter. Regardless, Homelander shows no implication of hearing anything his enemies do, nor is he even aware they’re nearby. So, “Dirty Business” introduces a huge inconsistency regarding how well Homelander can actually hear.
MM uses a silencer when he shoots Sister Sage, but still makes a noise that it’s hard to believe Homelander wouldn’t detect.
Why Homelander’s Super Hearing May Not Always Work In The Boys
Homelander may need to actively try to listen for smaller or distant sounds
One possibility for Homelander’s hearing not picking up on the presence of MM and the others at Tek Knight’s house is that his ultra-sensitive ears aren’t always actively on the hunt for stray noises. If Homelander’s hearing was always dialed up to its full capacity, then he’d likely be overwhelmed with everyday background noise. So, it could be that listening for more subtle sounds that are undetectable to humans is an active choice – much like letting loose lasers from his eyes or taking to the skies.
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There’s no denying that Homelander’s hearing is thoroughly impressive, as The Boys has made a point in the past of Starr’s character tracking people’s heartbeats and other noises that can’t be heard by the ears of others. So, while A-Train may not have had to go all the way to Toronto to safely talk to MM in “Dirty Business,” he was probably right to travel such a sizable difference, just to be safe. This is especially true while Homelander is on the hunt for the leak in The Boys‘ villainous organization.
The Boys Season 4’s Amazon Prime Video Release Schedule | |
Episode Title | Release Date (2024) |
Department of Dirty Tricks | June 13 |
Life Among the Septics | June 13 |
We’ll Keep the Red Flag Flying Here | June 13 |
Wisdom of the Ages | June 20 |
Beware the Jaberwock, My Son | June 27 |
Dirty Business | July 4 |
The Insider | July 11 |
Assassination Run | July 18 |