‘The Boys’ Season 4: Why MM's comic backstory was far too tragic for the TV show
Contains spoilers and speculations for 'The Boys'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In the TV adaptation of 'The Boys', several changes were made from the comics, including tweaks to Mother's Milk's backstory.
In Season 3, the show finally revealed why Mother's Milk was opposed to Supes, although the comic version was more brutal.
In 'The Boys' comic issue #35 by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, Mother's Milk tells Hughie that he got exposed to Compound V differently compared to the others.
His mother had been exposed to it while working at a contaminated Vought-American factory.
His father, who was not a lawyer, spent months preparing a lawsuit against Vought-American and won. Sadly, Mother's Milk's brother Michael died when his powers manifested.
His father attempted to sue again, but the stress and exhaustion of preparing the case ultimately led to his death.
Mother's Milk's comic backstory reveals a tragedy beyond the TV adaptation
In the 'The Boys' Season 3, the show finally delves into Mother's Milk's backstory. In this version, Milk's family suffered due to Vought, particularly through their superhero Soldier Boy, who behaved similarly to a violent Captain America.
When Milk was young, he saw Soldier Boy fighting car thieves, but accidentally killed his grandfather by throwing a car at him.
Milk's father, a lawyer, spent months preparing a case against Vought to seek justice for his father. However, much like in the comics, the stress of the case led to his father's death before the trial.
The show made two major changes from the comics. Firstly, Vought-American's negligence directly impacted Mother's Milk and his family, making the situation deeply personal for Milk.
Secondly, the show altered Milk's father's background by portraying him as a lawyer.
In the comics, Milk's father was not a lawyer but still took Vought-American to court and won a settlement. However, the victory was tainted when young Milk overheard Vought-American's lawyers dismiss it as 'win some, lose some.'
'The Boys' TV show overlooks Mother's Milk's far more complex backstory from the comics
'The Boys' TV series has received praise for its bold departures from the comic book source material. However, the simplification of Mother's Milk's backstory in the show detracts from its depth.
Connecting Milk to Soldier Boy, Season 3's antagonist, was a logical choice, but altering his backstory removes one of the comic's potent critiques of corporate wrongdoing.
It highlights how legal victories against entities like 'Vought-American' often fail to fully address their egregious behavior.
While adaptation can enhance a narrative, in this case, sticking more closely to 'The Boys' comic might have preserved its original impact.
'The Boys' Season 4 trailer
6 episodes of 'The Boys' are available to stream on Prime Video.