The Major Character On The Boys Who Has Actually Done Very Little
Some spoilers for The Boys ahead!
The Boys' characters are incontestably integral to the show's immense popularity and positive critical reception. Originally created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson for the comic book series of the same name, the characters undergo a degree of change in the transition from page to screen, but that mostly doesn't matter thanks to the strength of the performances and the writing behind them. It's hard to pick out just one or two standouts, but it's even harder to talk about The Boys without bringing up Antony Starr's Homelander.
As the greatest and most powerful superhero in the show's world — as well as (arguably) the most morally corrupt — Homelander doesn't have much to fear. Though he's certainly not stupid, he can effectively solve the majority of his problems with a quick dose of heat vision, a brutal application of his super strength, or by inflicting fear on friend and foe alike. Vought International CEO Stan Edgar (Giancarlo Esposito), however, doesn't present any physical danger and yet is hardly cowed by Homelander's threats. That alone potentially makes him the most dangerous man in The Boys' universe.
True or not, there's something strange about Edgar that's difficult to ignore: In spite of his power over the likes of Homelander, he's actually done very little by the end of The Boys season 2.
Is the CEO of Vought all for naught?
Giancarlo Esposito is a phenomenal actor. When he signs on to a project, both the production team and viewers know he's going to bring his all to the performance, no matter how minor his character may be. After all, only someone with his gravitas could bring an übermensche like Homelander to heel. So what, exactly, went wrong with Stan Edgar?
In all his scenes, Edgar radiates that inimitable Esposito aura — the problem is, he's not in many scenes in the first place. That's not necessarily an issue for a character or an actor. Just look at Anthony Hopkins, who won an Oscar in under 20 minutes of screen time as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs. Darth Vader is another stellar example, striking terror into the hearts of Rebels and audiences alike in barely more than half an hour over the course of the original Star Wars trilogy. What matters most is how meaty the scenes are and what sort of impact a character has on the world around them.
Edgar no doubt establishes himself as a man with a weighty presence, but that's ... kind of all he does. His dialogue might be engaging, but his character has very little forward momentum and doesn't instigate much change in those around him. Yes, he chills Homelander to the bone, and yes, he squares off intellectually with Billy Butcher (Karl Urban). But compare him to, say, Madelyn Stillwell (Elisabeth Shue). She's not as high-ranking in Vought as Edgar, but she consistently affects other characters in tangible ways — especially Homelander, whose relationship with her is just plain creepy. That relationship is key to the season 1 finale and to Homelander's overall character development.
That's not to say things can't change come season 3. As previously mentioned, the characters aren't quite the same in the show as they are in the comics, but the inspiration is there, meaning there's still much to potentially draw from Edgar's own comics counterpart. Time will tell — and ultimately, the more Esposito in our lives, the better.