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Why Butcher's Laser Eyes Are Yellow, Not Red Like Homelander's
Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Boys season 3.
Billy Butcher of The Boys gains temporary superpowers in the form of laser eyes, but there are a few reasons why Butcher's lasers are yellow compared to Homelander's red. There have been plenty of moments throughout The Boys where Homelander (Anthony Starr) has used his red laser vision, but the yellow laser eyes are a first for both Butcher (Karl Urban) and the show. The conflict between Butcher and Homelander in The Boys season 3 looks to gain even more momentum with Butcher's new abilities in the mix.
Homelander's red lasers have been shown to cut through airplanes and regular people with ease and can only be withstood by Supes like Stormfront (Aya Cash) who are pretty durable. Ryan (Cameron Crovetti) gets his laser eyes from his father but unlike Homelander, he is actually able to cut Stormfront down. But when Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott) gives Butcher three doses of V24, a version of Compound V that only lasts 24 hours, it has a surprising effect. Butcher takes a dose of the V24, despite his own values and hatred for Supes, and easily cuts former Payback member Gunpowder (Sean Patrick Flanery) in two–but his laser eyes are yellow, not red.
Butcher's laser eyes are a different color from Homelander and Ryan's because Butcher's yellow lasers might actually be stronger than the red lasers, if going by the color of the lasers having the same meaning as real-world lasers. Real lasers also vary in color. Red is lowest in energy and the power of the laser increases from orange to yellow, green, and then blue. Butcher's laser eyes being yellow may mean they're actually stronger than Homelander's if The Boys has red laser eyes as the weakest on the spectrum. Notably, Butcher's powers in The Boys season 3 hurt him, even in his powered-up state, a distinct side effect or even testament to their power that isn't seen with Homelander or Ryan. Granted, this could simply be that Butcher's body wasn't conditioned for the sudden influx of superpowers as the bodies of natural-born (or made) supes are. But it could also be an indication that the concentration of V24 is much more potent than that of Compound V and the powers more intense. Butcher's laser eyes potentially being stronger than Homelander's means the unstable co-captain of The Seven will be in for a nasty surprise next time he matches up with Butcher, especially if Butcher's lasers manage to hurt Homelander.
The color isn't the only thing to back up the theory that Butcher's yellow laser eyes might be more powerful. While Gunpowder wasn't the strongest member of Soldier Boy's Payback team, Butcher's beatdown of Soldier Boy's sidekick revealed many differences from the more prominent red lasers. Butcher's lasers cut right through Gunpowder's head whereas Homelander casually lasering Stormfront's chest only left a severe burn. When Ryan lasered Stormfront at the end of season 2 to protect Becca (Shantel Van Santen), Stormfront was severely burned but her wounds were also cauterized. Gunpowder wasn't burned at all by Butcher's laser eyes and the aftermath was a lot bloodier because of the yellow laser eyes.
Butcher's laser eyes aren't the first time The Boys has revealed different colored laser eyes. The laser baby in season 1 had blue laser eyes and should be all grown up now just like the orphaned Teddy Stillwell. Even if Butcher's yellow laser eyes aren't stronger than Homelander's red lasers, giving Butcher his own version of Homelander's most feared power promises a major showdown between the two as The Boys season 3 continues. With Butcher still holding onto two doses of V24, it begs the question what superpowers the rest of The Boys might get.
