Homelander vs Superman
Let the super-battle begin! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re pitting the ruthless Homelander against the mighty Superman.
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00:00 "The only man in the sky is me."
00:05 Welcome to WatchMojo, and in this installment of Versus, we're pitting the ruthless Homelander
00:09 against the mighty Superman.
00:11 We'll measure everything from their brains to the brawn in this matchup.
00:15 Beware of spoilers for the boys' seasons 1 through 3 ahead.
00:19 Now let the battle begin.
00:21 "He's your opposite in so many ways.
00:25 It's still you."
00:28 Season 1 - Public Relations
00:30 Within Homelander's reality, he is the most well-known hero on Earth.
00:34 "Wow, I'm so honored to be with you guys tonight to celebrate my dear friend and mentor,
00:42 Homelander."
00:43 He stars in movies, appears on television constantly, and leads the world's most famous
00:48 superhero team.
00:49 The biggest threat to his popularity is actually himself.
00:54 Homelander has more than a few skeletons in his closet, and at certain times of the series,
00:59 members of the public have turned against him.
01:01 Although Homelander's popularity waxes and wanes, he always seems to be able to maintain
01:05 a large and loyal fan base.
01:07 "I am done apologizing.
01:09 I am done being persecuted for my strength.
01:12 You people should be thanking Christ that I am who and what I am because you need me."
01:19 It also helps that he has the formidable Vought International Company behind him that can
01:23 greatly influence the news and his public perception.
01:26 And even if Homelander didn't have a PR team, he's incredibly talented at spinning the narrative
01:31 in his favor.
01:32 "I am sick and tired of the lies peddled by the mainstream media.
01:37 But the real question here, Cam, who's behind these attacks?
01:41 Who is trying to silence me?"
01:43 On the surface, it doesn't seem like Superman should have any trouble with his public image.
01:47 "Let me reiterate that I'm playing devil's advocate.
01:50 I'm a huge fan."
01:51 He spends the majority of his time saving people without asking for anything in return.
01:57 Additionally, Superman's ally/love interest Lois Lane usually writes positive articles
02:02 about the Man of Steel.
02:04 But the Kryptonian's reputation is never exactly bulletproof.
02:08 "I...
02:09 I'm sorry.
02:10 I didn't..."
02:11 "If anyone should apologize, Superman, it's me."
02:15 On several occasions, Superman's enemies and destructors have publicly questioned his
02:20 motives and ultimate goals.
02:22 If the Man of Steel ever botches a save or big fight, he doesn't have a PR team ready
02:27 to protect him.
02:28 The only way to maintain public trust is to keep working to earn it every day.
02:33 In the court of public opinion, Superman's reputation is often only as good as his last
02:39 save.
02:40 "Must there be a Superman?"
02:43 "There is."
02:45 While plenty of people idolize Superman, he doesn't have the ironclad control of his image
02:50 that Homelander does.
02:52 The Vought-backed hero can literally get away with murder with just a few PR people and
02:56 a quick smile.
02:57 "You schedule a press conference and I'll clean it up myself."
03:01 Winner, Homelander.
03:03 Round 2, Sharpest Mind.
03:06 "First, I'll take out the nerve centers.
03:10 White House, Pentagon.
03:13 Then any domestic defense capabilities and then critical infrastructure."
03:17 If Homelander isn't using his brain to get out of tricky situations, he's probably crafting
03:22 yet another devious scheme.
03:24 When he wanted to get more involved in military affairs, he created super-powered enemies
03:28 that justified the need for his talents.
03:31 "Not to oversimplify it, it was actually very difficult and very messy using adult subjects.
03:36 There's a good reason that Vought doesn't do it."
03:39 Homelander also has a talent for analyzing everyone around him to discover their weaknesses
03:43 and insecurities.
03:44 However, that last ability goes both ways.
03:48 Homelander's desire to be loved has been exploited by enemies who know exactly where to push.
03:53 And rivals like Stan Edgar and Butcher have matched the soup in battles of wits.
03:58 But even though Homelander has been fooled before, it'd be a mistake to underestimate
04:02 his intellect.
04:03 "I'd prefer to be loved.
04:06 I would.
04:08 But if you take that away from me, well, being feared is a-one-okidoke-bye-me."
04:16 The Man of Steel has a rather infamous reputation for being outsmarted by the crooked genius
04:21 Lex Luthor.
04:22 "Lancey!"
04:23 "I don't know!
04:24 I would not let them tell me!
04:25 Now, if you kill me, Martha dies.
04:26 And if you fly away, Martha also dies.
04:27 But if you kill the Bat, Martha lives."
04:28 However, the fact that he's lost to one of the smartest people alive on the show is
04:29 a big surprise.
04:30 "I'm not going to let you do that.
04:31 I'm going to let you do it.
04:32 I'm going to let you do it.
04:33 I'm going to let you do it.
04:34 I'm going to let you do it.
04:35 I'm going to let you do it.
04:36 I'm going to let you do it.
04:37 I'm going to let you do it.
04:38 I'm going to let you do it.
04:39 I'm going to let you do it.
04:40 I'm going to let you do it.
04:41 I'm going to let you do it.
04:42 I'm going to let you do it.
04:43 I'm going to let you do it.
04:44 I'm going to let you do it.
04:45 I'm going to let you do it.
04:46 I'm going to let you do it.
04:47 I'm going to let you do it.
04:48 I'm going to let you do it.
04:49 I'm going to let you do it.
04:50 I'm going to let you do it.
04:51 I'm going to let you do it.
04:52 I'm going to let you do it.
04:53 I'm going to let you do it.
04:54 I'm going to let you do it.
04:55 I'm going to let you do it.
04:57 And whenever Superman is backed into a corner, he's known for improvising airtight solutions
05:02 to impossible problems.
05:04 While some people have taken advantage of his innate kindness, his capacity for empathy
05:09 has also ended conflicts.
05:11 The Kryptonian hero has definitely proved he's not all brawn.
05:22 In a battle of wits, Superman's logical and emotional intelligence are likely to overwhelm
05:27 the cunning Homelander.
05:28 The Kryptonian's mind is incredibly formidable, flexible, and as sharp as steel.
05:38 Winner Superman
05:40 Round 3 - Best at being bad
05:43 There's always been so, so many things I want to do and now I can do them all, finally.
05:51 No one can stop me.
05:52 It'd probably take us a few days to list every crime Homelander is guilty of.
05:56 On any given day, we can expect that he will physically or emotionally harm an enemy with
06:00 a smile on his face.
06:02 Homelander simply has no problem murdering people or crossing moral boundaries if it
06:06 benefits him.
06:13 His selfish and double-may-care attitude has admittedly been a double-edged sword for him
06:17 in the past.
06:19 Since Homelander is always out for number one, he's tormented or completely turned on
06:23 his crooked allies.
06:25 His ruthless actions have caused him to make enemies with both villains and heroes.
06:30 But no matter how many threats pop up, Homelander is always willing to eliminate them.
06:42 Even the blue Boy Scout has gotten his hands dirty before.
06:56 He broke Zod's neck with a single move in one world.
07:00 In another, the hero pretended to be a villain to scare a team of super-powered individuals
07:04 straight.
07:05 But the most notable instance of a crooked man of steel can be found in the Injustice
07:09 Universe.
07:17 In that world, Superman killed the Joker for going too far.
07:21 After the brutal death, the Man of Steel convinced other super-powered people to bring order
07:25 to the world through whatever means necessary.
07:28 That version of Superman admittedly still has a scrap of conscience left.
07:32 But the fact that he was able to essentially take over the world is still a terrifying
07:37 fact.
07:40 Fortunately, a dark Superman is both dangerous and relatively rare.
07:52 On the other hand, we expect Homelander to be a diabolical and morally bankrupt threat
07:57 in every reality.
08:02 Winner - Homelander.
08:04 Season 4 - How They Comment on America
08:14 Since Homelander wears a big American flag-inspired cape 90% of the time, it's pretty obvious
08:19 he's meant to say something about the country.
08:22 And after getting to know him, it's a pretty grim message.
08:25 Homelander seems to represent every negative stereotype and harsh criticism of the USA.
08:30 He's power-hungry, puts his country first, and thinks himself superior to everyone.
08:43 As he flies around the world, doing whatever he wants, whenever he wants, the audience
08:48 is asked a question whether he's an exaggeration or an exact mirror to current affairs.
08:53 The harsh message challenges viewers to evaluate how America is seen every time Homelander
08:58 walks in.
09:09 On the surface, Superman is meant to be a more positive portrayal of the USA's best
09:13 ideals.
09:14 He's a very powerful being, who uses his powers to help everyone while stomping out
09:25 oppressive enemies.
09:26 We also spend a fair amount of time seeing him grow up in a small American town.
09:31 But the seemingly straightforward portrait is more nuanced.
09:41 Since he's an alien immigrant, certain people treat him differently when they learn that
09:45 fact.
09:46 And over the years, Superman has become self-aware enough to comment on systemic issues in the
09:51 country.
09:52 There are admittedly instances where his messages can get heavy-handed, but to Superman's
09:56 credit, he's always willing to grow and learn to try to provide fresh and relevant
10:01 commentary on his adopted nation.
10:13 While Homelander's sharp critique of the USA is well-constructed, Superman's representation
10:18 of the nation is arguably more complex.
10:21 His constantly evolving viewpoint of America's flaws and successes makes his commentary feel
10:25 more realistic and relevant.
10:31 Winner - Superman
10:33 Before we continue, be sure to subscribe to our channel and ring the bell to get notified
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10:49 Part 5 - Who Would Win In A Fight?
10:58 For years, Homelander was untouchable in his universe.
11:03 Modern weapons didn't faze him.
11:05 Outside of his invulnerability to most arms, he has a suite of powers that include heightened
11:09 senses, super strength, flight, and laser eyes.
11:13 Homelander didn't have much trouble winning fights until stronger and smarter foes began
11:17 showing up.
11:26 Since he's not used to being challenged, he doesn't have a ton of experience fighting
11:29 people on his level.
11:31 The TV adaptation also made Homelander susceptible to a radiation blast.
11:36 Additionally, his heightened senses can be used against him.
11:39 Fortunately for Homelander, he's found a way around his weaknesses in the past.
11:44 He definitely can't be counted out early in a fight.
11:54 Despite being one of the world's most powerful beings, Superman has a few exploitable weaknesses.
12:06 He doesn't do well with magical abilities or red sun radiation.
12:10 And most infamously, Superman can be weakened or outright killed by exposure to kryptonite.
12:22 On the bright side, the Man of Steel has pushed past those flaws before.
12:26 It helps that he can recharge his body with a bit of sunlight.
12:29 And since Superman consistently faces formidable enemies, he's constantly developing new abilities
12:34 to counter his foes.
12:36 His laser eyes and ice breath are just a couple of his most useful tricks.
12:40 The Man of Steel's grab bag of powers and ability to recover quickly make him a tough
12:45 enemy to beat.
12:51 This could be a fair fight if Homelander had some kryptonite or magic up his sleeve.
12:56 However, the simple fact is Superman has years of harsh battle experience that his opponent
13:01 is lacking.
13:02 The Man of Steel's ability to recover also far surpasses Homelander's regenerative abilities.
13:07 In a straight-on fight with no extra weapons or weaknesses, Superman will come out ahead.
13:16 Winner - Superman
13:18 Superman narrowly soars past Homelander with a 3-2 victory.
13:25 Which superhero versus would you like to see next?
13:27 Let us know in the comments below!
13:43 [Outro]
13:53 (upbeat music)