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Soldier-Boy's Blog

[ - EQUIPMENT - ]


Hero Costume: Soldier Boy wears a military green protective masked suit with what appears to be a Kevlar vest. This suit is strong enough to withstand the full force of his radioactive explosions. The suit is similar to a soldier uniform and contains a variety of american symbols, reinforcing Soldier Boy's image as a "patriotic soldier". After reclaiming it after escaping from Russia, he discontinued wearing his mask.

Shield: Soldier Boy wields a brass, golden-colored triangular shield in the shape of the Vought American logo as his main weapon of choice. He usually uses it to bash his enemies and block attacks. The shield is quite durable, as it was able to break through Black Noir's skull and withstand the Heat Vision of both Butcher and Homelander, though a prolonged burst of Heat Vision from Butcher as well as repeated shotgun blasts from Mother Milk weakened it to the point that a punch from the V-empowered Butcher shattered it. It is also extremely heavy, as Hughie wasn't even able to budge it when he tried to lift it. Even after the shield was shattered into pieces, Soldier Boy still picked up some of the shattered pieces and attempted to use them as a weapon.

Combat Knife: Benjamin carries an eagle headed combat knife on his right hip. It can be used as both a melee weapon and as a throwing-knife.

M1911: The pistol Soldier Boy carried while hunting Mind Storm was an M1911. It was the standard issue sidearm for American military personnel until the adoption of the Beretta 9mm pistol in 1985.

M1 Submachine Gun: Soldier Boy has been depicted wielding a M1-variant Thompson submachine gun on a commemorative statue of his likeness, hailing back to his glory days in World War II. Which was erected after his purported death.
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1 | 0 Comments | May 30th 2023 16:17

[ - WEAKNESSES - ]


PTSD: Soldier Boy is traumatized by the Russian torture and experiments he endured for almost forty years. One of his known triggers is a Russian song called Escape, which was played while he was being experimented on. When reminded of his trauma, he is emotionally overwhelmed and tends to lose control of his powers, particularly his new energy blast power. Furthermore, he refuses to admit to having PTSD (what was called "shell shock" in his time). As a coping mechanism, The Boys supply him with heavy amounts of Cannabis to calm his nerves and block his triggers. This seemed to work, but also increased his paranoia as a side effect.

Radiation Detection Equipment: After gaining the power to create blasts of radioactive energy, Benjamin's body now constantly emits high levels of radiation. Because of this, it is possible to detect him by using radiation detectors, a good example being when Mother's Milk was able to tell when he was approximating their location by using a Geiger counter.

Requires Time to Build Up Energy for Discharges: It can take considerable time for Soldier Boy to generate sufficient energy to discharge his radiation-infused energy blasts. It took approximately eight seconds for him to build up the discharge that was aimed at Frenchie. This allowed Kimiko sufficient time to move Frenchie out of the way, although she was struck herself, and the build-up for the discharge that killed Crimson Countess took even longer. This delay also allowed Homelander enough time to escape before Soldier Boy was able to fire his energy beam at him. The build-up for the discharge he prepared to try and kill The Boys and Homelander was the longest yet, giving Maeve enough time to tackle him through a window and detonate mid-air.

Blunt Force/Limited Durability: Though almost invulnerable, beings of equal or greater strength, namely Homelander, can physically harm and likely kill him. Additionally, while none of the testing the Russians put him through actually harmed him, the destructive tests were clearly uncomfortable at best and painful at worst. While he is able to survive his own radioactive bursts, having not shown any sign of a scratch after unleashing them each time, he has often appeared to be in pain on occasions when he used it, most notably when he was about to blast Homelander. Also, Butcher suggested that a fully-fledged nuclear warhead could have the sufficient force to kill him. Butcher's heat vision was also able to leave a wound on Soldier Boy's face, showing his skin can be cut with enough force.

Substance abuse: since his younger days, Ben was implied to be an alcoholic due to stealing Manhattan cocktails from his dad’s collection of alcohol. In his adult years, he sniffed cocaine, smoked weed and did other kinds of drugs to keep himself at bay which would only worsen his behaviour and cause him to hallucinate. Furthermore this drug abuse would serve as a weakness since it’s not effects alter his behaviour and triggers aggression. After escaping Russia, Ben was given hefty bags of marihuana to calm his post traumatic stress but this would bring back the same effects and it lead to kill a priest and a nun out of a delusion that they were under Homelander’s mind control which makes him reckless.

Powerful Toxins: Despite his resistance towards most chemical substances, extremely powerful toxins can still affect him. It has been suggested by Frenchie that Soldier Boy was knocked out by the Russians using the Novichok nerve agent, which can kill normal humans in less than a minute. The Boys later attempted to use such a gas to subdue Soldier Boy, but he was able to break free before its effects could be proven.
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1 | 0 Comments | May 30th 2023 15:54

[ - SKILLS - ]


Master Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Since World War II, Soldier Boy has been depicted as a skilled fighter thanks to his military training and has been known to have killed dozens of German soldiers, though given that a lot of his military service was propaganda films, it is debateable whether he actually killed any actual nazis in combat. During his time in Nicaragua, he possessed enough skill to fight and quickly overpower half a dozen special forces soldiers, using a combination of hand-to-hand combat and shield attacks. Despite having been subdued for almost forty years by the Russians and having not fought anyone during that time, aside from his escape attempts, Ben's fighting skills did not seem to atrophy. When Soldier Boy returned to the present, he proved a formidable opponent against Homelander, the first time the latter seemed nervous about facing another Supe. With his near century of experience in actual combat, Soldier Boy was able to fight and, at times, overpower Homelander by evading and countering his attacks. Eventually, Homelander's superior strength and speed allowed him to regain the upper hand, nearly defeating Soldier Boy through raw power. During his fight against The Boys, he defeated a V24-empowered Butcher in melee combat, who was himself a highly trained combat veteran.

Shield Expertise: Soldier Boy is well skilled in wielding his near-indestructible shield. While it can be a source of defense, Ben also incorporates his shield as a blunt weapon to bash opponents with. Such is the strength and skill with which he wields it, that Soldier Boy can cripple even highly durable Supes with his shield, having used it to shatter Black Noir’s skull. Even Homelander, the most powerful Supe in all of existence, was shown to be stunned briefly when he was struck with the shield and Soldier Boy's strength.

Knife Proficiency: Ben is highly skilled at using combat knives. He is also very proficient at throwing knives, being able to hit Mindstorm in his eye from a far distance without hitting Hughie, who was in close proximity to Mindstorm.

Expert Marksman: Soldier Boy is an expert in using guns with great accuracy. He shot both a brainwashed priest and a nun in the head, with the latter having used Hughie as a human shield. It has also been implied that Soldier Boy was the man who shot JFK.

Singer: Ben is also a capable singer. He performed the song "Rapture" by Blondie, during his guest appearance on Solid Gold. However according to The Legend, he is not a good singer.

Acting: Soldier Boy has participated in the production of many films and anti-communist propaganda, such as Red Thunder. Many of these films are considered classics, meaning that he is likely an actor of at least decent skill.

Intimidation: Soldier Boy is very imposing and makes everyone around him feel frightened. Right after being released by Butcher, everyone, including Butcher himself, couldn't move from their places, with Mother's Milk sweating and losing his temper while remembering when his family was murdered by him. Even Homelander feared Soldier Boy and continued to remain wary of him after their first battle. When he was the leader of Payback most of all his teammates were afraid of him due to the abuse he inflicted on them and being the strongest member of the team.

Indomitable Will: Soldier Boy is absolutely fearless as he has been alive for over 100 years and has fought real life Nazis. Soldier Boy himself has stated that he fears nothing. He can however be intimidated by certain things like being put back into a coma, as he will do anything to prevent it from happening, even blow up an entire building and everyone in it.
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1 | 0 Comments | May 30th 2023 15:48

[ - POWERS - ]


Superhuman Strength: Soldier Boy was the most powerful superhero before Homelander and remains second only to him as the strongest being on the planet. During the Nicaragua incident, he displayed enough strength to take on several trained soldiers at once and overpower them without any visible signs of effort. He was able to send one through a wall of corrugated metal and backhand another with his shield with enough force to catapult him hundreds of feet away. He was also able to easily overpower the entire Payback team in melee combat and nearly kill Black Noir. His shield is extremely heavy, so much so that normal humans are unable to even move it, yet Ben himself can effortlessly wield it one-handed. According to Mother's Milk, he is strong enough to lift and throw a full-sized car like a child's toy. A true testament to his strength was his ability to match Homelander in a brutal hand-to-hand brawl, the first time ever witnessed in the show, where the two initially appeared evenly matched, trading staggering blows, dealing considerable damage to the surrounding area, catching Homelander's fist in a test of strength and throwing him around like a ragdoll. Homelander himself remarked that his initial evaluation of Soldier Boy's strength concerned him, and even before actually facing him in combat, he was likewise concerned about having to fight him. During his fight against The Boys, he was able to overpower Kimiko with ease, effortlessly thwarting her ambush attempt. He also defeated a V24-empowered Butcher in melee combat, using his superior strength to knock him unconscious.

"As you know, the subject's skin has demonstrated remarkable durability. Which includes internal tissue."
—Russian Scientist

Superhuman Durability: Soldier Boy is durable enough to withstand assault rifle rounds fired at point-blank range in his mouth, burning by oxy-acetylene flame, cutting by power-saws, and blades being struck against his eyes. Indeed, Russian scientists spent several decades performing experiments to test his durability, and ultimately failed to harm him. During his fight against Payback, he was able to withstand direct attacks from each of its members, including an explosive blast from the TNT Twins. Another astonishing feat of durability is Soldier Boy's ability to withstand punishing attacks from Homelander with no visible wounds or signs of injury, being the only person to have ever done so. He endured many punches and being thrown into walls, each time getting back up to counter with his own attacks. Although, while not breaking skin or bruising, Homelander's attacks did have enough force to eventually stagger Soldier Boy and knock him down. This encounter showered that Soldier Boy's durability is on par or even superior to Homelander's, considering Homelander was left with a bruise for the first time while Soldier Boy had no wounds. Benjamin is also capable of withstanding his own nuclear explosions without taking any damage, though he appears to feel intense pain when using them, as he was visibly wincing when preparing to blast Homelander and when he was going to detonate in Vought tower. Later, when Black Noir was preparing to fight Soldier Boy by sharpening his blades, Homelander commented that they could not pierce his skin, revealing that even if they were wielded by an inhumanly strong Supe such as Noir, they would still prove useless. During his fight against The Boys, he was able to withstand multiple Heat Vision attacks, first from Ryan, then from both Homelander and Butcher. Soldier Boy even survived a direct, prolonged laser-blast to the face from Butcher, which only left a small cut on his cheek.

Toxin Immunity: Soldier Boy appears to be very resilient towards harmful substances and poisons. When he drank one of Bill Cosby's roofied drinks, it didn't knock him out and he mistook it as a very strong drink. While in Russian confinement, he managed to withstand ingesting sulfuric acid cocktails and his body is also completely immune to Halothane gas, being able to casually inhale and exhale the substance as if inhaling from a cigar or cigarette. He was also merely knocked out by Novichok, which is one of the most dangerous toxins in the world. However, when The Boys attempted to later subdue Soldier Boy, even Novichok appeared to have little effect on him, implying that he had also built up a resistance to it.

Radiation Immunity: He can withstand being exposed to 20 sieverts of radiation, far above the lethal radiation dosage for humans. He can also withstand the amount of radiation produced by his own body, which has been compared to that of a nuclear reactor.

Psychic Immunity (Tentative): During his fight with Mindstorm in Nicaragua, Soldier Boy was apparently able to resist the telepath's mind control, even though Mindstorm was later able to influence Butcher without any difficulty. This implies that Soldier Boy may have some level of resistance towards mind altering powers. However, when ambushing Mindstorm during his revenge mission, Soldier Boy was quick to wrap Mindstorms face with a bag so he couldn't make eye contact, implying that despite his level of resistance, he could still succumb to his powers.

Superhuman Speed and Reflexes: While the full extent of his speed has not been seen, he is quick enough to take on several soldiers at the same time. When Grace's group was attacked, he reacted instantly to shield himself before an enemy soldier began to open fire. His reflexes and speed allowed him to match Homelander in a physical brawl, evading many of Homelander's initial attacks and quickly countering with his own. During his fight against The Boys, Soldier Boy was able to effortlessly thwart an ambush attempt by The Female, grabbing her by the neck as she attempted to take him by surprise, all without even looking at her.

Superhuman Senses: Given his similarities to Homelander, it is possible Soldier Boy has increased hearing, as he seemed to pick up on something Billy Butcher and Hughie couldn't hear during their search for Mindstorm. However, this could have also been his increased paranoia, brought upon by smoking heavy amounts of marijuana.

Superhuman Stamina: Soldier Boy can fight his enemies for prolonged periods of time without getting tired or wearing out. This is proven in his fights against Homelander, The Boys and Payback.

Regenerative Healing Factor: Though highly resistant to most forms of damage, Ben did receive a cut on his cheek after being subjected to a prolonged Heat Vision blast by Billy Butcher. However, when he was later recaptured and imprisoned by Grace Mallory, the wound on his cheek had already disappeared.

Longevity: Despite having been born in 1919, Soldier Boy appears to not have aged at all since World War II, as he is still in his physical prime and has the appearance of a man in his mid-thirties. Utilizing previous knowledge, it can be presumed that Soldier Boy is immortal.

Radiation Generation: After being exposed to high levels of radiation while being experimented on by the Russians, Soldier Boy's body appears to have started producing radiation on its own, this ended up effectively turning him into a walking nuclear reactor. Because of this, his body now emits high levels of radiation at all times. Due to this, there is a chance that his radioactive physiology makes him immune to both cold and hot temperatures. However the amount of radiation that his body creates can also be affected by his emotional state. This can be seen when Hughie's Geiger counter recorded increased levels of radiation when Soldier Boy was venting about his past, getting very emotionally distressed in the process. When Benjamin's PTSD is triggered, his emotional state can get out of control, causing him to lose control over his powers. This makes Soldier Boy extremely dangerous as the explosions he generates are capable of destroying entire city blocks. When The Boys attempted to put Soldier Boy back to sleep, his fear of being imprisoned again overwhelmed him, and he generated so much radiation that he started smoking.

Radioactive Aura: Due to the high amounts of radiation that he emits at all times, being near Soldier Boy for prolonged periods of time can likely cause radiation poisoning.

Radiation-Infused Energy Blasts: After gaining the power of a nuclear reactor, Soldier Boy now possesses the ability to fire tremendously powerful blasts of radiation-infused energy from his upper torso. He can release the energy as a forward-facing beam which lasts several seconds before his energy is depleted. He often scythes the beam by changing his direction as the beam discharges, creating a wedge-shaped or omnidirectional wave of destruction. The beam is incredibly destructive, powerful enough to completely vaporize a normal human, reduce another Supe to a charred corpse, fling a Supe as durable as Kimiko through a concrete wall, and destroy multi-story buildings with ease. When he unleashed it at Herogasm, the beam was strong enough to nearly destroy most of the TNT Twins's home, as well as kill a dozen attendants, which included Supes. An even larger blast, which he attempted to detonate inside Vought Tower, would have been powerful enough to destroy the entire skyscraper and kill almost everyone inside.

Disempowerment: It appears that Soldier Boy's ability to produce radioactive beams of energy is powerful enough to burn the entirety of Compound V from the bloodstream of a Supe, effectively killing them or, in the case of Kimiko, Maeve and the attendants of Herogasm who survived, turning them back into normal human beings. This did not prevent them regaining their powers, as shown when Kimiko later regained her powers after being injected with Compound V again. It is also shown that if a Supe had powers that temporarily altered their form and then had their powers removed by Soldier Boy, they would be permanently stuck in this form afterwards. This was shown in the case of Termite, who was stuck in his shrunken form after the Herogasm explosion.
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1 | 0 Comments | May 30th 2023 15:36