How The Boys Fans Think Invincible's Omni-Man Would Handle Vought's Supes
Over the course of the last few years, Amazon has introduced audiences to some fascinating new superhero universes taking place outside of the traditional Marvel and DC canons. A major component of that formula has been turning the usual notion of superheroes on its head and delivering something far darker and more dystopian than fans of the genre are used to seeing from the genre. Adapted from Garth Ennis' graphic novel series of the same name, "The Boys" explores a universe in which powerful superheroes exist and have largely become corrupted by their fame, power, and corporate greed through their parent company, Vought International. Meanwhile, the animated series "Invincible" (adapted from Robert Kirkman's graphic novel series) explores a superhero world through the eyes of Mark Grayson (Steven Yeun), an up-and-coming superhero and the son of Omni-Man (J.K. Simmons), who is a powerful Vitrumite warrior and Earth's greatest superhero.
Omni-Man has quickly become a fan-favorite character since his introduction in "Invincible" Season 1, largely due to his immense powers and malicious intent to conquer Earth for the Viltrumite race, effectively seeing him serve as a dark version of Superman from DC Comics. Given his considerable power and apparent ability to defeat every hero and villain that he has come across so far in "Invincible" (including his entire former team, The Guardians of the Globe), some fans have begun to debate how he would handle the Supes from "The Boys" if he were to ever come across them in a crossover event.
Many fans feel Omni-Man would make quick work of Vought's Supes
Given the similar, dark approach to superhero mythology shared between "Invincible" and "The Boys," many fans have begun to debate how heroes from one universe would handle the heroes from the other. Specifically, in the r/TheBoys subreddit, a discussion has taken place about how Omni-Man would approach the various Supes that inhabit the universe of "The Boys." From this discussion, a significant theme that has emerged is the notion that Omni-Man would make quick work of the Supes of "The Boys," including The Seven, which is supposedly the most powerful superhero group in that universe.
In the most highly-upvoted response to this discussion, u/ThenKey6 noted that Omni-Man likely would quickly and efficiently kill the various Supes of "The Boys." In their response, they wrote, "I feel like he'd murder all the Supes first chance he got and there wouldn't be enough good in the world to make him regret his actions." Similar to how he efficiently eliminated his own former teammates in "Invincible," Omni-Man would likely be able to quickly kill the various Supes of The Seven with ease, quickly asserting himself as the most powerful being on the planet and removing a major defense with minimal trouble.
This sentiment is widely echoed by many fans of "The Boys" taking part in the discussion. A major theme that has arisen is the notion that Omni-Man displays far more overt power than arguably any hero who has appeared on "The Boys," and the poor morals of most Supes would make it easy for Omni-Man to justify his elimination of them all.
Other fans think Omni-Man would not consider them a threat and let them submit
Of course, not all fans feel that the situation would immediately lead to a knock-down, drag-out fight. While many fans consider the distinct possibility that Omni-Man would quickly work to eliminate the various Supes who inhabit the universe of "The Boys," another contingent of viewers feel that he may not even bother to put them down.
u/kentotoy98 addressed this possibility in the discussion among fans of "The Boys." Their take on the matter was that they may not stand out as threats any more than the average human would. They wrote, "Omni-Man would definitely not even bother with Vought and the Seven. To him, he probably knows these people are nothing more than celebrities. He sees them as vain and weak creatures trying to look strong." As such, things would not immediately turn gruesome for the characters from the world of "The Boys."
In this way, many fans feel that Omni-Man might not even look at Vought and the Supes as any different from the average people he has arrived to conquer. They feel that, while he would certainly not work for Vought and fall into the trap of fame and fortune, he may still arrive on earth and work to gain the trust from the earthlings. From there, he would proceed with his plan: eventually, make them an offer to join the Viltrumite Empire or be violently conquered.
Some think Homelander would put up a fight, but lose in the end
Of course, one of the most notable questions that arise when discussing how Omni-Man would handle the Supes from "The Boys" is how he would handle arguably the most powerful Supe of all: Antony Starr's Homelander. The two characters share numerous similarities, particular in their positions as dark analogs of the traditional Superman archetype. While Omni-Man is an ambassador from a warrior race tasked with conquering humanity, Homelander is a powerful Supe with selfish and sociopathic tendencies, concerned primarily with his ratings and the adoration of the masses.
In the fan discussion about a possible fight between the two, the overwhelming consensus seems to be that Homelander would lose. As u/plenebo plainly noted in the fan discussion, "Homelander would be dead." Some fans ultimately sided with Homelander, but the consensus was Omni-Man would win.
This sentiment is something that has been continuously echoed across the internet since both shows became part of the cultural conversation. In fact, in an analysis (via Bam Smack Pow) breaking down a potential between the two heroes, Mark Lynch noted that Omni-Man would easily win the fight because he is far more battle-tested than Homelander, he brings less emotional baggage into his fights, and he has a keener intellect and strategic mindset. Put that all together, and there seems to be an overwhelming consensus that Omni-Man could make quick work of any Supes, even if it's the most potent (and dangerous) Supe in "The Boys."