Despite their name, The Seven have only had seven members throughout the history of The Boys. The Boys is a darkly comical superhero satire partially based on Garth Ennis’ comic series of the same name. As the release date for The Boys season 4 approaches, the show promises more gory action and smart takedowns of the never-ending flood of superhero content.

However, the show’s rich backstory can be difficult to follow, especially since The Boys comics and TV show share many character names while following vastly distinct narratives. The Seven’s ambiguous name is one example of this problem.

The Seven are a collection of superheroes who, while popular with the public, mostly exist to boost the public image of the corrupt conglomerate Vought International. All seven members are defective, and Homelander, their commander, is a violent sociopath. Over the course of three seasons, supes have joined and departed The Seven, with just Homelander and A-Train remaining. The Deep departed and subsequently returned, Starlight left after seeing the depths of the gang’s depravity, and Queen Maeve left after joining the Boys, a vigilante squad dedicated to defeating the Seven.

The Seven Briefly Had 7 Members In The Boys Season 3

Supersonic’s Brief Tenure Brought The Seven’s Numbers Back Up

Since Stormfront finally died in season 3, Homelander 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed Black Noir later that season, and Translucent was 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed early in season 1, The Seven have only briefly had seven members throughout the show’s history. The Seven had seven members in The Boys season 3 when The Deep rejoined, but this only lasted until Homelander 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed Supersonic. Since then, there have never been seven supes in the Seven, and the death of Black Noir only made the group’s number smaller. Homelander 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed Supersonic when he attempted to join Starlight’s battle against him, resulting in Starlight herself leaving the Seven.

Black Noir will be replaced by a new version of the character in season 4 and it is unlikely that the public will ever learn about the switch, meaning his death may not count towards the public perception of the Seven. Queen Maeve sustained serious injuries while fighting Soldier Boy in the season 3 finale and retired from public life, with Vought International presuming she died in the battle. Unlike The Deep, Starlight has no interest in rejoining the Seven and left the group to highlight their appalling actions and Homeland’s horrific history of corruption, murder, torture, and violent manipulation.

The Only Other Time The Seven Had 7 Members Was The Boys Season 1

The Seven Never Had Its Promised Number Of Members for Long

When The Boys season 1 first began, the Seven did have seven members for a brief period. However, when A-Train accidentally 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed Hughie’s girlfriend, he set in motion a chain of events that reshaped the group. Hughie joined the Boys to get back at supes, and the Boys kidnapped and gruesomely 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed The Seven’s villainous member Translucent. Translucent was replaced by another supe in season 2, the secret Nazi Stormfront, but The Deep was kicked out around the same time when Starlight exposed his history of 𝓈ℯ𝓍ual assault. As such, the group never had seven members until Supersonic’s brief tenure.

The Deep’s return in season 3 brought the group’s numbers up, as did the addition of Supersonic, but Supersonic’s death and Starlight’s subsequent exit dropped them right back down. Fortunately for Homelander, there are plenty of supes ready to join the organization. Some, like Supersonic, aren’t aware of its true nature, while others, like Stormfront, hope to exploit its good reputation. Viewers won’t know which camp the new supes of The Boys season 4 fall into until the show introduces Sister Sage and Firecracker upon its return to screens in June 2024.

Why The Seven Hardly Ever Has 7 Members In The Boys

The Boys Themselves Are Responsible For The Seven’s Inaccurate Name

“Within the show’s universe, the Boys themselves are the main reason that the Seven rarely actually has seven members.”

The Boys’ decision to limit the number of important characters in The Seven makes sense in real life. It is difficult for any show to balance that many characters while making them all relevant, as seen by Queen Maeve and Black Noir’s early lack of character development. Within the show’s universe, the Boys are the primary reason why the Seven rarely has seven members. They abducted and 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁ed Translucent while also aiding numerous other exits. Starlight’s hidden partnership with the Boys had a key role in her decision to leave the squad.

Similarly, Queen Maeve’s decision to side with Billy Butcher against Soldier Boy and Homelander indirectly resulted in her exit, as did Starlight’s revelation of The Deep’s atrocities. Kimiko also contributed to Stormfront’s death, despite the fact that Ryan administered the fatal blow, demonstrating that the Seven’s struggle to retain members can be traced back to the vigilante group’s actions. Only time will tell if they can keep the Seven’s numbers down in the Boys’ season 4.