The Boys season 4, episode 6, “Dirty Business,” does not appear to want to decide how effective one of Homelander’s superpowers is, as the episode depicts many persons approaching Anthony Starr’s character with varying degrees of concern. Homelander’s superhuman talents remain as terrifying as ever when he returns to the cast of The Boys season 4. While no one dares to go openly against the Superman parody, the show has revealed a remarkably simple technique to subvert him – but it may not make sense.

Some talents, like as Starlight’s powers in The Boys, are unclear, making it difficult to determine what she is truly capable of. On the other hand, powers like Homelander’s have been a staple of the superhero genre for decades. As a result, it’s usually easy to sit back and enjoy his scenes, knowing exactly how and when he’ll take down any who oppose him. However, “Dirty Business” muddies the waters by emphasizing anomalies in one of Homelander’s most subtle powers.

The Boys Season 4, Episode 6 Is Very Inconsistent With How Good Homelander’s Hearing Is

A-Train’s Toronto visit seems very unnecessary after events later in the same episode.

Terrified of being discovered as Vought International’s leak, A-Train speeds to Toronto and calls Mother’s Milk. He gives his reasoning for leaving the country to MM by saying it’s, “So [they] could talk.” The implication here is that the speedster traveled so far from New York because he feared Homelander’s V-augmented hearing would be able to pick up on the conversation if he were any closer. This could be an overreaction on A-Train’s behalf, especially considering MM himself is still in New York on the other end of the call. However, it does show a healthy respect for Homelander’s hearing.

“MM infiltrates Tek Knight’s mansion with Annie and Kimiko, all while Homelander is there schmoozing the politicians.”

Confusingly, in the very same episode, MM infiltrates Tek Knight’s mansion with Annie and Kimiko, all while Homelander is there schmoozing the politicians. They are not quiet as they move about the house, no matter how hard they try to be. They have physical altercations with both Firecracker and Sister Sage, with MM even firing a gun at the latter. Regardless, Homelander shows no implication of hearing anything his enemies do, nor is he even aware they’re nearby. So, “Dirty Business” introduces a huge inconsistency regarding how well Homelander can actually hear.

Why Homelander’s Super Hearing May Not Always Work In The Boys

Homelander may need to actively try to listen for smaller or distant sounds

One possibility for Homelander’s hearing not picking up on the presence of MM and the others at Tek Knight’s house is that his ultra-sensitive ears aren’t always actively on the hunt for stray noises. If Homelander’s hearing was always dialed up to its full capacity, then he’d likely be overwhelmed with everyday background noise. So, it could be that listening for more subtle sounds that are undetectable to humans is an active choice – much like letting loose lasers from his eyes or taking to the skies.

There’s no denying that Homelander’s hearing is thoroughly impressive, as The Boys has made a point in the past of Starr’s character tracking people’s heartbeats and other noises that can’t be heard by the ears of others. So, while A-Train may not have had to go all the way to Toronto to safely talk to MM in “Dirty Business,” he was probably right to travel such a sizable distance, just to be safe. This is especially true while Homelander is on the hunt for the leak in The Boys‘ villainous organization.