The boys: Starlight's darkest 'The Seven' moment was worse in the comics.
After joining The Seven, Starlight discovered the horrific truth about Supes' depravity in The Boys, but the situation worsened for the hero in ways never shown in the Amazn TV show. According to The Boys comic, when Starlight sought solace in her partner following her horrific meeting with The Seven, she discovered her fellow team member, Drummer Boy, cheating on her with a nun hero named Holy Mary.
The Seven is the most powerful, well-known, and profitable superteam in the Boys universe. Vought-American created The Seven, who are led by Homelander, Queen Maeve, and The Deep and are well-known among the general public for their heroic actions. However, behind the scenes, the "heroes," like the majority (if not all) of Supes, are violent and depraved. That was never more apparent than during Starlight's entrance to The 7. Unfortunately, The Seven's darker influences filtered down to some of Vought-American's lesser superteams.
Starlight walked in on her boyfriend cheating on her.
The Boys #15 by Garth Ennis, Darick Robertson, Simon Bowland, and Tony Avina depicts Starlight's reunion with her original superteam, the Young Americans. Annie January, seeking solace from her boyfriend and fellow Supe, Drummer Boy, returned to the Young Americans' headquarters to surprise him. However, what she discovered revealed that even the lowest-level Supes are immoral beings, as Drummer Boy engaged in an intimate interaction with the nun-themed Supe, Holy Mary.
Drummer Boy was afraid and lonely after Starlight left the Young Americans to join The Seven, so he cheated on Annie with Holy Mary. Drummer Boys' actions demonstrate that even Supes, who is supposed to be benign (and, in this case, conservative and pious), has embraced his more wicked side in The Boys reality. For Starlight, the worst time of her life became much worse when the adultery ended her relationship with Drummer Boy, and she lost trust in God as a result of what she had gone through.
Drummer Boy was just another example of Superman not being what Starlight thought.
In the show, Starlight recruits Drummer Boy to try to topple Homelander. Unfortunately, this results in Drummer Boy's horrific death, leaving Starlight more lost than ever.
Part of what makes Starlight such a wonderful hero is that she constantly manages to keep her strength in The Boys universe, despite her restrictive childhood, her assault at the hands of The Seven, or discovering her first love cheating on her. However, after the nightmare introduction with The Seven, seeing Drummer Boy and Holy Mary together revealed that her time as a hero was far more horrific than shown in The Boys television series.
Starlight's Betrayal in The Boys' Comics
This was one of the pivotal occasions that shattered Starlight's faith in Superman. She reached the pinnacle of Supe culture by joining the Seven, only to discover that they were a group of depraved beasts with no morals to speak of. When she attempted to return to her roots, to individuals she thought were friends and loved her, she instead discovered more wickedness. Drummer Boy's betrayal of Starlight brought her to her lowest moment, but it also led her into the arms of Hughie, who would later become her one true love.
Starlight's journey through The Boys comics is fraught with darkness and disillusionment. Her meeting with Drummer Boy's betrayal is especially traumatic, emphasizing the corrupt character of the superhero society and the difficulties she faces as she attempts to keep her trust in mankind. The comic version of Starlight was pushed back to Hughie due to the trauma she experienced. The TV version, albeit being essentially held hostage by Homelander, would not remain so for long. Starlight, with the support of Soldier Boy and Butcher, fought back. While the organization failed, Starlight never gave up hope in bringing Homelander down.
Starlight's Adventure in The Boys: A Comparison between Comics and Television
Eric Kripke produced the superhero/dark humor satire series The Boys, which is based on the same-named comic series. Set in a "what-if" universe in which superheroes are revered as celebrities and gods with few consequences for their misdeeds. However, one group of vigilantes, led by a vengeance-obsessed guy named Billy Butcher, will fight back against these super-charged "heroes" to reveal them for what they are.
Starlight's arc in The Boys has changed dramatically between the comics and the television adaptation. While the fundamental parts of her character and journey remain, specific events and relationships have taken various trajectories. The comics delve deeper into Starlight's issues with faith and her disillusionment with the superhero world, whereas the television series focuses on her complicated relationship with Homelander and her efforts to uncover his true character. Both versions of Starlight illustrate her bravery and perseverance, demonstrating her will to fight for what is right even in the face of enormous difficulties.
