The Boys: Why M.M. Really Wants To Take Down The Supes

Forum 3 years ago

The Boys: Why M.M. Really Wants To Take Down The Supes

The Boys season 2 has finally revealed why Mother's Milk is part of the gang. Amazon's The Boys follows the titular group of superhero-fighting specialists who see beyond the pristine, sugar-coated image of supes presented to the world by Vought. The Boys are led by Billy Butcher, whose wife was raped by Vought's top hero, Homelander, forcing her to go into hiding. Another founding member is Frenchie, a weapons specialist with underground connections, and they're joined by two new recruits: Hughie Campbell, whose girlfriend was killed by the superhero A-Train, and Kimiko, forcibly smuggled into the country and used as a Compound V guinea pig. Rounding off The Boys is Mother's Milk - tactically-minded, physically intimidating and riddled with OCD.

But one aspect to M.M.'s character makes him unique among the Boys quintet. It's very clear why the other 4 members joined the team. Butcher, Hughie and Kimiko are out for revenge, and all three have given up their civilian lives. The only person Butcher cares about is in Vought's custody, and Hughie's Dad is already under CIA protection. Frenchie obviously had a troubled childhood and is a criminal dabbler with no close loved ones who could be hurt by his enemies. As the man himself admits, he goes to bed with a different woman every night. M.M., on the other hand, has a wife and daughter who he's unable to contact in season 2. Why would M.M. risk his family to help Butcher's crusade against supe-kind?

Previously, fans might've assumed that M.M. was motivated by the thought of making a difference and the thrill of excitement, but season 2 unveils the real reason for his involvement. When Hughie, Annie and M.M. visit a past victim of a superhero attack, M.M. opens up about his own backstory, revealing his father was a lawyer. After an unspecified tragedy, Mr. Milk started putting together a case against Vought and their uncontrollable superheroes, believing that no man or company was above the law. Sadly, M.M.'s father would die before his work could bear fruit, halting the legal attack in its tracks. M.M. claims to have been trying to finish his father's task ever since.

This story explains why M.M. joined The Boys in the first place, but more importantly, contextualizes M.M.'s decision to continue despite putting his own family at risk. Throughout The Boys season 2, M.M.'s top priority is getting back to "his girls," but his unerring family focus seemed at odds with his decision to rejoin The Boys. Surely adrenaline and the fuzzy feeling that comes from doing the right thing wouldn't be enough to make him take such a risk? The drive to avenge his father and complete the destruction of Vought, however, is a far more convincing motivation, explaining why M.M. continues to work alongside Butcher even though he stands to lose so much more than the rest of the gang.

The Boys season 1 was largely focused on Hughie and Butcher, but season 2 is providing welcome background to the other members of the renegade group. After only 4 episodes, Kimiko feels far more well-rounded than she did previously, and viewers now have a far deeper understanding of M.M., adding an edge to his crusade against Vought that's just as personal as Butcher's or Hughie's. Perhaps as The Boys season 2 continues, the Amazon series will offer more information on Frenchie's recruitment, revealing his reasons for fighting the supes too.