For the Dynamite version of the character, see Black Noir's Son.
“
Your family isn't your enemy. Your family is all you got. I've been thinking about my mom a lot lately. She died. But she loved Christmas. And s'mores with Reese's. And Terms of Endearment. And she loved her husband Billy. But she wouldn't love this. She wouldn't want me doing it. My mom always told me to tell the truth... which is why...
―Ryan Butcher's off-script speech during a live broadcast of Avenue V.[src]
”
Ryan Butcher is a major character in the Amazon series The Boys.
―Ryan addressing Butcher before he lets Mallory take him away.[src]
”
Ryan is a sweet boy who loves his mother, Becca. He's the type of kid who enjoys simple things, he was raised to be a kind and diligent little boy, something he remained as late until the age of 8, unlike Homelander, who, according to Vogelbaum's confession was the same until the age of 5 although his father's demeanor changed when his caretaker forced him to become "the greatest man in the world", something Becca adamantly wanted to avoid. Ryan enjoys making short stop motion Lego animation's based on old movies that his mother showed him, he also enjoys staying on top of his education and whenever he can give himself "homework" (as Homelander put it) so he can exercise his mind.
―Ryan expressing surprise at seeing the famous Homelander.[src]
”
Ryan is first seen in the show after the standoff of William Butcher and Homelander at Madelyn Stillwell's house. When John takes Butcher to his wife's front porch Ryan quickly comes out of the house to see what the commotion is outside and is surprised to see the famous superhero.
After Homelander proclaims he is his father, Ryan is overpowered by a rush of emotions causing his powers to manifest by the way of almost activating his heat vision, a trait clearly inherited from his father.
―Ryan's reaction to seeing Homelander launching a ball into space.[src]
”
On a sunny day, Homelander wants to spend some quality time connecting with his son, so he tries to play baseball in the backyard of Becca's house, at first things seem to be going splendidly, with Ryan throwing his dad the ball, Homelander engaging in some small talk, but when Ryan starts messing up and missing the balls Homelander throws at him, the superhero just bluntly states that Ryan should start using his powers to make himself better at the game.
Ryan is bemused by his comment, citing that he can't do the things that Homelander can, but before the superhero can press the matter further, Becca, the kid's mother intervenes and sends Ryan away to do his homework.
Father and son[]
“
Mom says being lonely makes you know yourself better.
―Ryan after Homelander starts trying to connect with him.[src]
”
Homelander visits Ryan again in an attempt to connect with his child, this time the supe gives his son a smartphone, something Ryan never had before and a thing that he doesn't quite know what do to with, since he doesn't have that many friends and his mother is almost always by his side. After an initial awkward exchange his father starts to open up to Ryan, stating that he didn't really have parents and he wants to be for him what he never had, both a mother and a father, although his superiority complex still seeps into the conversation making little Ryan uncomfortable. Homelander starts ranting about how they are both one side of the same coin, gods that are destined to enjoy the feeling of power, beings that can't be regulated by anyone and how he wants his son to share this feeling together with him.
Extremely weirded out by the monologue Ryan dismisses Homelander by telling him he wants to go to bed.
Homelander interrupts usual breakfast Monday morning for Becca and Ryan, although just his mere presence creates considerable tension.
Tired of the antics of both Becca and his child around the breakfast table, John rudely halts the meal, masking a demand that his son go with him to show him some real "fun" outside into a question instead of playing this little charade Becca calls breakfast, she tries to prevent the supe from taking her son but Ryan assures her it'll be ok, probably out of fear his father would throw a tantrum if they refused.
Flying lessons of Homelander[]
“
Are you ready?" "Ready for what?
―Homelander asking Ryan if he's ready to jump into the proverbial frying pan.[src]
”
Shortly past breakfast, the father's child takes him up to the roof of Becca's house for his first lesson in superhuman abilities: flight. At first starting slow, the supe starts to get the boy ready by asking him mundane questions among the likes of, "Has your mother ever taken you up here before?", but per his father's really low patience he starts pushing the boy to just let go, jump and propel himself away into flight, Ryan obviously doesn't want to do it, thinking he'll fall right off and injure himself but when the super pushes even harder, Ryan starts crying. It's not what he wants.
Feigning regret for pushing his son to partake in his lesson, Homelander starts comforting him before casually pushing his son off the roof in the hope that his instincts will kick in and he will fly.
Much to his father's disappointment, Ryan falls flat on his face. Becca then exits the house and rushes to their son's aid, frightened that that Homelander might have just killed him. The supe bluntly tells Becca that Ryan can't be hurt, assuming that Ryan inherited his father's invulnerability.
A short while later, Ryan recovers from his fall without a scratch, suggesting Homelander is correct. Then, when Homelander threatens his mother, Ryan apparently displays his powers again in a fit of rage, managing to shove Homelander to the ground. Ryan's eyes also glow red, albeit not shooting them into laser-like beams like Homelander does. This display, much to Becca's chagrin leaves Homelander with a weird satisfaction in knowing that his son is indeed a superhuman as well.
The power couple come a knockin'[]
“
All right, well, Ryan, I'd love you to meet my girlfriend, Stormfront" "Wow, he looks just like you!
―Homelander introducing Ryan to his new lover Stormfront while she exclaims the child's perfect Aryan features.[src]
”
When Ryan and his mom play with a Lego set in their backyard, John brings his new girlfriend Stormfront to see his progeny. Not wasting any time, Stormfront begins trying to poison the child's mind, immediately feeding him things like how he should know that he is a very special being, the first natural born supe and other things, Becca tries to intervene but to no avail. Homelander then declares that they will shift focus to Ryan and that both him and Stormfront will be spending a lot more time with Ryan, hoping that Ryan will begin to connect with Stormfront and get to know her better.
Little family get-together[]
“
Wow... That... That uh... That's really something Ryan" "I've done the Blindside, Dances with Wolves, Terms of Endearment, all my mom's favorites!
―Ryan showing his father and Stormfront his stop motion Lego movies.[src]
”
Inside the house Homelander, Stormfront, Becca and Ryan gather around a tablet to watch the Lego movies little Ryan put together inspired by old movies his mother let him watch, all of them non violent, so as not to taint him. Displeased with this development Stormfront asks Ryan if he's into any "normal kid stuff" like video games or YouTubers like Pewdiepie, after Ryan doesn't even know what she talks about, Stormfront suggests the boy watch some of his dad's movies, much to the kid's surprise that his dad actually is a movie star on top of being a superhero, after which she promises to take Ryan to various kid attractions around the country to basically get him out of the shell Becca put him in. His mother, reaching the end of her patience watching the 2 supes trying to twist Ryan's way of life calls Homelander outside and tries to argue with him that what they're doing is not in his benefit. Homelander insists that if she keeps on going like this, Ryan will be shell shocked when he sees the real world and when he finds out that all his childhood he lived a protected, sheltered, designed life, much like himself. Meanwhile, Becca argues it's for Ryan's own good and he won't become Homelander since he has a mother.
The truth is hard to swallow[]
“
Alright! Dinner's ready! Hey bud, you ready for dinner? What's wrong?" "You're a liar, you lied to me! He just flew me up and showed me! This house is fake, the neighbours are fake, YOU'RE FAKE?
―Ryan's revelation that his whole life was orchestrated when Homelander showed him the truth.[src]
”
Later that evening, when Becca finished cooking some lasagna for dinner, she called upon her son to come to the dinner table, but to her surprise she found Ryan with Stormfront and Homelander, revealing the latter flew him up into the air and presented for him the lie that Vought created, a whole suburban neighborhood, designed to give him a perfect, non violent childhood, complete with fake neighbors, fake school, fake mother, just so he wouldn't turn out like his dad did. Becca immediately tries to damage control the situation, telling her son that they will talk about all this but he is having none of it, when Homelander and Stormfront tell Becca to back off and that he will be coming with them, she tries to take him under her wing and shield him with her body, but Ryan, angry at his mother, goes out from beside her right into Homelander's arms, the supe flies away with his son and his girlfriend, leaving Becca behind in dismay.
Adjustments[]
Ryan attempts to hold onto a few things from his time with Becca, quoting her stance on always learning. Homelander however, believes he doesn't need to think that way and encourages his son to have fun. That's when Homelander decides to take Ryan and Stormfront to his first restaurant. Everything seems to be going well until a bunch of fans begin to swarm Homelander and Stormfront, this makes Ryan begin to panic as he is not used to crowds of people. Homelander notices his son's anxiety and flies him away.
Ryan hides inside Homelander's cabin and tries to calm himself down by remembering Becca's guidance. Homelander enters and tries to connect with his son. Homelander then reassures Ryan by telling him his own first experience with crowds, and he also panicked just like Ryan. Homelander then offers to teach Ryan how to use his powers, saying he can be there like no one was for him. Ryan is then seen trying to use his heat vision on an action figure, Homelander and Stormfront encourage him. When Ryan fails, Homelander tries to help him by teaching him about "hating". Ryan argues that he has nothing to hate. That is when Stormfront intervenes and teaches him about "White Genocide", and that he needs to hate if he wants to protect those around him. Ryan tries again, but his lessons are interrupted by Stormfront when she sees a news article on her phone about her past.
Unlikely rescue[]
Becca is intent on finding Ryan so she goes to Butcher for help. With the guidance of Stan Edgar, Butcher and The Boys plan to get Ryan back. With Homelander distracted, Becca and Butcher retrieve Ryan from inside the cabin. When Mother's Milk attempts to drive away with Becca and Ryan, Stomfront arrives and prevents their escape by sending the car flying. After extracting Becca and Ryan from the ruined car, Butcher flees with them on foot. Stormfront is unable to pursue immediately as a combined attack from Kimiko, Starlight and Queen Maeve threatens to overwhelm her. Finally, Stormfront is able to flee by taking flight and quickly overtakes Butcher, Becca and Ryan.
Stormfront calls Ryan to her, insisting that he belongs with other Supes and not with his mother. Becca defiantly attacks Stormfront by stabbing her in the eye. Enraged, Stormfront pins Becca by the neck to a tree and begins to strangle her. As Butcher vainly attempts to stop Stormfront, Ryan pleads with her to stop hurting his mother, but to no avail. Ryan then uses his laser vision for the first time, reducing three of Stormfront's limbs to charred stumps and severely burning her face. Unfortunately, he mortally wounds Becca in the process, though it is unclear how Ryan could have accomplished this with his heat vision, as Becca began to bleed profusely from the neck and showed a curious lack of burns, which should have been the result of Ryan's heat vision. Becca then dies from blood loss, but not before extracting a promise from Butcher to keep Ryan safe. A tearful Ryan, overwhelmed by the enormity of his unwitting actions, repeatedly apologizes.
It is unclear what Butcher intends to do, despite his promise to Becca. After Becca dies, it first appears that he might intend to kill Ryan himself as revenge for his accidental killing of Becca. But Homelander arrives and sees Stormfront's charred body and delirious state of mind, and attempts to call Ryan to him. Ryan chooses instead to go to Butcher. Homelander then advances on Butcher, probably to kill him, but Queen Maeve arrives, and blackmails Homelander into allowing Butcher and Ryan to leave, and to further stop his vendetta against her, Elena and Starlight.
Butcher takes Ryan to Grace Mallory to put him in her care, where he will be safe and gifts Ryan his medallion.
Ryan has been living in a safe house with Grace Mallory for over a year. Butcher visits him regularly, at the promise of Becca before she died, and Ryan seems thrilled to have this new relationship with Butcher. They video chat often and Ryan even sends Butcher a short video he made with an audio voiceover from an old message from Becca.
However, when Butcher starts to search for Soldier Boy and take V24, he distances himself from Ryan in an effort to protect Ryan from the upcoming conflicts. After getting a lead to Soldier Boy's location from Grace, Butcher tells Ryan he is leaving with no intention to return. Ryan refuses, and pleads with Butcher to stay with him, but Butcher remarks he hasn't forgotten what he did to Becca. Distraught and heartbroken, Ryan removes Butcher's medallion and exclaims "I hate you" to Butcher and runs off in tears.
Reunited with Homelander[]
Sometime later, he is confronted by Homelander while practicing his superhuman throwing, having learned of his location from Victoria Neuman. His father, stating that he's not mad at Ryan for what happened a year ago, shares that he will always love him no matter what. Ryan responds with a hug, seemingly restoring their relationship, much to a scared Mallory. The former two presumably leave her behind and head to Vought Tower.
Homelander then presents Ryan to Soldier Boy, introducing him as his grandson, and that the two can finally be a family. Butcher, also present, is shocked to see Ryan there with Homelander, and becomes worried. However, Soldier Boy repeats his own father's words towards Homelander, calling him a disappointment and weak before restraining him with Butcher and Maeve. Ryan attempts to break the three Supes up to free his father, and manages to knock Soldier Boy to the side with his laser vision, to which his grandfather knocks him into a bookshelf and knocking him out, much to a distraught Homelander. After checking to make sure he's fine, Homelander engages with Maeve in battle, leaving Ryan defenseless before Soldier Boy begins to detonate. Butcher comes forward to shield Ryan with his body, but luckily, Maeve manages to throw Soldier Boy and herself out a window, directing the explosion outside in the air. With Soldier Boy gone, Homelander approaches Ryan, and he leaves with him, much to Butcher's agony.
During the next few days, Homelander begins to teach Ryan some of his powers, including flight, which he uses to descend with his father down to a group of Homelander and Stormfront supporters, introducing his son to them. Just then, a Starlight follower throws an object at Homelander, accidentally hitting Ryan in the head and on the chest. A furious Homelander, without thought, lasers the man right in the head, but the crowd cheers for him, much to his delight and Ryan's growing smile.
Ryan is leaning on a wall of the hotel he and Homelander are in. Homelander walks up to him telling Ryan it's time to go into the crowd. Ryan says there are a lot of people in the next room. Homelander reminds him. He also asks him if he would be scared of a bunch of cockroaches. Ryan says he would and Homelander changes it to baby chicks and says the point is he has nothing to be nervous about saying that they've talked about this saying that they're only humans and they both say they're "toys for our amusement". They hold hands as they both go into the crowd. They meet Victoria Neuman and her daughter Zoe. Zoe takes Ryan to the back of the hotel where they unexpectedly meet Butcher. Butcher asks Zoe to leave. Butcher talks to Ryan saying he can get him out of there. Homelander comes in and assures Ryan that nothing bad will happen and reveals that Butcher is dying. Ryan and Homelander leave. Later at the tower Homelander and Ryan are supposed to be celebrating. Homelander asks Ryan what's wrong and reminds him they have to do everything together. Ryan says he doesn't want Butcher to die. Homelander reminds him that Butcher said awful things to him. Ryan says that his mom loved him. Homelander asks if he does.
The next day Ryan would be in a meeting discussing his future super suit and super name and first save. He expresses that he is a bit unsure of it all. Sage says the whole pitch blows. Ryan is given a crime itinerary which has his first save.
Later Ryan does a practice of his first save which is recorded. The team then plays the video back and think it's pretty good and that their getting better but Noir is doing to much and just needs to walk in and that the Deep needs to drop the fucking muff taco line because the save needs to be more family-friendly. Koy says to Ryan that on the actual day that he's gonna throw him for real and that he can take it. Ryan asks Homelander if he looked dumb in the video and Homelander says he's really got to put his back into it and that he's really got to sell it and asks if he understands. Ryan then asks if all saves are like this and are staged and Homelander says no and that he has done plenty of real saves and that this is just to help him get his sea-legs so to speak. Koy then asks him if he wants to rehers the throw a few more times and Ryan says sure. On the day everything is going like it should until Homelander shows up and says they'll be saving America together. Ryan throws Koy but did it to hard and ended up killing him accidentally. Ryan is shocked. The save still ended up being a success partly because Vought framed it more that way.
Later that night Ryan is seen in Homelander's apartment crying into the couch. Homelander walks in offering him a milkshake. He consoles Ryan saying he'll get plenty of solo saves but that he really thinks him being there was good for his numbers. Ryan reveals he's crying because he killed Koy. Homelander says that accidents happen all the time and that humans are fragile and they can't save them all. Ryan says isn't that their job and Homelander says Koy died doing what he loved and that it'll be better next time. Ryan says that he's never doing that again. Homelander says that humans are toys and that he can't go around feeling bad about what he is just because a few things break. He then says that he is destined for so much more and that he is chosen and that sooner or later he's got to accept it. Homelander before leaving an upset Ryan alone in his room takes his milkshake.
The next day or so Ryan is introduced as the possible seventh member of the Seven at a big rally which has mostly Homelander supporters with Starlight supporters in the corner. He holds his hand up with his dad's and is visibly unhappy. His dad whispers behind him aggressively to smile which he does. Later that day in the tower he is seen by his father sitting in the Seven meeting room where he is visibly unsure and sad.
Later Ryan is playing Vought Tournament of Heroes to take his mind off things. He gets a battle request from a user called DontBACunt. Intrigued, he accepts it and chooses Lamplighter while the other user chooses Crimson Countess. The match starts and it turns out the other user is Butcher. Ryan says his did said he's not supposed to talk to him. Ryan is about to stop the match but Butcher convinces him not to. They engage in a battle. Butcher says they need to talk. Ryan says they're talking now but Butcher says he means a proper catch up IRL at his apartment saying to not make him play a "six months to live card." Ryan says if he had a "one month to live card that be something." Ryan beats him in the game. Butcher says for Ryan to just think about it.
A while later Ryan heads to Butcher's apartment landing outside his window greeting him. Butcher shows him the games on the table which includes Connect 4 and Lego and made the cookies his mom used to make for him. He says she used to bake them for him every year for his birthday instead of cake. He declined them saying he wasn't hungry. Butcher asked if he fancied a game. Ryan notices blood coming out of Butcher's ear. Butcher says that it's nothing. Ryan asks Butcher if he's scared to die. Butcher lies saying he's alright with it. Ryan sighs knowing he's lying and rethinks coming to Butcher's apartment. Butcher convinces Ryan to stay and asks him how his Foosball is. Ryan asks what it is. They play Foosball together and reconnect. Ryan asks him where he learned how to play. Butcher says he learned down the local pub and that he and Lenny would spend hours at it while his dad was getting pissed and drunk. Ryan asks who Lenny is. Butcher says he's his little brother and that he passed away. Ryan notices that Butcher lies but doesn't say anything. Butcher continues saying he always used to let him win but that he's not gonna do the same with him winning the game. Ryan says that it's ok and that everyone at the tower always let him and it's no fun. Butcher says he saw his save on TV remarking that Ryan is a big hero now. Ryan said that he actually accidentally hurt someone. Butcher asked what he meant by hurt them. Ryan says he was just supposed to throw them but he did it too hard. Butcher asks if they're going to be alright. Ryan stays quiet. He tells Butcher that his dad says he shouldn't even care. He says he understands why he doesn't want him and that he wouldn't want him either becoming teary eyed. Butcher tells that the horrible things he said to him he didn't really mean saying that he has a habit of pushing people away. Ryan asks why. Butcher says it's because he's a bad man and that he's got no business looking after a kid. Ryan denies that. Butcher recounts before when Ryan asked him if he was scared and says that the truth of the matter is that he's terrified because he's leaving the world without anything to show for it saying he has lost his brother and Becca and he could be leaving without making things right with the one part of Becca that is still alive and that's what scares him more than anything. Butcher gets up and throws the cookie he made for Ryan away saying that he messed them up and put way too much sugar in them. They play one more game. After a bit Ryan leaves. He gets back to the tower at night and passes his dad. He asks him where he's been. Ryan says that he flew to Coney Island. Homelander says he's lying. Ryan denies this. Homelander says he's been at Butcher's and that could smell him on him. Ryan says that he wanted to see him saying he's going through a tough time. Homelander angrily asks why he cares when he has everything at the tower saying he's given him everything Homelander himself has ever wanted but it's still not good enough for him. Homelander asks why he's not good enough for him. Ryan denies this. Homelander says that if he loves Butcher so much then he should get him to be his dad. Ryan says he doesn't want him to be his dad. Homelander throws a small statue at the wall mirror. Ryan runs upstairs and closes the door.
Ryan is with his dad in a meeting with Adam Bourke talking about his new show Super School. Homelander says if he doesn't want to do it then it's ok. Ryan says he doesn't want to do it and Homelander makes Bourke give Ryan the keys to his car and then Bourke gives Ryan his wallet. Homelander and Ryan walk and talk Homelander saying from now on there will be no more rules. Homelander brings Ryan to the V52 Expo. He asks him what he wants to do. Ryan hesitates and then says he wants to help people saying it's what his mom would want. Homelander says that's good and turns him to Adam Bourke and his assistant he says he should make Bourke's assistant punish him. Bourke's assistant slaps him repeatedly to Ryan and Homelander's growing smiles.
Homelander brings Ryan to Tek-Knight's estate party. Later at the side bar Ryan sits down while listening to the meeting.
Ryan is featured on the Avenue V Christmas special where puppets sing a song. Ryan stops the show on rehearsal. He expresses some doubt and concern with what it's promoting that being having kids report on their own parents and stir fear as well as promoting other xenophobic ideals. Tommy the director says the lyrics of the song were approved by his father personally. Ryan sees a christmas tree in the room and lots of presents for him. He spots one present that has brown rapping paper and it's from Butcher he opens it and it's a picture of his mother and Butcher with Butcher's dog, Terror. Later Ryan hears a voicemail from his dad where he shows little interest which only reinforces Ryan going against Vought. Ryan is on the show again but it's live. Ryan realises that what's happening is wrong, stops the song saying it's not cool and that honestly none of what they're doing is. He tells Ashley and the rest of the crew to not go to commercial. He walks up to the cameras saying to anybody watching that their family isn't their enemy and their family is all they have. He continues saying that he's been thinking about his mother a lot lately saying she died but she loved Christmas and s'mores with Reese's as well as Terms of Endearment and her husband Billy. He says she wouldn't like this and that she wouldn't want him doing it and finishes saying she always told him to tell the truth. He then leaves the room.
Ryan walks into Homelander's apartment finding that Homelander trashed it. Homelander says to Ryan to come here. Homelander says it again this time saying it's an order. He tosses the photo that Butcher gave him saying that he's his father not Butcher and that he always will be his father. Homelander says once again to come here. Although Ryan is mad he doesn't have it in him to fight his father instead he storms out with his dad still calling his name.
Ryan visits Butcher and Grace at a CIA safe house. Ryan gets reacquainted with Grace. Butcher says he and Ryan need to talk. Ryan says Butcher looks really sick. Butcher says he's wished himself dead more times than he could count and now all he wants is more time but he doesn't have it. Butcher continues saying Ryan can't go back to the tower and that he needs to go with aunt Grace. Ryan asks when Butcher says now. Ryan says he can't and that his dad would find him. Grace says not this time. Ryan says he's not sure if he wants to leave saying he kind of likes it there or at least parts of it. Butcher says when Becca died (which isn't his fault) he says that he heard what she said. She made Butcher promise to keep him safe and that's all he's trying to do. He continues saying that if Ryan's really telling him that the place he feels safest is with Homelander then he's not going to stop him. Ryan thinks for a moment. He then looks at Connect 4 and asks if Butcher wants to play. Butcher agrees and Ryan sits down and they start to play. They play for a while and bond. Grace whisper's to Butcher. Ryan says he can hear them. Ryan continues saying that Marvin says there was an attempt on Singer's life but Singer survived. Butcher says they know he can hear them but that it's just some things he doesn't have to worry about. Grace says that they're out of time and out of better options and Ryan needs to know the truth. Butcher says that they'll get there. Ryan asks what truth he has to know. Grace tells him the assassination was on his father's orders. She continues saying that Homelander killed everyone on Flight-37. A little overwhelmed, Ryan says she's lying. Grace says they have it on video and says he's murdered countless more. She says his father isn't who he thinks he is and he wasn't having an affair with his mother but in fact he raped her. Ryan is overwhelmed and shocked. Butcher says he's sorry. Ryan asks what else is there saying that Butcher's heart is pounding an that there's something he's not telling him. Butcher says he's the only one that can stop him. Ryan knows they mean for him to kill him. Ryan says he can't and to not ask him to. Butcher says Ryan is strong. Ryan retorts saying Homelander's stronger. Grace says they'll train him, get him ready. Ryan exclaims that this is why they want him to go with them to teach him how to kill his dad. Ryan says he has to go. Grace blocks him and tells him to stay and that they'll talk it out together. Ryan says he doesn't want to talk but assures them he'll be back and that he just needs to think. Butcher says there isn't going to be another time for them and to just take a breather. Ryan tries to leave again but Grace blocks him once again and says he can't leave. Ryan realises the walls are six feet thick. Grace says that this is the CIA's Hazlet safe-house and it's designed to hold people like him. She continues saying she could seal them in there and flood the room with halothane which would knock them out but she doesn't want to do that. Ryan says they planned this all along and brought him here to trap him. Butcher says they brought him here to help. Ryan exclaims that they're locking him in a cage unless he agrees to be their weapon similar to what happened with his dad. Butcher says that's not the way it is. Ryan says to Grace to let him go. Grace explains that when she lost her grand kids it left this big empty black-hole inside of her but then the greatest miracle came along being Ryan. Grace says she loves him. Ryan says he wants to leave. He asks her to get out of his way. Ryan pushes her into the wall unintentionally snapping her neck killing her. Ryan moves forward and looks over her he then looks at Butcher and then looks back at Mallory all the while showing little remorse. Ryan then leaves.
Personality[]
In the words of show writer Eric Kripke Ryan is half Homelander and half Becca. Ryan is a sweet, smart and pretty gentle boy. He loved his mother very much and is kind, quiet and polite to pretty much everyone when first meeting them. He is curious of the world like most kids his age. He really likes cookies as evidenced by the Lego animation he made. He is very smart as evidenced by him speaking a bit of Spanish with his mom on Monday breakfasts and him doing pretty good Lego animations which he enjoys doing. He is shown to like learning and staying on top of his education shown by him writing and reciting all fifty states as fast as he can in either alphabetical order or geographical order though he does dislikes math and comments that his mother used to help him. He is never shown to get very angry except when he pushed his father, Homelander and screamed at him telling him he hated him and to leave him and his mother alone. Due to being raised in isolation he had enochlophobia, however, this changed later in season 3, where we see Ryan fly down towards a crowd of Homelander fans. After his mother got killed accidentally by his heat vision he felt great guilt and sadness over her death and felt even more uneasy about his powers and after seeing his dad covered in blood he became scared of him and having nightmares of Homelander killing everything and everyone and Ryan himself. When Butcher rejected him and Homelander found him and he joined him they went to the rally. When Ryan saw Homelander kill the Starlight supporter for accidentally hitting Ryan and the crowd started to cheer for it Ryan began to grow a smile signifying that the Homelander half of him is developing. In season 4, Ryan’s kill count has slowly increased with the accidental death of one of Vought’s camera men named Koy, though Ryan did feel very guilty about it. Throughout the season, Homelander would slowly start to mold Ryan into the son he wants, which is basically a jr. version of himself. Even though Ryan’s good side still continues to fight his bad side, he starts growing more dark, as he repeatedly told a woman to physically strike a man who was stalking her and saying bad things about her, which made Homelander proud. In the final episode of season 4, Ryan kills Grace Mallory, again, by accident. But unlike his previous kills, Ryan doesn’t feel bad for what he did, showing that every time he takes a life, he loses another piece of his soul and becomes more like his dad.
Powers and Abilities[]
Powers[]
Flight:
Ryan flying
Ryan possesses the ability to levitate and propel himself through the air at rapid speeds. Initially, he was unable to fly, but he eventually mastered the ability over time.
Superhuman Strength:
Ryan throwing Koy to a building
Ryan possesses superhuman strength, which makes him stronger than humans and most Supes. He shoved Homelander to the ground, albeit done when angry, and he can launch a baseball at rapid speeds. He threw Koy faraway and destroyed his body. He did the same to Grace Mallory, and broke her neck upon impact.
Superhuman Durability:
Ryan being attacked by Soldier Boy
Ryan possesses superhuman durability, making him more durable than humans and some Supes. He survived a twenty-foot fall from his home's roof, emerging unharmed, as well as getting hurled into a bookcase by Soldier Boy.
Heat Vision:
Ryan lasers Soldier Boy
Ryan is also capable of generating heat energy from his eyes, similar to Homelander. However, Ryan has little to no control over this power, as his eyes simply glow red when he is angry. He managed to gravely injure Stormfront, severing three limbs and severely burning her face, reducing her to a delirious state. His heat vision is also strong enough to send his grandfather, Soldier Boy, flying back into a wall, protecting his father in the process: it took both Butcher and Homelander hitting Soldier Boy with their heat vision to throw him back. Although Ryan did catch Soldier Boy off guard when he shot him, whereas Soldier Boy saw Butcher’s and Homelander’s attacks, and was ready for them. Ryan's heat vision is stated to be more powerful than his own father's.
Superhuman Senses: All of Ryan's senses are enhanced to superhuman levels, allowing him to perceive the world in far greater detail than the average human.
Superhuman Hearing:
Ryan disturbed by high frequencies
Ryan's sense of hearing is incredibly sensitive, like his father's, even acute enough to hear someone's heartbeat. However, this can be detrimental when he is surrounded by cacophony. He was able to hear Grace whispering to Butcher
Superhuman Smell: Ryan's sense of smell is superhumanly acute. After Billy Butcher had injected himself with Compound V24, Ryan remarked that his "blood smells funny."
X-Ray Vision: Ryan was able to see through the walls of the CIA safe house he was visiting Butcher and Grace in, and tell the walls were six feet thick.
Regenerative Healing Factor: Ryan possesses a powerful healing factor; Ryan did receive a cut on his head after being hardly hit by his grandfather Soldier Boy. However, when he was presented by Homelander to his fans the next day, the wound on his head had already disappeared.
Abilities[]
Lego Animation: Ryan is very talented at creating Lego animations, having completed Lego animation versions of several of his mother's favorite movies.
Bilingualism: Ryan is able to speak Spanish, though his level of proficiency is unknown. According to Becca, she and Ryan speak Spanish on Mondays during breakfast.
Indomitable Will: To Be Added
Weaknesses[]
Psychological[]
Enochlophobia: Being raised in isolation has caused Ryan to develop enochlophobia, or fear of crowds. While on an outing with his father, he was reduced to a panic when adoring fans surrounded Homelander and Stormfront. It does not appear that he has agoraphobia, however, as he has been seen in environments outside of his home without becoming anxious. He later appeared to have overcome this to a degree, as he showed no signs of panicking when visiting a Homelander rally with his father.
Lack of Fine Control: As Ryan is still a prepubescent child, and also due to his lack of practice (due to his mother's refusal to address his superhuman powers) his control over his superhuman abilities is marginal at best. For example, he was only able to use his heat vision for the first time while in a panic over a threat to his mother. Also, while he succeeded in stopping Stormfront (and nearly killed her), he accidentally mortally wounded his mother in the process.
Trauma: The guilt of accidentally causing his mother's death deeply scarred Ryan, after the events in Season Two he develops nightmares about Homelander destroying everything then killing him. After Ryan is passed on to Homelander's custody, the latter doesn't give any psychological support to him. When Ryan accidentally killed an actor named Koy whom he knew personally during a staged robbery, his father's completely uncaring attitude towards the whole thing, which only fuels Ryan's feelings of guilt. Homelander's demands and psychological abuses caused Ryan to have self-loathing issues.
Biological[]
Brute Force/Limited Durability: Despite being more durable than humans, Ryan can still be stunned, knocked unconscious, and killed by extreme force. Soldier Boy throws Ryan into a shelf, knocking him unconscious and causing him to bleed. Furthermore, Ryan's limited durability is likely due to his young age.
High Frequencies: Due to being a Supe, Ryan is susceptible to high frequencies. When a high frequency is playing, it can induce immense pain and temporarily neutralize him. Ryan is temporarily neutralized by high-frequency playing speakers while being rescued from Homelander. Additionally, unlike Homelander, Ryan has not learned how to block out loud noises.
Koy † - (Unintentional; thrown onto a wall, killed on the orders of Homelander)
Grace Mallory † - Former Guardian (Accidental; thrown against a wall and neck snapped upon impact)
Trivia[]
Ryan is the first genetically born Supe in The Boys universe.
As a result, it is unknown if Ryan has any Compound V in his body, making the source of his powers unclear.
Ryan does not appear in the comics.
In the comics after Becca dies due to her fetus's laser eyes. While Becca's supe infant crawls out of her stomach, Butcher kills it with a lampstand due to its out of control laser eyes. Butcher gets permanent scars in his arm, due to getting struck by the fetus's laser eyes.
It is implied through Ryan's behaviors, specifically his fear of crowds, tendency to experience sensory overload, intense focus on studying and his animation hobby, as well has his repetitive behaviors such as listing U.S states in particular orders that Ryan might be somewhere on the Autism spectrum. However, given that he has superhuman senses, is a biological anomaly being the first natural born Supe, as well as the fact that he was raised in an artificial environment with only his mother as company, this could account for at least some of these behaviors.
His username on Vought: Tournament of Heroes is SupeRyan.
Ryan is very similar to Jack Kline from Supernatural; as both of them are powerful offspring of two of the strongest and most evil characters in their respective shows. And both Ryan and Jack are unsure of their place in the world, and not wanting to hurt anyone in spite of their fathers telling them to not care if they hurt others.
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