Gunpowder

*For the Dynamite version of the character, see Gunpowder/Comics.*

Gun Rights Activist

―Gunpowder[src]

**Gunpowder** is a recurring antagonist in the Amazon series *The Boys,* serving as a cameo character in Season 1, and a minor antagonist in Season 3. He was a member of Payback as well as Soldier Boy's sidekick.

## *The Boys* Series

### Background

In the late 70s and early 80s, Gunpowder was a teenage supe with dreams of superhero stardom. At the age of 14, he finally got his big break when he was chosen to be Soldier Boy's sidekick and a member of the super team, Payback.

On August 9th, 1983, Gunpowder sent Human Resources a confidential complaint, alleging a persistent and relentless pattern of "Soldier Boy's habitual abuse." Along with the complaint, Gunpowder requested to be transferred from Payback to another Superhero team.

In 1984, Gunpowder and the rest of Payback participated in an operation to assist the Contras in their attack on the Russian-backed Sandinistas in Nicaragua. Gunpowder and Soldier Boy were starting to set up a mortar for firing to entertain the troops but were stopped by Grace Mallory. Gunpowder was the only member of Payback who did not agree with Vought's plan of getting rid of Soldier Boy.

Later, the Sandinistas and Russian special forces attacked the encampment. Gunpowder took over a mounted emplacement gun on a jeep and started gunning down enemies, but it was unclear how many of them were actual Sandinistas or Contras, as a bloodlust quickly overtook him, making him shoot in Grace Mallory's direction, even as his teammates were yelling at him to stop.

### Season One

―Gunpowder[src]

Gunpowder appears in an interview, which Cherie is watching, saying that he had stopped the shooting and that if people were carrying guns, he wouldn't have to save them.

### *Seven on 7 with Cameron Coleman*

In the November 2021 telecast of Vought News Network's Seven on 7, a story of Gunpowder was reported by reporter Cameron Coleman, focusing on his new Junior Shooting Program that was developed in partnership with the Vought Rifle Association.

### Season Three

―Gunpowder regarding Soldier Boy's fate in Nicaragua.[src]

Butcher infiltrates a gun convention where Gunpowder appears to inspire people at the convention to take the law into their own hands. After his seminar, Butcher confronts Gunpowder in the bathroom and asks him questions about Soldier Boy. Gunpowder feigns ignorance about Soldier Boy beyond his staged death and denies any abuse he suffered from his former teammate. He then attempts to kill Butcher in the parking lot, managing to injure Butcher in his leg and face. Before he could corner Butcher, the latter shoots several cars, using their alarms to mask his escape.

Butcher later confronts Gunpowder a second time, now empowered by V24. Gunpowder doesn't hesitate to shoot Butcher three times in the chest and drop the latter to the ground. Butcher then recovers quickly and begins to beat Gunpowder until he reveals information about Soldier Boy. Gunpowder downplays his abuse as out of control "hazing" and confirms Soldier Boy's death at the nuclear power plant was staged. He also claims he doesn't know the full details, but he directs Butcher to question Mallory since the CIA was in charge when that happened, and she might know information about it. Gunpowder pleads for his life, but Butcher refuses to spare the supe and repeatedly beats his face while the former loses consciousness. Butcher keeps going until his heat-vision activates and he bisects Gunpowder's head and his car.

## Powers and Abilities

### Powers

* **Enhanced Accuracy**: Gunpowder possesses uncanny aim with firearms (perhaps similar to the way Eagle the Archer is proficient with a bow) far beyond the level of mastery ordinarily obtainable to non-supe humans. When Billy Butcher hid behind a support column in a parking garage, Gunpowder then shifted his aim so that his shot ricocheted off a water pipe, through a parked car's passenger and driver windows, off a second support column, which then grazed Billy Butcher's cheek. Moreover, he was able to do this while viewing Billy Butcher through a mounted mirror in the parking garage.
* **Enhanced Sight**: Gunpowder's sight is significantly superior to that of a non-supe, as evidenced by his sole reliance on a mounted mirror to hit Butcher.
* **Superhuman Durability**: In comparison to an average person, Gunpowder is noticeably more durable. For example, Gunpowder received numerous beatings from Soldier Boy while serving as his sidekick, but no lasting or disabling injuries resulted from any of them. Furthermore, while being beaten by Butcher, Gunpowder is seen with minor bruising, which is impressive given that Butcher had taken V-24 and had strength comparable to Homelander or Soldier Boy.
* **Superhuman Hearing**: Gunpowder, being a supe, has better hearing beyond that of ordinary humans, capable of hearing certain frequencies.
* **Regenerative Healing Factor (Tentative)**: Gunpowder, while not on par with Kimiko's healing factor, presumably had a limited regenerative healing factor. Gunpowder's healing factor is thought to have allowed him to regrow missing teeth, minor bruises, cuts, and scratches, allowing him to recover from Soldier Boy's beatings.

### Abilities

―Billy Butcher and Gunpowder[src]

* **Master Marksman**: As his name implies, Gunpowder is proficient with firearms. He taught kids about the Second Amendment, and how to safely carry and handle firearms. With his pistol, he was able to ricochet a bullet off a pipe, through a car window, off a concrete pillar, and across Billy Butcher's face.
* **Acting**: Gunpowder has participated in the production of many films, such as *Red Thunder*.

## Weaknesses

* **Limited Durability**: Although he is able to survive all kinds of bullets and explosions, he does have limits as Billy Butcher's heat vision is shown to be able to bisect his head despite having his superhuman durability.
* **Normal Firearms**: Due to his reliance on normal firearms, he poses little threat against someone who can't be pierced by bullets. This is shown when he fires at suped-up Butcher, but his bullets bounce off his chest.
* **Lack of Combat Skills**: Gunpowder seems to rely upon his enhanced proficiency with firearms. Without a weapon, or against someone with durability that protects them from firearms, he seems unremarkable, apart from his own enhanced durability, and is seemingly not adept at conventional means of fighting.

## Equipment

* **Twin Desert Eagles**: Gunpowder's signature weapons are his twin Desert Eagles. Gunpowder solely relies on his weapons in order for his powers to work; without them, he's powerless. During his second encounter with Butcher, Gunpowder shoots the latter three times, dropping him. The empowered Butcher approaches Gunpowder and disarms him, breaking his sidearm in the process, preventing him from retaliating.
* **Vought VR-15**: Gunpowder, unlike his twin Desert Eagles, is infrequently seen with the VR-15. During his conversation with Butcher, Gunpowder mentions how good the gun is and how smooth the trigger pull is.

## Relationships

### Allies

	+ Stan Edgar
	+ Payback
		- Soldier Boy - Former Team Leader, sidekick
		- Crimson Countess † - Former Colleague
		- Black Noir † - Former Colleague
		- Mindstorm † - Former Colleague
		- TNT Twins † - Former Colleague
		- Swatto † - Former Colleague
* Grace Mallory - Former Reluctant Ally
* Contras
	+ Claudio †

* Russian Special Forces
* The Boys
	+ Billy Butcher - Killer

## Trivia

* Gunpowder is a parody of both Deadshot and Judge Dredd.
	+ His status as Soldier Boy's side kick is likely a parody of Captain America's side kick, Bucky Barnes, aka the Winter Soldier.
	+ Karl Urban portrayed Dredd in the 2012 film of the same name.
* Much like his comic book counterpart, Gunpowder is a gun enthusiast with endorsements from different firearm brands.
* Gunpowder's license plate reads 2A4-EVER, which stands for "Second Amendment forever", otherwise known as "the right to keep and bear arms".
* Gunpowder is one of three characters to be re-casted for Season Three. The others are Monique and Love Sausage.
* Gunpowder is one of three former members of Payback to not been murdered by Soldier Boy, other than Black Noir and Swatto.
* Unlike most supes, Gunpowder is one of the few to be seen using or carrying a firearm, the other being Firecracker and Soldier Boy

## Gallery

Young GunpowderCurrent GunpowderGunpowder concept art.
## References

1. ↑ *Cherry*
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 *Seven on 7 with Cameron Coleman*
3. ↑ Bob in *First Day*: *"Did you know Supes have a wider range of hearing than us? Like dogs."*
4. ↑ *The Only Man in the Sky*