The Boys: Diabolical introduces a bunch of new characters, but wastes a Vought villain who would’ve been an excellent addition to The Boys season 3.
Does The Boys Presents: Diabolical waste a Vought villain who could’ve potentially been a great addition to The Boys season 3’s character roster? The Boys: Diabolical adds a whole new crop of supes to a fictional universe already brimming with colorfully unhinged personalities. From the Storm-like Nubia to a teen who pumps ranch dressing from downstairs, there’s no shortage of wacky, worthy additions. And, Garth Ennis’ comic-inspired episode aside, The Boys: Diabolical exists within the same universe as Amazon’s The Boys – even if some stories share a stronger connection to the main show than others.
One of the more loosely linked installments is “Laser Baby’s Day Out.” We can see from pictures of the Seven dotted around Vought’s cartoon HQ that this Looney Tunes homage exists within established TV continuity, but the narrative itself is entirely standalone. A Vought scientist named Simon grows attached to a young Compound-V subject who must learn to control her laser vision before being put up for adoption. When Laser Baby fails this test, she’s scheduled for termination… until Simon busts her out, and the new father and daughter live happily ever after.
Simon and Laser Baby’s path to freedom is blocked by Superbrain – a villain not yet shown in Amazon’s The Boys. As the name implies, this Vought supe has a comically over-sized head to go with his flowing purple cape. Possessing strong powers of telekinesis that allow him to levitate and hurl steel beams simultaneously, Superbrain is evidently a higher-ranking member of Vought’s staff, and in charge of determining which young test subjects get to live or die. As formidable as he may be, it only takes one blast of Laser Baby’s lethal eye beams to give Superbrain an impromptu lobotomy, causing the villain’s brain to slump wetly from its owner’s skull.
On one hand, you could absolutely argue that The Boys: Diabolical‘s “Laser Baby’s Day Out” is a lighthearted, old-fashioned caper not intended to be taken as seriously as the main series. Superbrain was designed as a classic baddie in the overblown Looney Tunes mold, and isn’t envisioned as a proper Vought character. On the other, how brilliant would Superbrain be in The Boys season 3? You’d need to tone down the mad design a touch, but Superbrain’s awesome powers easily put him on par with Vought’s The Seven heroes. Not to mention, he’s a key cog in Stan Edgar’s operation already. Brought into live-action, Superbrain could edge closer to a DC Brainiac parody, sharing an amusing rivalry with the more gung-ho Homelander (the Superman to his Brainiac), and providing Billy Butcher with a threat the likes of which his Boys have never faced before. It’s a shame Laser Baby killed him.
If The Boys: Diabolical goes over especially well with fans, The Boys season 3 could, of course, find a way to bring Superbrain into live-action somehow. “Laser Baby’s Day Out” isn’t super clear on what Superbrain’s brain is capable of, so could Vought sew him back together in a new body? Of course they could – this is a world where Love Sausage exists. Whatever your feelings on Superbrain’s suitability for live-action, it’ll certainly be interesting to see whether any characters from The Boys Presents: Diabolical seep into live-action someday.
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