The Big Picture
New additions Sister Sage and Firecracker bring diverse perspectives to The Seven, adding complexity and fresh dynamics to the team.
Homelander’s search for the next diabolical supe leads to the introduction of characters with unique backgrounds and powers in Season 4.
The mystery of the new Black Noir adds intrigue to the upcoming episodes, where an anonymous superhero must navigate fame and anonymity.
The Boys returns next month, and when it does, there will be some new faces in The Seven. The much-coveted team in the show’s universe always leaves a spot open to entice the wildest of supes, but with events that saw them down two members, four were simply not cutting it. Homelander has been on the hunt for the next diabolical supe to add to the team, and a new look into Season 4 courtesy of Entertainment Weekly shows two additions that are bound to make a wild team even wilder. Creator Eric Kripke talked about these new characters, who in the real world they might resemble, and why Black Noir is Black Noir in name only.
The new additions are Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) and Firecracker (Valorie Curry). Kripke talked about crafting a new kind of superhero whom the show has not explored before with Sister Sage. Being a Black woman raised in a low economic environment, she’s used to not being heard despite having a lot to say about the world. As a result, she morphs into a humankind-hating enigma whose bitterness knows no bounds. Kripke previewed the character, saying,
“It’s such a funny power. A lot of superhero worlds have that character. Whereas most of them are usually really reedy white dudes, we wanted a Black woman who was raised in a low socioeconomic area, so no one f—ing listens to her. It’s both commentary and satirical that you have literally the smartest person in the world that could cure all of society’s ills, but she just can’t get anyone to listen to her. So then she becomes a bitter misanthrope.”
With Firecracker, the show is gunning to satirize the ultra-right-wing gun-toting fanatic who would be happy wearing outfits made of the American flag for the rest of their life. The real-life inspiration would be close to the recent headline maker, Kristi Noem, who lost all her political capital after admitting that she shot her pet dog. Case in point, Firecracker’s suit features a lot of red, white, and blue. Kripke talked about this new super and her inspiration, saying,
“It turns out, there’s always crazier. Firecracker represents both members of the conspiracy-minded movements and the super extreme right-wing news media. That character has some surprising backstory that connects her to some of the characters in our world that it was just interesting to bring in one of those pistol-packing ‘I shot my puppies’ type of characters.”
Meet the New Black Noir… Kind Of
Image via EW
There will be a new Black Noir, but not many characters in the show are in the know. After Homelander rendered a fatal blow to Black Noir’s chest in the previous season, someone new is brought in to play the character, who is mostly seen but never heard. Kripke teased an entirely new persona who will be fun to discover but previewed the obvious challenge: everything is for show and no supe wants to be in someone else’s shadow when visibility and celebrity is power. Is it a new person or a familiar face from Gen V?
“Beyond that, it would be spoiling some of the fun stuff to reveal who it is and what that person’s like. I will say, in a world that is about a certain amount of show business satire, it’s funny to go to an anonymous superhero and say, ‘We need you to take on this performance and you’ll be completely anonymous, but you’ll play this other role.’ That’s a funny challenge for an actor.”
The first three episodes of The Boys Season 4 premiere on June 13, and a new episode will air in the subsequent weeks on Prime Video.
The Boys
A group of vigilantes set out to take down corrupt superheroes who abuse their superpowers.
Release Date July 26, 2019
Creator Eric Kripke
Seasons 4
WATCH ON PRIME VIDEO