As The Boys Season 4 grips viewers with its suspense and action, a lingering mystery continues to puzzle fans: Homelander’s increasingly bizarre fixation on milk. This peculiar behavior, first introduced in Season 1, has transformed into a defining element of the character, adding a layer of complexity to his volatile persona. But why does Homelander like milk so much?
Here is everything you need to know about Homelander and his obsession with milk.
Why is Homelander obsessed with milk in The Boys?
Homelander has an Oedipus complex. Thus, his obsession with milk stems from the formative years he was deprived of a mother’s love and warmth.
Homelander is a complex character fueled by a twisted sense of entitlement and a deep-seated emotional void. As per Distractify, Homelander’s milk obsession could be a desperate attempt to fill the void left by his deprived childhood. It may be a longing for the motherly affection he never received. Unlike heroes like Starlight, raised in traditional families, Homelander’s formative years were devoid of love and normalcy. It was replaced by the sterile confines of a scientific lab.
Furthermore, this manifests in an unhealthy attachment to Madelyn Stillwell, the head of Vought. He views her as a mother figure, becoming possessive and jealous, especially of her infant. Thus, this dynamic highlights a potential Oedipus complex, where Homelander unconsciously desires Stillwell’s affection and resents any perceived rivals.
Nonetheless, during an interview with IMDb, Antony Starr admitted Homelander’s obsession with milk is an ‘Oedipal thing.’ He said, “It was jealous, Oedipal thing.” After the now-iconic scene where the actor chugged milk, he sent an email to showrunner Eric Kripke saying, “We’ve got to do more milk.”
“He was like, ‘way ahead of you. I’m writing milk into everything from here on,'” Starr added. Homelander’s motivations remain a complex web woven from sociopathic tendencies and a primal yearning for belonging. With only five episodes of The Boys Season 4 released, the true reason behind his bizarre milk fascination remains shrouded in secrecy. Perhaps the remaining episodes will shed light on this behavior, finally offering a definitive answer to this lingering mystery.
