The boys There’s no shortage of superhero parodies from major comic book universes like Marvel and DC, including a parody of She-Hulk called Shehemoth. Although Shehemoth does not play a major role in The boys In the same way that other superhero parodies do (like A-Train, Black Noir, and Homelander), it almost did. In truth, The boys‘ from She-Hulk almost joined the Seven instead of A-list character Starlight.
In The boys #63 by Garth Ennis and Russ Braun, Butcher has tied A-Train to the roof and is tempting Hughie to kill him. Like every fan of The boys You know, A-Train killed Hughie’s girlfriend Robin in the very first issue, which was the catalyst for Hughie’s entire story arc – and it all came down to this moment. So, with A-Train tied up, Butcher was trying to get Hughie to finally pull the trigger by playing some recordings of the corrupt super’s private conversations with the rest of the Seven, and they were incredibly revealing.
The purpose of the recordings was to make Hughie angry enough at A-Train to kill him right then and there. They revealed that A-Train sexually assaulted Hughie’s current girlfriend, Starlight, when she joined the Seven. But on a more discreet note, the recordings also revealed that Starlight was almost passed over for another super before joining the Seven – and that super was Shehemoth.
The Boys’ She-Hulk Parody Would Have Made the Comic Series Look Very Different
An important aspect of Hughie and Starlight’s characters in The boys comic book series was their relationship. Reuniting with Hughie helped Starlight recover from the shame she felt after being assaulted, as it gave her someone she could feel safe with, and a place to be that wasn’t Tower Seven. Their relationship also empowered Starlight to stand up against the corrupt members of the Seven.
If Shehemoth was chosen to join the Seven instead of Starlight (as the recordings Butcher played for Hughie revealed), then this entire part of The boys series would be changed. Not only would the romance between Starlight and Hughie have been eliminated entirely, but it’s unclear whether Shehemoth would turn against the corrupt members of the Seven or join them. Whatever happened if Shehemoth took Starlight’s place would be significantly different from what fans received.
Shehemoth Replacing Starlight Would Have Impacted More Than Just the Comics
Starlight would never become the main character she plays The boys TV series
While it is true that the plot of The boys the comic book series would have been greatly altered if Shehemoth took Starlight’s place, it’s nothing compared to how different the live-action series would be. Starlight had a pretty important role in the comics, but in the series, she’s actually the main character and an official member of the The boys. The growth and development of Starlight’s experiences in the series far exceeds her comic book counterpart, meaning that if she were replaced by Shehemoth from the start, all of this would be undone and the series would be worse as a result.
No matter what happens, even if the changes were in some way for the better, the entire series of The boys (both the comics and live action) would be drastically altered if the Seven decided to recruit Shehemoth – a clear parody of She-Hulk – instead of Starlight, and fans were evidently very close to seeing that result.