The Boys: Why Black Noir Betrayed Soldier Boy? Explained 

Episode 7 of The Boys season 3 revealed some truths about Black Noir and his previous actions. In the Herogasm episode, fans saw Black Noir escaping when he learns that Soldier Boy is back leaving fans curious to know the reason. The seventh episode divulges the secret that Black Noir was responsible for Soldier Boy’s Russian handover. It further discloses that the reason for this rebellion was the latter’s appalling behaviour towards the masked hero.

Fans would remember that Soldier Boy has been seeking revenge on former Payback members since they had sold him to Russians. Soldier Boy debuted in episode 3 of The Boys and had collaborated with Billy Butcher and Hughie Campbell to hunt the Payback people, while the hooded warrior went into hiding.

Episode 7, titled Here Comes a Candle to Light You to Bed, exposes the masked hero hiding in an abandoned restaurant and hallucinating about cartoon characters. While they urge him to face the past, they remind him how mercilessly he was treated by the leader of Payback.

Disclaimer: The article may have spoilers for the series

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The past of Black Noir with Soldier Boy of The Boys

The masked character suffered due to Soldier Boy (Image via Amazon Prime)

As shown in the previous episodes Soldier Boy has a nasty temper and treats his team members badly. In a twist in the fight between Homelander’s team and Soldier Boy’s team, Blue Hawk dies while A-Train suffers a heart attack. Noir flees as Soldier Boy returns and the TNT Twins reveal that he was behind selling off Soldier Boy to the Russians.

The next episode of The Boys shows viewers that the concealed hero has taken off his tracking device and is hiding in Buster Beaver pizza restaurant. He hallucinates being in the company of Looney Tunes-like characters who try to comfort him as well as remind him of his past.

It all started with Soldier Boy interfering with the chance of the masked fighter playing the role of Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop. After learning that he missed the role because Soldier Boy convinced producer Don Simpson against taking him, Black Noir confronted the leader.

Unable to shake off the concealed hero, Soldier Boy insulted and battered him in front of everyone. Along with other teammates, Noir too was fed up with Soldier Boy’s abusive behavior and tried to answer back. The opportunity came when Stan Edgar asked him to help Soldier Boy “fade away” as Vought had another candidate ready as a replacement, who was Homelander.

Black Noir convinced the other supes in Payback to join him in bringing Soldier Boy down. together they fought the leader. In the fight, the leader grabbed the masked member and pinned his face to a burning car. After severely burning Noir, he smashed his shield on his head breaking the skull and suffered internal injuries.

Two other supes – Mindstorm and Crimson Countess – distract and knockout Soldier Boy before handing him over to Russians where he is tortured with a killing machine.

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How would the past affect Black Noir’s present and future?

The past explains why Black Noir, who is also named Earving, has to wear a mask. Earving who wanted to be an actor like Eddie Murphy became forced to wear his mask due to a burnt and broken head. It also caused permanent damage to his nervous system leaving him unable to speak.

Resolving to confront his fear, Earving comes back to Vought Tower and asks Homelander to kill Soldier Boy. When Homelander comes to know that Noir knew about Homelander being Soldier Boy’s son but kept it hidden from him, he got offended by Noir’s disloyalty. He promptly killed Noir by pulling out his intestines.

As such, Black Noir’s past showed injustice done to him by Soldier Boy leading to some retaliatory actions by the supe. However, when retribution catches up with him, the future again shows injustice done to him, this time by the son.

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The Boys is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.