Soldier Boy (Payback)/Comics

Soldier Boy was a cowardly patriotic superhero and supposedly the "elected" leader of Payback, though he had ambitions to join the Seven. (never resorting to foul language or joining his team during the "Herogasm" Orgies). He also mistakenly interprets gay sex with Homelander as a test for him to join the Seven.
== Background ==
It's claimed he fought in World War II, though Butcher claims otherwise and refers to this story as an insult to the people who really did. His nose is bitten off by Butcher in issue #32. He is captured alive but badly beaten by Butcher in issue #33, and is tortured for information in #34. At the beginning of issue #39 the cover of a newspaper, shows there is a funeral being held for Soldier Boy.
It is later revealed that "Soldier Boy" was a legacy title. Two earlier Soldier Boys have existed, both the leaders of their team. The original's decision to send the flyers of the Avenging Squad (a prototype for Payback) to scout for Germans - without authorization or awareness of military tactics - led the Waffen-SS to a US Army camp, causing a massacre of both the Avenging Squad and the American soldiers they were supposed to assist. He was mortally wounded by the attack and killed by Mallory.
== Powers and Abilities ==
* Superhuman Strength: Soldier Boy is not as strong as Homelander, Stormfront, or any other supes. However, he is still relatively strong, similar to a super-soldier.
* Superhuman Speed: Soldier Boy is able to dodge bullets as well as punches and blows easily.
* Skilled Shield Usage: Soldier Boy is an expert user of his shield, which he uses as a melee weapon.
* Expert in hand-to-hand combat: Soldier Boy is able to be in control momentarily during his fight with Billy Butcher by using his speed, repeatedly throwing blows at him, stunning him multiple times.
== Weaknesses ==
* Cowardice: Soldier Boy is a cowardly and naïve individual who mindlessly sucks up to other well-known superheroes. It seems that he commits crimes such as mass murder to please Homelander so that he could get a spot in The Seven. When faced with actual combat, Soldier Boy has been known to urinate himself out of fear.
* Naïvete: Soldier Boy is so incredibly naïve and desperate to join The Seven that Homelander successfully tricks him into sex once every year by claiming it's the "test" to join The Seven, which Soldier Boy invariably "fails".
== Personality ==
Soldier Boy had no qualms about hurting others or abusing his powers, but unlike most other Supes, his patriotism and dedication to his job wasn't just an act. He maintained a very innocent approach to his role, not realizing the depravity around him. He never used foul language or participated in the Herogasm orgies, was quick to use corny, outdated phrases like "gee-whiz" or "golly, gee", and screamed aloud the names of the States as he fought the Boys, an assumed habit of his. However, he was also very cowardly, and tried to flee as soon as he realized Payback would lose.
== Trivia ==
*He is a particularly mean-spirited parody of Marvel's Captain America, of which Boys writer and co-creator Garth Ennis has a particularly intense contempt toward the character.
**In a dark moment of irony, when Soldier Boy had his nose completely bitten off by Billy Butcher during a fight and had his face covered in his own blood, he resembles Captain America's nazi archenemy, Red Skull.
*Jensen Ackles portrays Soldier Boy in the third season of The Boys. His personality is altered as opposed to his innocent and oblivious nature in the comics.
Category:Comic characters
Category:Supers
Category:Male Characters
Category:Deceased
Category:LGBT+ Characters
Category:Characters Killed by Billy Butcher/Comics
pl:Żołnierzyk
Category:Payback/Comics