The Boys: 5 Video Game “Heroes” Who Are Worse Than Homelander

The final episode of The Boys has now been released – first in theaters on May 19th, and then on Amazon Prime Video on May 20th. Despite a few minor issues, Eric Kripke’s gritty and violent superhero show is considered one of the best in its genre. While flawed heroes aren’t new, Homelander has become a truly iconic example. The series always portrayed him as a villain, though the extent of his darkness wasn’t immediately obvious. Over time, he evolved into a villain on par with the infamous Superman from Injustice.

Homelander is incredibly evil, but a surprising number of video game heroes could actually challenge him. And I mean true heroes – not villains who just pretend to be good, like Handsome Jack from Borderlands. I’m talking about characters who seem like the good guys for most of the game, but end up causing serious damage, either through the storyline or because of choices you make as the player. Let’s explore some examples!

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1. The Courier (Fallout: New Vegas)

So Many Ways To Wipe Out Masses Of People

Worst Thing Can Do: Trigger another nuclear holocaust, basically ending humanity
Worst Thing Can Do Part 2: Unleash a cloud that turns Mojave into hell on Earth

I wanted to move beyond the typical RPG where you choose to be good or evil – especially since playing the ‘bad’ role isn’t usually the main story. But we still needed one example, and Fallout: New Vegas fits well because its main character, The Courier, can really shake things up and cause massive changes to the world. Unlike most games, even within the Fallout series, New Vegas doesn’t present you with a traditional hero. The Courier isn’t naturally selfless; they’re more of a self-reliant survivor who will likely leave you alone if you’re not in their way.

Players can choose to play The Courier as a truly evil character. This can range from disturbing acts like cannibalism and selling companions into slavery, to larger-scale villainy explored in the “Lonesome Road” and “Dead Money” expansions. Achieving the bad endings in these DLCs portrays The Courier as a force working with the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Beyond these expansions, the game offers many other ways to create disastrous outcomes, often leaving New Vegas in a significantly worse condition than it started.

2. The Incredible Hulk (The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction)

Marvel’s True Force Of Nature

Hulk smash
“Ultimate Destruction” is not an exaggeration

While the Hulk isn’t always a clear hero – and ignoring what happens in the Marvel movies and some comics – he’s definitely not a villain either. He just is, much like a natural disaster like a tornado isn’t ‘evil’. Superheroes often cause some damage along the way (and video games too!), but The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction actually builds that destruction into the way the game works.

Despite being portrayed as a hero, the game leans into The Hulk’s incredible power, letting him treat a city like a giant toy and weapon. Cars become projectiles to swat away police or hurl at aircraft. While the game doesn’t show graphic injuries, the sheer scale of destruction suggests The Hulk is causing a massive number of casualties – enough to shock even someone as ruthless as Homelander.

The series The Boys kicks off with a shocking tragedy: A-Train accidentally kills Hughie’s girlfriend in a brutal accident. While devastating, this is relatively contained compared to the scale of destruction caused by The Hulk, who would level an entire city if his video game accurately reflected the carnage – making it far too graphic for most audiences.

The Hulk is among the few heroes capable of realistically defeating Homelander. While the Hulk from the Ultimate Destruction game might struggle, the immensely powerful Breaker of Worlds Hulk from the comics would definitely stand a chance.

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3. Kratos (Greek Era God of War)

The Blinding Rage

Brutally murders many innocent people because they happen to be in front of him, or he needs to use them to open a door
Brings on the end of Ancient Greece, causing an apocalypse that kills thousands or even millions

Video games are full of angry characters, but Kratos from God of War is one of the most famously furious – possibly rivaled only by Asura in Asura’s Wrath. Before he became a father figure, Kratos was consistently unpleasant throughout the series, with Ascension being the closest he came to being a genuinely good person.

Long before Kratos understands the terrible cost of his actions, he violently travels across Greece, killing anyone who gets in his way. He shows no mercy to people or creatures, except for his own family and those who remind him of them. This relentless brutality transforms him from a flawed hero into a true villain haunted by his past.

4. Alex Mercer (Prototype)

Less Hero, More Biohazard Weapon

Consumes people to either take their memories, form, or life essence. Not just bad people either
Evolves into a true villain, similar to Homelander

At first, Alex Mercer appears to be a classic hero – battling a secretive company that performs unethical experiments on people, even if his tactics are questionable. But as the game Prototype progresses, that image changes dramatically. Alex starts absorbing anyone he encounters, not just enemy soldiers, but innocent civilians too. This act of consumption is genuinely terrifying, with victims expressing extreme fear, and Alex then uses their bodies as disguises.

Although Mercer initially saves the city from destruction, earning him a temporary hero status in the first game, he quickly descends into villainy, completely shedding any remaining human qualities. By the second game, he’s become a cult leader aiming to reshape the world and rule it himself.

5. Wander (Shadow of the Colossus)

Wipes out majestic one-of-a-kind creatures to save a girl

Many games feature a twist where the hero is actually the villain, and Shadow of the Colossus is a prime example. While it’s easy to see Wander as a manipulated victim, a closer look reveals a selfish character. He systematically kills gentle giants, creatures who are essential to the well-being of the land, throughout the entire game.

With each act, he descends further into monstrous corruption, but continues without pause or self-reflection. He’s completely driven by his goal, regardless of the consequences. While Homelander may not see himself as evil, he recognizes his own lack of feeling. Wander, however, genuinely believes his actions are justified.

2026-05-20 14:39