Summary
Both the comic book source materialand the Amazon TV adaptation ofThe Boysare known for their brutality, and their remorseless kill count – making it somewhat surprising that the first character introduced in the series,Hughie Campbell, eventually emerged as the lone survivor at the end of the comic’s run.
The Boys#72 – written by Garth Ennis, with art by Darick Robertson – concluded the run of the main series with Hughie still standing. When the same creative team reunited for theDear Beckyfollow-up miniseries several years later, fans discovered what became of the character in the decade afterThe Boys.
Though Hughie was always depicted as the most vulnerable member of the eponymous squad, the series turned out to ultimately be a tale of his evolution and self-actualization as a stalwart hero.
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According to Garth Ennis, it was years into his writing career before he produced anything good – and decades before he penned “The Boys.”
Hughie Not Only Survives “The Boys” Comic, He Is The Series' Hero
The Boys#72 – Written By Garth Ennis; Art By Darick Robertson, Richard P. Clark, Simon Bowland, & Tony Avina.
Despite being a novice, and almost certainly the weakest main character in the series, Hughie survived the end ofThe Boyscomic; in fact, he did more than that, he thrived.
AsThe BoysTV show prepares to enter into its final season, some fans wonder if Hughie, one of the meekest characters in the show, will be able to survive, butif the show follows the comics, he’ll be just about the only one to do so.The Boyscomic and television show both use Hughie Campbell as the focal character for the audience, as it is through his eyes that readers/viewers are introduced to the chaotic world of the franchise. In the end, though, the character was more than that –he was the protagonist ofThe Boys.
The Boysfeatures a roster of powerful, dangerous characters, many of whom Hughie was seemingly far from prepared to face down. Yet despite being a novice, and almost certainly the weakest main character in the series, Hughie survivedthe end ofThe Boyscomic; in fact, he did more than that, he thrived. With the rest of the Boys gone, Hughie ended up taking on the role of watching over the world, making sure Vought never went out of control again.
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Along with Starlight, Hughie gets as close to a “happily ever after” asThe Boysever got.
InDear Becky, the epilogue to the series, Hughie is fully actualized as a confident, powerful character, and perhaps as close to a hero asThe Boyshad. From the team’s most reluctant member, to its only member,Hughie’s arc is, in a sense, the series' only triumphant outcome, while the rest of the characters succumb to tragedy. Most notably, over a decade after the conclusion to the main series, Hughie manages to keep Vought in check, so the events ofThe Boysnever repeat, and he’s able to live some semblance of a normal life.
Along with Starlight, Hughie gets as close to a “happily ever after” asThe Boysever got. InDear Becky, it is also shown that Hughie and Starlight live off the grid, and the miniseries ends with them finally getting married. The two manage to live happily ever after, which is a better ending than anyone else inThe Boysuniverse gets. WhileBoysfans not familiar with the comic might thinkButcher would be the last one standingdue to his sheer force of will, it’s Hughie that is the final survivor.
The Boys
Cast
The Boys is a gritty and subversive take on the superhero genre, focusing on a group of vigilantes who confront powerful superheroes abusing their abilities, exploring themes of corruption and moral ambiguity in a world where heroes are not always what they seem.
