The Boys Pays Homage to a Superhero Cinema Classic
The Boys, with its razor-sharp wit and bold parody, has shaped itself as a trailblazer among superhero TV shows. Throughout its run, the show has never missed an opportunity to poke fun at cultural icons and established universes, targeting both Marvel and DC with expert precision. Yet, what truly sets it apart is not just the satire, but the rare moments when it halts the mockery and tips its hat to pivotal works that have shaped the superhero genre. The explosive premiere of season 5 just delivered one of those moments, paying sincere tribute to one of Fox’s most outstanding superhero films: X-Men: Days of Future Past.
An Epic Sendoff for A-Train: Echoes of Quicksilver
Season 5’s opening episode delivers a shocking twist as A-Train, the series’ speedster, meets his end in a moment saturated with adrenaline and nostalgia. In a visually stunning slow-motion sequence, A-Train saves Hughie and MM from certain death, channeling the spirit of Quicksilver’s iconic rescue scene from X-Men: Days of Future Past. Both sequences make use of slo-mo to let viewers step into the perspective of a speedster, manipulating their environments with precision and—crucially—a touch of humor. While Quicksilver’s original saw him teasing guards and snacking mid-crisis, A-Train’s version is tighter and more dramatic, yet he cannot resist a quick, bemused glance at Butcher’s powers as he dismantles grenades and shields Hughie from Homelander’s lethal laser.
The parallels go beyond just choreography. When A-Train puts on his glasses before the rescue, the gesture feels like a direct parallel to Quicksilver’s move, reinforcing that this isn’t a parody—it’s a sign of genuine respect for the cinematic moment that set a benchmark for speedster scenes in superhero media.
Meta References and Savvy Comic Book Humor
The Boys doesn’t just stop at visual homage. In the same episode, Homelander delivers a speech referencing a fictional film—G-Men: Days Past from the Future—which he claims grossed over $2 billion, directly lampooning the title and box office competition of X-Men: Days of Future Past. It’s a clever meta-joke, typical of The Boys style, and a nod to anyone who’s kept track of superhero movie rivalry and pop culture banter. This layer of irony is especially effective considering the series’ history of mixing dark social commentary with offbeat humor—Prime Video’s superhero world continues to show it hasn’t lost its edge when roasting or honoring rival franchises.
Why Days of Future Past Endures in Pop Culture
X-Men: Days of Future Past remains a high point in superhero filmmaking, known for uniting different generations of X-Men actors and ingeniously bringing together two timelines in a plot that feels fresh and significant. Its ability to balance the stakes with innovative set pieces—such as the famous Quicksilver scene—has made it one of the franchise’s standout achievements and led it to become the highest-grossing X-Men film to date. The arrival of more disappointing follow-ups like Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix only underscores its accomplishment, marking it as the swan song of Fox’s X-Men before the MCU prepares to introduce its own mutants in future crossover events.
For The Boys to focus its referential firepower on this film—rather than opting for easy gags or surface-level references—shows a level of reverence rarely offered in satirical storytelling. The homage works as a wink to fans, a technical showcase, and a bridge connecting generations of superhero lovers who appreciate both dark deconstruction and genuine tribute to genre greats.
