The Boys Declassified – Episode 7
The Boys Declassified will take each episode of the Amazon Prime Series (watch it by clicking here) and put it under a microscope, dissecting it in detail, annotating the changes made from the original comics and pointing out any worthwhile trivia or Easter eggs we might find! Read about it all below!
For parlance, any reference to “The series” means the television series, instances referencing the comic book series will note as such.
Come back and read after you’ve watched the episode because we’re talking full spoilers for the TV series; spoilers for the comic books will be noted and must be highlighted to be read. Like this, HIGHLIGHT SPOILERS: Just an example! Keep reading!
“The Self Preservation Society”
Once again, the title comes directly from the comics with issues #31 – #34 using the same title.
Butcher and Becca’s past
The reveal that Becca worked for Vought and Butcher even attended their little Christmas parties is entirely new for the series. In the comics, Becky is a social worker witih no connection to Vought.
Butcher watches Hughie & Annie
The context of Butcher spying on Hughie & Annie is different from how it happens in the comics, but there is a brief series of issues where Butcher has suspicions about Hughie and surveils him.
The Deep’s gills
The reveal of The Deeps almost horrific gills is an invention for the series. The Deep is never seen out of his diving suit in the comics.
Homelander confronts Annie
The sequence of Homelander confronting Annie for dating Hughie, who has been part of the team causing them so much trouble. This doesn’t exactly happen in the series, but Maeve coming to her defense does, just under different circumstances.
Butcher confronts Hughie
The main difference in this sequence and the comics is that Butcher would have kept this between him and Hughie instead of involving the rest of the team. Butcher’s M.O. throughout the comics was never letting anyone know something that didn’t need to and holding all the cards. Hughie yelling at him about his devotion to a dead woman doesn’t strike me as something that DID happen but something that could have happened.
A-Train kidnaps Papa Campbell
This sequence is an invention for the series, as is A-Train’s injury sustained by The Female. It’s a good change in my opinion though, it offers Hughie a cathartic moment between he and A-Trai plus a chance to flex his Butcher-like muscles.
MM’s Wife and Daughter
We finally see Mother’s Milk’s family in this episode which has some similarities and notable differences. Janine is MM’s daughter’s name in the comics, but MM and Janine’s mother aren’t still together when the comics begin, in fact they outright loath each other. I don’t believe it’s eve revealed that MM’s wife in the comics was named Monique, so that is likely an invention for the series. It’s also no secret in the comics that MM has a daughter though that is the case in the series.
Grace Mallory
Finally a face for the name! There are some changes and many similarities here. Mallory did start The Boys in the series and the comics, but in the source material it was Lieutenant Colonel GREG Mallory. In the source material Mallory approaches Billy while he’s being detained following the death of his wife. It’s a similar way of getting him enlisted in the series but not exact.
“Uncle Billy”
When Billy meets MM’s daughter he says she can call him by this name, which is exactly what she calls him in the comics.
“Jings”
While sitting in The Boys HQ together, Hughie’s father says this in response to seeing Hughie stand up for himself, this word is Hughie’s catchphrase in the comics. The slang is Scottish in origin, since the Hughie from the comics is from Scotland.
Easter Egg alert: We get a mini Star Trek reunion when Hughie’s father and Billy meet as stars Karl Urban and Simon Pegg appeared in all three Kelvin Timeline Star Trek movies.
Doctor Vogelbaum
Homelander pays a visit to Doctor Vogelbaum, the creator of Compound V. Couple big changes here as the Vogelbaum in the comics is a reference to figures like Wernher von Braun, a former Nazi scientist that came to America and applied their knowledge to American endeavors. There is a slight nod to this with him raising German dogs in the series, but he’s totally American here. He also didn’t have a chummy relationship with Homelander in the source material.
Rebecca Butcher’s fate
The version of what happened to Becca as seen in the series is similar to what happened in the comics, in regard to the outcome at least but the location of where it happened is different as Vought is seemingly unaware of Becky’s condition in the comics.
Raynor confronts Vought
After Billy turns everything over to Raynor, they send in the feds to confront Vought doesn’t happen in the series; however, the bit about Vought removing the bill and retooling it for later comes from the series, it just happens as a result of 9/11 and not Billy’s work.
Compound V terrorist
This is all-new for the series.
Annie learns about V
This is new for the series as Annie already knows about Compound V and the effects it can have on people.
Butcher shoots Annie
This doesn’t happen in the comics, in fact Annie and Butcher never even meet in the comics.
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