Analyzing The Abilities Of Characters From The Boys Pt. XV

Analyzing The Abilities of Characters From The Boys Pt. XV

🐈‍⬛Kimiko🐈‍⬛

Kimiko is one of the core members of “DaBois” and a fan favorite, rightfully so. I imagine she was supposed to be this world’s version of X-23, but with all the charm of America’s favorite terrorist assassin.

Her primary ability is her healing factor, allowing her to regrow limbs, instantly heal wounds, and even revive herself from death. This is coupled with great strength and agility, making her a formidable combatant.

Her origin story paints her as being abducted by a terrorist group that forced her to compete in routine death matches to weed out the weak from the strong. This was most likely what forced her body to adapt a healing factor; Kimiko needed to keep getting back up after every cut, gash, punch, or gunshot, so being able to heal instantaneously would be the most useful adaptation.

I find great tragedy in her character, seeing as how she’s been conditioned into a weapon by Shining Light only to be “freed” by The Boys, and inadvertently groomed into becoming Bitch’s Butcher’s personalized weapon. She openly resents this and shows herself to be miserable at the prospect of having to slaughter more people since being released from her cage, but this reaction seemingly annoys Butcher (one of the many reasons I’m salivating on that man’s death, but whatever).

I enjoy seeing her character finally being able to speak by the end of S4, seeing as how her voice seemed to be a control tactic the show used for her characterization. She was expected to be a silent assassin, which she internalized into being entirely mute to grapple with the monster she believed she had to become. With her finally being allowed to wail out for Frenchie, I wonder in this insinuates that she no longer views herself as a killer, but now as a rightful victim of all the suffering she’s endured. I also think it’s worth noting that this was brought about in a scene that reintroduced Cate, which I found symbolically interesting, seeing as how Cate’s ability is dependent on her verbal communication, so seeing Cate’s entrance into Kimiko’s life eliciting Kimiko’s voice was a fun little detail.

Analyzing The Abilities of Characters From The Boys Pt. XIII

🧲Andre🧲

In loving memory of the incredible Chance Perdomo, thank you so much for giving us not one incredible, generational ally and hero, but two: Ambrose and Andre.

Andre, the son of essentially this world’s Magneto, has the identical ability to his father. They both possess the ability to manipulate magnetism, which expresses itself as mostly bending metal to their will. This is a perfect example of how genetic factors influence the way compound V manifests in subjects, much like Maverick with Translucent.

Andre’s interesting to me, mostly because he’s what holds the friend group together, almost like his magnetism works on them as well. He drew Marie in and placed her in their orbit. He encouraged Jordan to go out with her, and was quick to console Cate after Luke’s death. He was the group’s heart in a way, which matches well with his power.

Additionally, the fact that he’s constantly under the pressure of his father, Polaris, to be the best at everything he does insinuates that his power has a downside. We find out that overexertion of his power results in potentially fatal brain damage. The source of his strength is also the source of his weakness, and yet, Andre chooses to defend Marie regardless in the S1 finale.

Magnetism can attract, propel, and in Andre’s case, crush him under the weight of his father’s expectations, almost like his father’s magnetism was interacting with his own. He was constantly expected to be one thing or another. He should have been the hero, saving the day and getting the girl. He should have lived* to take down Homelander. He should have gotten to Cate sooner. All of this is to say that maybe all he had to be was the true hero he truly was: a friend.

*I’m well aware nothing has been confirmed for his character following Chance’s passing, but I doubt they would recast a role like his given them only really having one season left for his character. I can imagine they kill the character off in an offscreen jailbreak that would be implied to have taken place after the Gen V S1 finale, and the characters have to grapple with his loss and potential sacrifice, but I’m also talking out of my ass right now.*