Superman is loved not only for his immense strength but also for his goodness and hope in humanity. However, one person who once doubted his ideology was Batman, and Homelander might be an example of why. The Caped Crusader feared that Superman, who is an alien with extraordinary power and the ability to even as much as destroy Earth, could one day be manipulated or turn against humanity. 

He has seen corruption and feared that it could change Superman. Fortunately, Batman’s fears for Superman never came true. However, his concerns may not have been entirely wrong. Homelander from The Boys and his atrocities are a huge example of why Batman is against blind faith in Superman.

Batman’s fears about Superman seem understandable since Homelander, who holds similar power, has turned against humanity. Homelander has publicly murdered people and continues to be a tyrant. He even allowed a hijacked plane to crash to cover up his own incompetence, then lied to the public by claiming he was unable to save it.  

Over time, he has become controlling, cruel, and authoritarian. And that is what Batman feared about Superman. The superhero, who believes in goodness, might get manipulated and abuse his powers. 

Moreover, Homelander, who is a parody of Superman, shares the same powers as latter.

Homelander is very similar to Superman when it comes to superpowers and abilities. Both possess the power of flight, immense super strength, invulnerability, and, most notably, laser eyes. While one is an alien, the other was experimented on in a lab. It is this immense power and a good chance of deviating from their ideals because of corruption that Batman feared. 

In the 2016 film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Batman, played by Ben Affleck, famously said, “He has the power to wipe out the entire human race, and if we believe there's even a one percent chance that he is our enemy, we have to take it as an absolute certainty... and we have to destroy him.”

Batman’s theory came true for Homelander. Homelander may not possess Superman’s world-destroying level of power, but he still has enough strength to slowly bring humanity to its end. And over time, he has committed extreme atrocities. And because of the blind faith many place in him, he has grown increasingly brazen and reckless. 

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While the two might share their powers, what makes the two fictional characters different is their ideology.

Superman always stays humble and accepts criticism, even when he faces government hearings and public doubt. On the other hand, Homelander manipulates people with lies and turns his fans against anyone who questions him. Instead of earning respect through kindness, he demands praise and loyalty from everyone around him.

His emotional insecurities and need for constant validation make him dangerous as his power grows unchecked. He has a traumatic past that continues to push him towards the dark. This shows Batman’s fear of unchecked power and blind faith is correct.

He feared that if someone such as Superman, who has god-like powers, demands worship instead of justice, they can easily become a tyrant. Homelander became a tyrant. He is what Batman initially feared about Superman.

That is the reason why Batman was against the blind faith in Superman or those with such immense powers, and even started a war against the superhero in the 2016 film. But he eventually realised Superman’s strict ideology and even joined hands to form the Justice League. The two even fought alongside each other against enemies. However, Batman still holds something that can destroy Superman.

As comic readers are well aware, it was Superman himself who handed a piece of Kryptonite to Batman. Kryptonite is one of the deadliest weapons against Superman. It is capable of weakening his powers and can eventually stop him. However, this does not break Batman’s loyalty toward his friend. 

Instead, it serves as a protection in case Superman ever loses control of his powers and needs to be stopped to protect humanity. Batman agrees to keep it as a precautionary measure, showing his sense of responsibility. At the same time, Superman’s decision reflects the immense trust and faith he has in Batman by placing such a dangerous weapon in his hands.

This is yet another reason that shows the difference between Homelander and Superman. Moreover, characters like Batman are crucial to ensure that characters like Superman do not deviate from their ideology. And in The Boys comics, the boys exist to check on Homelander and put a stop to his atrocities. 

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What do you think about Batman's fears over Superman, his loyalty as well as Homelander's similarity to Superman? Share your take.