This post contains major spoilers for The Boys season five, episode six. If it would kill you to read them, check out our episode five coverage until you’re caught up.
The Boys has always managed to let us see the human side of its greatest monsters, and that’s why the show’s latest major supe death might seem sadder than most. Justin just wanted to be an actor. He was seemingly cast in the role of a lifetime when Vought picked him to replace the silent, recently murdered member of the Seven. Instead he found the part of Black Noir difficult and limiting. But his unexpected demise at the hands of the Deep was a fitting end for a man who fully embraced his role as a killer.
In episode six of The Boys‘ final season, Black Noir II got revenge against eternal garbage aquaman, the Deep. The aquatic superhero had sold out his fish friends when he publicly supported an underwater oil pipeline. That blew up in his face when the pipe blew up, resulting in the biggest oil spill in history. It was no accident, though. Justin had flown up there and punched a hole in the poorly made pipe. He wanted revenge against the Deep for stealing his spotlight with the capture of Stan Edgar and for murdering director Adam Bourke.
Noir thought the death of billions of marine life was fair payback for the death of one human. That clearly did not go over with the person who cares about fish the most. The Seven’s resident man-child dummy lashed out by lashing a cord around Noir’s neck. He then put a knife in his head, as the second iteration of the superhero ended the same as the first: slain by a team member.
It was unsurprising from the Deep (who quickly realized he’d done something very bad). It might have also seemed unfair or even sad, as Justin was just playing a part. He wasn’t as inherently evil or irredeemable as the Deep. Justin wasn’t a “true believer” willing to give up what he cared about like Firecracker. (As evident by his secret play that would have driven Homelander wild.) He just committed to a role like any good professional actor. Only, when the role is “guy who guts innocent people,” you are guilty all the same.
The maimed, injured, and dead bodies Justin piled up while playing a member of the Seven were just as authentically dead as all the people Homelander, the Deep, and every other Vought Supe has ever killed. His reason is not an excuse anymore than his humanity. It’s why he got what he deserved.
Maybe, if instead of playing the part, he’d truly embodied Black Noir he would have never ended up dead inside his suit.
Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. He’s looking forward to The Deep’s demise. You can follow him on Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.