Black Noir’s return in The Boys Season 4 explained

Black Noir died in The Boys Season 3 finale, so how is the stealthy ex-member of The Seven back in Season 4?

The Boys Season 4 is almost at an end, and we’ve seen a number of new supes joining The Seven, including Sister Sage and Firecracker. But there’s also Black Noir’s surprising return.

We have The Boys Season 4 theories about Butcher’s illness and the Gen V cast popping up, but there’s no need to speculate about this particular comeback.

Black Noir is in the new season right from Season 4 Episode 1, just not in the ‘back from the grave’ manner some have suspected.

How Black Noir is back for The Boys Season 4

The original Black Noir is still dead. Vought has replaced him with a “whole new” version in Season 4.

Eric Kripke confirmed actor Nathan Mitchell is a “whole new” Black Noir in Season 4. He told EW, “We have Nathan playing a really interesting and hilarious character who wears the suit next season. We’ll explore it as the season goes on, but Nathan plays a whole new character.”

Mitchell appeared in The Boys Seasons 1 through 3 as Black Noir’s stunt performer, with the unmasked Noir played by Fritzy-Klevans Destine.

This time, he’s got a meatier role. Following the original supe’s death in The Boys Season 3, Vought International has replaced him with Black Noir II (although they’re keeping this fact hidden from the public).

This means Mitchell plays the new Black Noir both masked and unmasked. And his performance has received plenty of praise so far, with fans enjoying the comedic relief his character provides as he tries to get to grips with his role in The Seven.

Why is he back?

Vought decided to bring Black Noir back for publicity and marketing reasons, covering up the fact that Homelander ruthlessly killed his friend.

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Black Noir was never the most popular member of The Seven, but he held his position for a long time as the member most loyal to Homelander. Vought wants to portray The Seven as a tight-knit group of dependable heroes as they Make America Super Again, and the shadowy supe was a piece of that puzzle.

The public also doesn’t know about one of The Boys’ most shocking moments: Homelander murdering his old friend. So, replacing him is a way to avoid any questions being asked about his absence, and to protect the star-spangled, milk-obsessed maniac from any (further) murder charges.

What’s the new Black Noir like?

The new Black Noir is much more vocal than his predecessor. He can also fly, which is new, and he suffers from narcolepsy, which strikes at the worst times.

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There have been a few teething issues as Black Noir II gets to grips with his role in the same way an eager actor would – particularly when it comes to the ‘no talking’ rule.

In Season 4 Episode 2, for example, he’s struggling after Homelander made him, A-Train, and The Deep murder three Hometeamers. He accosts A-Train, saying, “I’ve never actually murdered anyone before. Does Homelander make us kill people, like, a lot? And when he does, do we just… do it?”

A-Train tells Noir to keep his mouth shut and do as he’s told, and he pretty much does from there on out. He and The Deep get a lot closer, too, with the latter encouraging Black Noir to embrace the sexual thrill of murdering people.

Their friendship might become strained now, though, after it was revealed they have both been sleeping with Sister Sage. The kicker is, Sage doesn’t need a lobotomy to have sex with Noir, as she doesn’t find it quite as degrading as her encounters with The Deep.

For more on Season 4, find out when the next episode’s out with our guide to the release schedule, and read about whether Soldier Boy will return.

You can also look at how the Gen V timeline ties in, learn more about Starlight, or the new Shape Shifter. And, if you’re a fan of cape-wearers, here’s our roundup of the best superhero TV shows.