Amazon's series The Boys showed a very different take on the superhero genre with this story of a covert group who help keep "supes" in line through often brutal means. The series is based on the comic series of the same name in which "The Boys" are even rougher in their policing tactics.
The fun of this series is imagining how the Boys would handle some of the superheroes and villains we know and love from the comics. Though they usually focus on the heroes, the Boys would no doubt have some fun with some of Marvel's biggest bad guys. Here are some Marvel villains the Boys could defeat and some they would have no chance against.
10 Could Defeat: Norman Osborne
Norman Osborne is one of Spider-Man's most famous and formidable enemies. Osborne is probably best known as his villainous alter-ego, Green Goblin. However, he is perhaps just as scary outside his goblin outfit as the ruthless businessman who wields immense power in the Marvel Universe.
Luckily for the Boys, no amount of power can scare them away from a target. For them, Norman Osborne would just be a pompous, rich jerk who needs to be taught a lesson. Even in his Green Goblin persona, the Boys would make quick work of him and his fancy glider.
9 No Chance: Carnage
The scary thing about the Boys is that they are willing to go to some pretty outrageous extremes to get their targets. Few Marvel villains could even compete with how low the Boys are willing to sink. However, Carnage is one character who they might not be able to out-crazy.
Cletus Kasady was initially a deranged serial killer even before he became Carnage. After forming with the symbiote, he became even deadlier. Though he does have weaknesses, Carnage is insane enough to tear the Boys apart before they would ever have a chance to stop him.
8 Could Defeat: Kingpin
Given what the Boys can do to actual superpowered beings, villains who don't actually have powers really don't stand a chance. Kingpin might be the most feared crime boss in New York City, but he would be an easy target for the Boys if they set their sights on him.
Again, the Boys are not an easily intimidated group and Kingpin would have no chance of defeating them in anything except a physical altercation. But even though Kingpin would be willing to fight dirty, the Boys would fight even dirtier.
7 No Chance: Magneto
Marvel's mutants can really vary in terms of their powerful abilities. Some mutant villains would be taken out easily by the Boys while others have godlike abilities that would be too much for the Boys to handle. Magneto falls into the latter group.
The most prominent of the mutant villains, Magneto has the terrifying ability to control anything that is metal. Though the Boys would surely come up with some clever ways to get around that, Magneto is clever himself. His intellect and powers would overpower the Boys quite easily.
6 Could Defeat: Batroc The Leaper
Like all comic book universes, there are some villains that make you wonder how anyone thought they would be intimidating. Batroc the Leaper is a Captain America villain who is very good at jumping. That's pretty much it. Captain America: The Winter Soldier did a pretty good job of making him less pathetic, but in the comics, he's pretty much a joke.
There's no question the Boys would defeat Batroc without any issue. They would hardly have to put any effort in. The only risk would be they might be laughing at him too hard to actually beat him.
5 No Chance: Ultron
It's hard to say if the Boys would have a problem with Ultron or not. They seem to be more concerned with the living "supes" who are abusing their powers, while Ultron is just a giant evil robot. However, if he started causing trouble, they would surely step in.
However, not being human would be a huge advantage for Ultron against the Boys. They usually go after the more human flaws in these super-beings. Ultron is also incredibly strong, intelligent and nearly indestructible. The Boys would have a hard time with him.
4 Could Defeat: Red Skull
Red Skull is another of the more famous Marvel villains and Captain America's archnemesis. He is the super-soldier Nazi leader who often hatches diabolic plans for world domination. But if he were to face-off with the Boys, they would beat his red skull to a pulp.
If there is one thing the Boys hate more than superpowered people, it's prejudiced superpowered people. They go after racist and homophobic "supes" with no mercy. Imagine what they would do to a superpowered Nazi if they got their hands on him.
3 No Chance: Thanos
The MCU has turned Thanos into a truly iconic cinematic villain, but he had already proven himself in the Marvel comics. He is one of those villains that all the Avengers together still have a hard time defeating.
The Boys would likely not back down from a fight with the Mad Titan but it would be a disaster for them. If Thanos had the Infinity Gauntlet, they might think up a clever way of removing it, but he is still an incredibly powerful being who could squash them like bugs.
2 Could Defeat: Doctor Doom
Many fans see Doctor Doom as the greatest Marvel villain. While there is a lot of stiff competition for that title, he is a complex, intelligent and formidable mastermind. However, that does not mean that he could survive a showdown with the Boys.
Doom does not possess as many superpowers as some villains but remains formidable thanks to his extreme intelligence. The thing about the Boys is that they can outwit even the biggest geniuses because they are willing to think of things most people would consider unthinkable. Doom might be surprised by the strategies the Boys come up with.
1 No Chance: Galactus
There's no doubt about it, the Boys are a very impressive team. They go up against nearly invulnerable enemies and find a way to hurt them. However, there are some enemies that are just too big for even them. And a being who devours entire planets is certainly too big for them.
Galactus is one of the most destructive and terrifying Marvel villains. When he sets his sights on a planet for his next meal, that planet is doomed. The Boys, despite their cleverness, would have no idea how to fight that.