Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Boys season 4, episodes 1-3.
Summary
The Boysseason 4 replaces two of the Supes in The Seven, butit keeps Black Noir around despite Homelander killing him in season 3— and his replacement’s true identity makes a lot of sense given the circumstances.The Seven has seen several shake-upssinceThe Boysdebuted in 2019, with several of its former members meeting tragic ends. At theending ofThe Boysseason 3, Black Noir joins their number, as Homelander discovers his longtime friend has been lying to him about his true connection to Soldier Boy.
Of course, Homelander already needs to replace Queen Maeve and Starlight whenThe Boysseason 4 opens, and Vought needs to maintain some semblance of normalcy as its opponents get louder and more skeptical of the company. With Homelander on trial,the Supe and the company he represents can’t have people knowing the truth aboutBlack Noir’s fate. Since the Supe wears a mask and never speaks, it’s easy enough to put someone else in his costume. And Vought clearly gives a lot of thought to how it can successfully hide what Homelander’s done.
The Boys: 25 Differences Between The Comics & The Show
The Amazon superhero series The Boys is based on a comic book series of the same name. Some things were changed comparing the comic book vs. show.
Vought Has Replaced The Original Black Noir With An Actor
This Is The Company’s Best Shot At Replicating The Supe’s Mannerisms
Viewers knew fromThe Boysseason 4’s trailersthat someone would pose as Black Noir in season 4, and the new episodes don’t hesitate to fill them in on the person’s true identity. While the Amazon series doesn’t give up all the details about The Seven’s secret new member, it does reveal thatVought has replaced the original Black Noir with a professional actor. The newcomer admits as much after Homelander has him and the other members of The Seven kill several innocent humans. Vought’s replacement is shaken by this, as he has never done such a thing before.
An actor can replicate Black Noir’s mannerisms and put on a facade better than anyone else, and that’s exactly what Vought needs.
As for why Vought goes with an actor to replace Black Noir,it likely stems back to the company’s motivation for keeping his death a secret in the first place. Vought can’t afford to have any more departures from The Seven, and it certainly won’t benefit from the public discovering Homelander’s role in Noir’s death. With the company desperate to keep up appearances, hiring an actor seems like the best way to ensure no one discovers the truth. An actor can replicate Black Noir’s mannerisms and put on a facade better than anyone else, and that’s exactly what Vought needs.
The New Black Noir Is Still A Supe (With Similar Powers To The Real Noir)
This Makes Him A Greater Asset To The Seven
Although the new Black Noir is an actor before joining The Seven,he’s still a Supe — and his powers make him an asset to Homelander’s team. With Homelander’s growing vendetta against non-Supes, it’s unlikely he would have hired an ordinary actor to replace Noir. This would have made Vought’s facade more difficult to maintain as well, since Black Noir isn’t shy about his abilities inThe Boys’early seasons. If his replacement is called for a mission in season 4, he’ll be able to put on a convincing performance, both in terms of powers and mannerisms.
It helps thatthe new Black Noir’s abilities aren’t that different from the old one’s. Judging byThe Boysseason 4’s first three episodes, the Supe wearing the suit boasts similar strength and speed to the original Noir. He’s not as well-trained as his predecessor, and this will likely be obvious to anyone close enough to observe him carefully. However, given how quiet and aloof the original Noir was, it’s unlikely anyone outside Vought will be able to put the pieces together.
Who Plays The New Black Noir In The Boys Season 4
Although Black Noir has a new identity within the world ofThe Boys,the same actor plays this new version of the character in season 4. Nathan Mitchell is the one beneath the mask in the new episodes, reprising his role fromThe Boysseasons 1-3. Given how infrequently Black Noir removes his mask — and how disfigured his face is in the early seasons — there’s no real reason Mitchell would need to be recast for the show’s big Noir twist.
In fact, the actor gets to flex his talents further now, playing with a new take on the original character and doing more with the Supe than before. The original Black Noir never spoke, butMitchell is able to lend his voice to the role inThe Boysseason 4. The actor replacing Noir isn’t supposed to be vocal in public, but he’s able to talk to other members of The Seven behind closed doors. This could be what eventually gives him away inThe Boys,but only time will tell if Vought can keep its Black Noir secret.
The Boys
Cast
The Boys is a gritty and subversive take on the superhero genre, focusing on a group of vigilantes who confront powerful superheroes abusing their abilities, exploring themes of corruption and moral ambiguity in a world where heroes are not always what they seem.
