“	There are no gods. The only man in the sky is me!	„
—Homelander in Mortal Kombat 1

John, better known as [The] Homelander, is an artificially created supervillain known for his appearances in the Dynamite Entertainment comic book series The Boys and its television series adaptation. A parody of famous superhero and political figures, Homelander is a psychotic megalomaniac with a God complex that cares little for the people and ideologies he has sworn to uphold and protect.

Homelander made his debut as a playable guest character in Mortal Kombat 1 as the fifth character available through DLC as part of the Kombat Pack.

About Homelander

Homelander is the main antagonist of The Boys television series adaptation and serves as the secondary antagonist in its comic book source material. A parody of many famous superheroes and political figures, Homelander has been described as the living embodiment of how the world views the United States of America.

Homelander's depiction between the comics and television adaptation is very different between the two pieces of media. However a common theme between the two is Homelander being a narcissistic, jingoistic megalomaniac that feels he can do whatever he wants due to his status as the "world's greatest superhero", including committing rape, mass murder, corporate and political sabotage as well as overthrowing the United States government.

In the comics, he is an artificially created Supe created in a lab using the DNA of Stormfront, a Nazi and the first Supe ever created, by experimenting with Compound V, the chemical substance that grants super powers. Born John Gillman, he was heavily experimented on to ensure that his powers completely develop. When released, the public is given a faux origin story that John had "came from the stars", similar to the origins of Superman and becomes the leader of the superhero team The Seven. Although initially a benevolent superhero, his inept abilities at protecting and saving lives causes major conflicts with The Boys, a vigilante anti-superhero group led by Billy Butcher looking to bring down not only Vought-American, the company sponsoring and secretly manufacturing Supes, but the Supes themselves. Homelander is targeted for atrocities committed by him that he has no memory of, including the rape of Butcher's wife, mass murder, cannibalism and even necrophilia against men, women, and even children. With his mental stability declining, he eventually overthrows the US government with his army of Supes, where Black Noir, one of John's teammates in The Seven, is revealed to be the true main antagonist of the comic series, revealing himself as a mentally deranged clone of Homelander created to kill him if he ever went rogue. Feeling he had no true purpose, Black Noir committed all the atrocities Homelander was accused of, framing John to drive him insane, succeeding in the process. Having the purpose now, he fights and kills the mentally unstable Homelander before being killed by Butcher, allowing Butcher to kill his wife's true murderer and finally avenge her.

In the television adaptation, born John with no given surname, Homelander is still artificially created, though his genetic code comes from Soldier Boy, America's first successfully created superhero after Frederick Vought, the Nazi scientist responsible for creating Compound V, defected to the United States in 1944 during WWII. In this series, series developer and writer Eric Kripke disliked the plot twist of Black Noir, instead making Homelander the main antagonist. He is a jingoistic racist with a God complex and, as the world's strongest Supe, he commits horrible acts onto the civilian population, his own team, later committing political and corporate sabotage all for the need of being loved and that he can do whatever he wants. His mental instability stems from his torture as a child from experimentations to bring out his powers to their full potential rather than Black Noir's actions in the comics. This scarred Homelander even in adulthood and had a long-lasting effect on him that no one realized. His "origin story" is that he is like every other Supe - a gifted individual born with extraordinary abilities unlike his comic book counterpart, though this is a hoax, something not even The Seven knew. Additionally, he is responsible for raping Billy Butcher's wife Becca, having an illegitimate son named Ryan in the process. Though he shows no love for others, he shows affection and care for Ryan despite being an inept father, which causes Ryan to fluctuate between loving Homelander and being distant from him. The neglect that Ryan shows Homelander drives his insanity further down a dark hole due to being rejected by his own flesh and blood.

Appearance

Homelander's appearance is taken directly from his appearance in The Boys television series, with actor Antony Starr providing the facial reference for the character. However, similar to the The Terminator's appearance in Mortal Kombat 11, only Starr's likeness is used, with Jake Green voicing the character.

Biography

• Mortal Kombat 1: Homelander is the most powerful being on the planet and the leader of The Seven, the elite superhero team owned and managed by Vought International. In a world where "Supes" are made, he's the strongest of them all. He can fly, has super strength, and can laser enemies with his eyes. Homelander presents himself as the ultimate patriot and protector, but don't let his movie star good looks or high approval rating fool you. He is a murderous, narcissistic sociopath with an insatiable need for validation, love and power. Homelander's destruction of enemies and lust for power does not end with his world. Challengers from other realms will face his wrath.

Lore in Mortal Kombat

As with all guest characters, their lore and Arcade Endings are entirely non-canon to the series, even if specific parts use canonical events.

Homelander arrived in the Mortal Kombat universe when a portal to the Netherrealm opened in his home universe due to the temporal anomalies caused by Titan Shang Tsung. Defeating those that came from the portal, he entered into the Mortal Kombat universe and became obsessed with the kombatants that lived there due their enhanced abilities. Finally having someone as strong as him and wanting to show who the real "hero" was, nobody was going to get in Homelander's way.

Combat Characteristics

Powers and Abilities

As an artificially created Supe with the properties of Compound V, Homelander is one of the most powerful characters in his origin franchise. Equipped with superhuman strength, speed, and senses, he is a terrifying and powerful kombatant, with only a few Supes and humans enhanced with a temporary variant of Compound V standing toe-to-toe with the world's most powerful "superhero".

With a supreme level of superhuman strength, Homelander can kill humans with little to no effort, even crushing a man's head into a wall while he was having sex with Stormfront. Even against other Supes, Homelander's strength is hardly ever matched, with him being able to harm other Supes with impressive levels of durability such as Black Noir. His durability is unmatched by any other Supe, with Madelyn Stillwell stating there isn't a weapon on Earth that could harm Homelander, making it clear that he is nigh-invulnerable. Though this is believed to be contradicted by Homelander when describing what military forces he would destroy first if he wanted to wipe out the United States. Additionally, strong enough Supes or individuals using the temporary variant of Compound V have been shown to harm Homelander, such as Queen Maeve, Soldier Boy and Butcher standing a chance and harming him.

Homelander's ability to fly makes him a powerful Supe on its own. His flight makes him extremely dangerous, both on the ground and in the air, capable of easily breaking the sound barrier and moving 23 times the speed of sound if needed, as well as keeping up with a plane while it's in mid-flight. With this, Homelander is able to defy gravity and propel himself at speeds faster than an F-16.

His senses are enhanced tremendously. Homelander's vision enhanced with X-Ray capabilities, which he uses to spy on people. His hearing is otherworldly, able to hear things miles away as well has hear an individual's heart beat, allowing him to detect nervousness and deception based on their heart rate. His sense of smell is so potent that he can smell an increase levels of adrenaline in people, as well as the scent of others on another person, such as detecting that Queen Maeve had recently interacted with Butcher or identifying Hughie from a drop of sweat.

One of Homelander's signature abilities is his heat vision, identical to Superman's, in which he concentrates a high level of heat and energy from his eyes that can vaporize, destroy and melt humans and other objects as well as significantly damage other Supes. When concentrating his heat vision on a fixed point, he can even make people explode into nothing but gore.

Signature Moves

• Laser Eyes: Homelander shoots a concentrated stream of heat and energy from his eyes, burning the opponent and causing them to stumble backwards. This attack can miss ducking opponents. (MK1)
  • Enhancing the attack has Homelander keep the beam on the opponent for a little longer, dealing increased damage and knocking the opponent away.
• Flight: Homelander begins to hover in the air, similar to Ermac's Spectral Variation from Mortal Kombat X, granting attacks and abilities while floating around. Homelander can exit Flight after performing various attacks or whenever he chooses, called (Cancel) Flight, respectively. Activating Flight consecutively in the same combo costs and spends a bar of Super Meter, however, if the combo was started with Homelander in Flight, he can use it an additional time before requiring Super Meter. (MK1)
  • (Flight) Laser Eyes: Homelander performs Laser Eyes while in Flight.
  • (Flight) Ground Laser Eyes: Homelander performs Laser Eyes in a diagonal fashion at the opponent. When used on an airborne or jumping opponent, they are bounced off the ground. Homelander can only continue combos with this by using his Kameo.
• Dirty Trick: Homelander puts his hand up, where he parries any punch-based Basic Attack or Special Attack, including Jump Attacks, however, he cannot parry Fatal Blow punch-based start-ups. When parrying the opponent, Homelander will catch their fist, then kick them away, dealing damage. (MK1)
  • Enhancing the attack has Homelander uppercut the opponent into the air, also putting him in Flight. Enhancing the attack deals less damage at the expense of granting Homelander the ability to juggle the opponent and activating Flight.
• Diabolical Dash: Homelander dashes toward the opponent, covering a lot of distance. Homelander is able to dash full-screen distance. Homelander is able to perform follow-up attacks, where he can travel less distance or travel the entirety of the arena to strike the opponent; (MK1)
  • Soaring Strike: Homelander uppercuts the opponent into the air, activating Flight and allowing for follow-up airborne attacks or Flight attacks.
  • The Seven Slam: Homelander grabs the opponent by the collar and slams them into the ground in the opposite directions. This attack is a High Command Grab and is unblockable, but can miss jumping or ducking opponents. The attack deals increased damage if the opponent is Up Blocking. This attack can also connect on opponents during a combo, regardless if they are juggled or not. Homelander is considered airborne when connecting this attack.
  • Krippling Knee: Homelander delivers a powerful knee strike, knocking the opponent away.
  • Korporate Kick: Homelander kicks the opponent in the chest, knocking the opponent down. Homelander is very safe if this attack is blocked by the opponent, however if the attack is Flawless Blocked, Homelander is completely vulnerable. Additionally, this attack can miss ducking opponents, again leaving Homelander vulnerable.
• (Air) Diabolical Dash: Homelander can perform Diabolical Dash while in the air, however the follow-up attacks are much different with differing effects. Consecutive use of the same attacks used do not allow for follow-up attacks, requiring Flight to be activated again to continue combos. (MK1)
  • Grounding Fist: Homelander punches the opponent over the head as he flies at the opponent. Homelander can continue combos if this attack is successful.
  • Vought Drop: Homelander flies at the opponent, grabs them by the throat and snaps their neck before dropping them to the ground. Homelander remains in Flight after successfully performing this attack or missing this attack. If this attack misses, Homelander can choose to return to the ground, ending Flight. Additionally, when grabbing the opponent, Homelander can advance or retreat before snapping their neck, allowing him to move the opponent where he wants before dropping them.
  • Gliding Knee: Homelander performs a knee strike while airborne. Homelander can exit Flight after performing this attack.
  • Hovering Impact: Homelander kicks the opponent, while airborne knocking them away. Homelander can exit Flight after performing this attack.
• Blast Off: Homelander flies straight into the air. If the opponent is close to Homelander, they take damage and are knocked away. (MK1)
  • Enhancing the attack deals increased damage, grants Armor and knocks the opponent away full-screen distance.
• Low Laser Eyes: Homelander crouches and fires his heat vision at the opponent's midsection, causing them to stumble backwards. Homelander is able to dodge incoming High attacks when timed correctly. (MK1)
  • Enhancing the attack has Homelander keep the beam on the opponent for a little longer, dealing increased damage and knocking the opponent away.
• Sky Laser Eyes: Homelander fires his heat vision into the air at airborne opponents. This attack can only strike airborne opponents. (MK1)
  • Enhancing the attack has Homelander keep the beam on the opponent for a little longer, dealing increased damage and knocking the opponent away. Homelander can continue combos in some instances.
• Sweeping Laser Eyes: Homelander concentrates his heat vision then shoots them in a continuous beam. If it successfully connects, Homelander blasts the opponent into the air and knocks them away. Homelander can continue combos in some instances. Homelander is safe when this attack is blocked by the opponent. (MK1)
• (Air) God Complex: Homelander hovers in the air with his arms outstretched, then lands on the ground, causing a small shockwave that knocks the opponent off their feet. Homelander can delay the attack before landing and cancel the attack, called (Air) Delay God Complex and (Air) God Complex Cancel, respectively. Homelander can also cancel the attack into Flight as well as move while performing the attack.
  • Enhancing the attack launches the opponent into the air for a juggle. The enhanced version deals no additional damage at the expense of the juggle effect.

Fatal Blow

• I Can Do Whatever I Want: Homelander strikes the opponent shins with his heat vision, stunning them. He then flies towards the opponent, uppercutting them into the air before grabbing them by the leg and slamming them headfirst into the ground where only their upper body sticks out. He then concentrates his heat vision into their abdomen, causing their intestines to explode and sending them flying backwards. (MK1)

Other Moves

• Shove (Forward Throw): Homelander pushes the opponent forward, dealing minimal damage. This Throw is performed when a Kameo Fighter is unavailable for a normal Forward Throw. (MK1)
• Up Up And... (Backward Throw): Homelander grabs the opponent, effortlessly tosses the opponent into the air offscreen while quipping at the camera before they land on the ground in the opposite direction. (MK1)
• See No Evil: Homelander slaps them backhands the opponent before grabbing them by the face and gouging one of their eyes out with his thumb. This combo acts as a High Command Grab and is unblockable, but can miss jumping or ducking opponents. This final grab deals increased damage if the opponent is Up Blocking. (MK1)
• Hear No Evil: Homelander performs a bell clap to the opponent's head, leaving them momentarily dazed. If it successfully connects, it will leave the opponent stunned for a brief moment for a free hit. When used as a Kounter or Punish, the stun duration is significantly increased. Using this attack on an airborne opponent does not grant this stun effect. (MK1)
• If Looks Could Kill: While airborne, Homelander performs either a downward or a straight punch, follows up with his and grabs the opponent by the shoulders, blasting them in the face with the beams before dropping them down. (MK1)

Fatalities

• Winging It: Homelander launches the opponent high into the air with a powerful uppercut where they are struck by an oncoming passenger airline. While stuck to the nose of the plane, Homelander grabs the opponent then releases them into one of the engine turbines, shredding them to pieces as the engine explodes. Passengers inside begin panicking as Homelander salutes and watches on as the plane plummets to its demise. (MK1)
• This Is Your Fault: Homelander uses his heat vision to sever the opponent's legs at the knees. While upright, he concentrates his heat vision directly into their face, melting it before causing their head to explode, where he then bisects them in half from the neck down. Homelander then snarls, posing in victory as he laughs at the opponent. (MK1)

Brutalities

• The Klassic: Homelander performs his uppercut, decapitating the opponent with a rising uppercut. (MK1)
• What Happens If?: Homelander performs his Hear No Evil Basic Attack, with the bell clap destroying the opponent's eardrums and causing them to bleed profusely before bleeding to death at Homelander's feet. (MK1)
• Shhh...: Homelander performs an enhanced Dirty Trick, only this time, he approaches the opponent and drives his fist straight through their chest into their heart. He whispers to the dying opponent as he wipes their blood off his glove. (MK1)
• Squeeze The Truth: Homelander performs his See No Evil combo, gouging both the opponent's eyes out, causing them to bleed profusely to death.
• I'll Laser Everyone!: Homelander performs his Heroic De-Escalation combo, where after he pushes the opponent back, he uses his heat vision to cut the top of the opponent's head off before cutting their torso off from the shoulder to the hips. (MK1)
• Eye Exam: Homelander performs an (Air) Diabolical Dash then performs a Vought Drop, only this time, he lowers the opponent to the ground and fries their face with his heat vision, leaving nothing but a charred skull. (MK1)
• Almost Got Away: Homelander grabbed the opponent with Up Up And... as they crash hard to the ground, destroying their upper body. (MK1)
• Top Heavy: Homelander performs his Backhanded Praise, destroying the opponent's upper body. (MK1)

Other Finishers

• Animality - Let Freedom Wing: Homelander transforms into a gryphon with red, white, and blue feathers before flying at the opponent, grabbing them and throwing them in the air. He flies back, slashing them in half before grabbing the upper half of their body and destroying it with a concentration of his heat vision. (MK1)

Quotes

Mortal Kombat 1 Gameplay

• "No one can stop me."
• "I'm the top of the food chain!"
• "I am done apologizing."
• "I don't make mistakes."
• "I am the Homelander."
• "I am the master race."
• "I can do whatever the fuck I want!"
• "Need a break?"
• "What's the point?!" (after performing a Backwards Throw)
• "That'll get ratings." (after performing a Backwards Throw)
• "Deadshit." (after connecting Dirty Trick)
• "Loser." (after connecting Dirty Trick)
• "Oh no, are you okay?" (Brutality quote)
• "Not sorry." (Brutality quote)
• "You picked a stupid way to die." (Brutality quote)
• "God bless America!" (Brutality quote)
• "No sweat." (Brutality quote)
• "Shhh.. It'll be okay." (Brutality quote, also in Shhh... Brutality)
• "Look at yourself. You're disgusting." (after performing a Brutality on Baraka)
• "Another useless fucking blind guy." (when performing his What Happens If? Brutality on Kenshi)
• "Whoops..." (During his Winging It Fatality)

Ending

• Mortal Kombat 1: "How many times have I saved them? I give and give and give. But nooo, I laser a few measly innocent bystanders, and suddenly they're all "what have you done for me lately?" I guess they forgot there's only one true justice in this world. Me. But of course, that was before things got... weird. Gotta admit, a portal from another dimension opening up and demons pouring out wasn't how I thought Tuesday was gonna go. But then again, that multiverse crap is all the rage lately, so who knows? And the same ungrateful cry babies who whined about me lasering a few dozen nobodies - now they begged me to save them. So I saved the world. Again. I mean, it's my world. I can't let a bunch of demons disrespect me. After I finished them off, their portal or whatever was still open. Which could only mean one thing - sequel. (uncomfortable chuckle) I went in the damn glowy hole. And what did I discover? (laughing) Another realm, with a tournament where gods and monsters fight to the death. It was like VoughtLand, but just for me. Honestly, I (stammers) only wish I'd known about this place sooner 'cause I've had the time of my life."

Trivia

General

• Despite using Antony Starr's likeness for the character, Homelander's appearance in the game will be the first official media appearance in which Starr does not voice the character. Instead, Homelander is voiced by Jake Green.^[1]
  • While initially no reason was given by Starr, a response on Instagram by the actor confirmed he was open to reprising his role,^[2][3] but an unspecified circumstance caused him to not voice the character.
• Homelander is the third guest character in the series to be used as promotional material for the release of media he is related to, this being the premiere of the 4th season of The Boys television series. Other guests used were The Terminator and Omni-Man.
• Homelander is the overall fifth comic book guest character featured in the series.
• Homelander is the third comic book character featured to be of an Evil alignment, after The Joker and Omni-Man.
• Homelander is the first comic book guest character that originated from Dynamite Comics.
  • As such he is the first comic book guest character to not originate from DC Comics, although the first six issues of The Boys came out in the DC imprint Wildstorm, or Image Comics.
• Homelander joins Cyrax/Cyber Smoke and Omni-Man in having a Fatality with the distinction of killing a massive amount of people, this being the passengers of the airline that crashes during his Winging It Fatality.
• Antony Starr affectionately refers to Homelander as "Homie".

Mortal Kombat 1

• In his reveal trailer, Homelander was the first DLC character thus far to showcase both his Fatalities, although in limited capacity.
  • This was much different than all other DLC characters who would display one Fatality in its entirety.
• Like many guest characters beforehand, Homelander contains many references to The Boys.
  • Homelander's Winging It Fatality is a reference to both the comics and TV series' botched plane rescues, specifically the the Transoceanic Flight 37 disaster.
  • Homelander's See No Evil move and his What Happens If? Brutality references the episode "The Big Ride" where he destroys the Supe Blindspot's eardrums, like he does in the Brutality itself.
    • Additionally, Homelander has an interaction and a special Brutality dialogue for Kenshi where he calls him "Another useless fucking blind guy", which is the exact same saying he says to Blindspot.
  • His Dirty Trick move is a reference to the episode "Herogasm", where during his fight with Soldier Boy, he catches his fist and kicks him away.
    • His Shhh... brutality also resembles his killing of an armed sniper in "Get Some".
  • His Vought Drop move resembles Doppelganger's death in "Nothing Like It in the World", where he snaps their neck after they transform into him.
  • His throw, Up Up And..., and his Almost Got Away brutality is based on his killing of a robber in the episode "The Name of the Game".
• Arcade interactions with himself are references to when Homelander has moments of mental instability in the show, where he talks to himself in the mirror and the reflection responds back to him.
• An interaction with Raiden proclaims where "The only man in the sky is me". This is a quote from him from both the comics and the TV show, specifically "The Only Man in the Sky", where this is a response from him to a suicidal person on top of a building.
  • Ironically, as Raiden states, Liu Kang is capable of flight, alongside other characters in Mortal Kombat 1.
• An interaction between Peacemaker compares Aquaman and The Deep, as Starlight walked in on The Deep having oral sex with an octopus.
• Two interactions with Noob Saibot compare him to Black Noir II, due to both wearing all black outfits.
• If Geras performs his Temporal Execution Fatality on Homelander, upon striking him in the face with his past counterpart's head and spine, Homelander's hair will lose its blonde sheen, revealing it is naturally brown.

Mortal Kombat Mobile

• Homelander will make his debut in the Summer of 2025, being the first guest from Mortal Kombat 1 to make a playable appearance in the game.

Errors

• In some instances, Homelander will not spend nor require the Super Meter to activate Flight consecutively in a combo.
  • This is a variation of an older glitch with the character that, although present in his gameplay reveal trailer, was actually unintended and confirmed by the developers that Homelander was intended to use Super Meter for consecutive uses of Flight. This bug allowed Homelander to deal massive amounts of damage to the opponent with barely any resources spent.

References

Navigation

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