Starlight’s ending in The Boys is incredibly...

Despite being one of the few characters who actually made it out of The Boys series alive, Starlight still got a far more downbeat ending than she deserved. Despite being one of the few true heroes among the “supes” in the series, Starlight was always destined to have a sad ending for one reason, and one reason only: The Boys truly hated superheroes.

Creator Garth Ennis’ satirical masterpiece, The Boys, pulled absolutely no punches in its caustic portrayal of out-of-control superheroes. Introduced at the start of the series, Annie January, aka Starlight, served as a POV character for the reader – her shock and alienation at discovering the true, twisted nature of superheroes mirrored that of the audience.

Throughout the course of the series, Starlight admirably resisted temptation, and established herself as one of the legitimately moral figures in a largely immoral fictional world. Even so, as a “supe,” Garth Ennis couldn’t let her emerge from the series fully unscathed.

The Boys’ Epilogue Series Reveals The Sad Endpoint Of Starlight’s Arc

The Boys: Dear Becky – Written By Garth Ennis; Art By Russell Braun; Color By Tony Aviña; Lettering By Simon Bowland

Ultimately, Garth Ennis leaves Annie living a life of quiet desperation – a deeply sad fate for arguably The Boys ‘ most noble character.

In the end, it didn’t matter that Starlight never let the degradation she suffered throughout The Boys break her, nor did she succumb to letting the other members of the Seven corrupt her. She never used her powers for nefarious or immoral reasons – and yet, her ultimate fate at the story’s conclusion is far from triumphant. In the epilogue series The Boys: Dear Becky, which followed the conclusion of the main series’ run, it is revealed that Hughie Campbell and Annie January are engaged, and living in Hughie’s hometown.

While on the surface it may seem like the perfect ending for the pair, given how the main The Boys series ended, that turned out to be not at all the case. The reality of their relationship is one of unease; Hughie spends most of the miniseries lying to Annie about having Butcher’s journal, adding a layer of mistrust to the life they’re building together. What’s more, Hughie proposes, but then keeps putting off the wedding for years, leaving Annie in a state where she doesn’t truly feel wanted or trusted by the man who’s supposed to love her.

It’s also clear that Hughie can’t stop unburdening himself of all the horrors he witnessed as a member of the Boys, even though Starlight has asked him time and again to stop. However, more than anything else, Annie is no longer allowed to be Starlight, a heroic role that she truly grew into over the course of the series. Ultimately, Garth Ennis leaves Annie living a life of quiet desperation – a deeply sad fate for arguably The Boys‘ most noble character.

Starlight’s Ultimate Tragedy Is That She Can Never Be A Hero Again

Not In Garth Ennis’ World

This is one of the many ways The Boys distinguishes itself from the genre it critiques. Any other superhero series would likely have rewarded Starlight for overcoming adversity…However, The Boys isn’t like any other series.

The Boys: Dear Becky confirms that following Homelander’s attempted coup, supes are universally hated and banned from using their powers, with the CIA still quietly killing off ‘problem’ Supes and covering up new Compound V activations. Despite being perhaps the only “supe” in the world who genuinely helped people, Annie can never be seen using her powers again. She and Hughie have even spent periods living off-grid to keep her former identity a secret. In this way, The Boys offers a devastating ending for Starlight, even if she survived the kind of horrible death suffered by most of the franchise’s characters.

This is one of the many ways The Boys distinguishes itself from the genre it critiques. Any other superhero series would likely have rewarded Starlight for overcoming adversity, and assisting in the collapse of the corrupt system she was unknowingly a part of. However, The Boys isn’t like any other series, and despite all the good Starlight could do with her powers, The Boys‘ version of a happy ending is that superhumans are permanently stamped out in every form – with no exception for those who might still be able to do good in the world.

Once the truth about superpowered individuals came to light at the end of The Boys, there was no world where Starlight could be a ‘good supe’ and use her powers to save the day like a classic superhero, since there’s no such thing as a ‘good supe’ in The Boys. So, while she lived, and was in a relationship with Hughie by the official end of The Boys, Dear Becky revealed that Starlight must keep what makes her exceptional a constant secret, while pushing Hughie not to return to the shadowy, selfish behavior he learned from Billy Butcher.

Amazon’s “The Boys” Can Give Starlight A Better Fate

Another Chance To Shine

The TV version of Starlight has already diverged from the comic book source material in crucial ways – meaning that a revised fate for the character is entirely possible.

With the fourth season of Amazon’s hit adaptation of The Boys airing now, and the announcement that the show will be ending with its fifth season, fans will be spending a great deal of time speculating on how characters’ endings will reflect the character trajectories from the comics. The TV version of Starlight has already diverged from the comic book source material in crucial ways – meaning that a revised fate for the character is entirely possible, for better, or for worse.

While a relationship with Hughie may still be in the cards for her endgame, it’s tenor may be different from Ennis’ depiction Dear Becky, as the series’ showrunner may want to leave them on a more upbeat note. A non-tragic ending for Starlight could potentially be one of the show’s most significant changes from the original story. Alternatively, the series could also shock fans by doubling down on the tragedy; rather than going out with a whimper, Annie could be taken out with a bang, as an unexpected death for the character would constitute one of the television series’ biggest shocks.

There is, of course, also the possibility that Starlight ends The Boys TV series in exactly the same place as her comic book counterpart. Bleak as it might be – and as much as some fans might argue that it is sadder than she deserves – the ending Garth Ennis crafted for Starlight in Dear Becky is the most emotionally poignant outcome for the character. In any case, fans will continue to debate Starlight’s ending in both versions of The Boys, attesting to how much the character has captivated audiences in both mediums.