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Throughout The Boys, we have come to learn a lot about Soldier Boy's past and the fact that he wasn't really a soldier at all. However, one fan thinks the Supe's lack of military experience might play an important role in the upcoming spin-off Vought Rising thanks to a clue hiding in plain sight.
The first look at Vought Rising introduces new characters Bombsight, Torpedo, and Private Angel in their retro Supe outfits alongside Soldier Boy in a different version of his usual green and red get-up. However, avi_n_movies on Instagram points out that all of the Supes are wearing a military medal or badge, except for Soldier Boy.
"Most of them have military ribbons, badges, or service symbols," reads the post. "Bombsight = Aviation. Torpedo = Navy. Private Angel = Wartime support roles. But then there’s Soldier Boy… No real service distinction. Just the superhero emblem."
Vought has always presented Soldier Boy as a product of the American dream, claiming he was born poor and built himself from the ground up through hard work and bravery. But, in reality, Soldier Boy, real name Benjamin, was born into wealth with an abusive father. In an attempt to make his dad proud, Ben joined the US Army in the '40s to try to be like his older brother, who was a decorated Army veteran. But before he saw any combat, he put himself forward for V-One trials led by Frederick Vought. Lucky for him, the formula worked.
Despite Ben not being an actual soldier, Vought branded him Soldier Boy and made him a mascot for Vought and the US military, using him as propaganda and staging combat. In the most recent episode of The Boys, season 5 episode 4, Soldier Boy came face-to-face with WW2 soldier named Quinn. Quinn used Soldier Boy's past to taunt him, adding that even at the V-One trials, he was still blubbering like a baby and had to be strapped down while the formula was administered. This led Soldier Boy to kill Quinn.
However, the Instagram user suggests that perhaps Soldier Boy was never actually meant to lead the group as a figurehead for the military, and that it was actually supposed to be Quinn, but his powers didn't make the cut. "Quinn was supposed to be the original Soldier Boy. A real serviceman. A true symbol. But he failed… and Benjamin survived. So Vought created the myth around him instead. And the others? They might actually know the truth."
This certainly throws a spanner in the works and may explain why Soldier Boy isn't in contact with the other V-One Supes in the main series. They perhaps just don't like him, or maybe something happened way back in the '40s that drove the group apart. It looks like Vought Rising will explain all.
Vought Rising hits Prime Video sometime in 2027. The Boys season 5 continues to air weekly. See our The Boys season 5 release schedule for exact timings, and check out our picks for the best shows on Prime Video.
