The Boys: Mother’s Milk nickname explained

The heart and soul of The Boys is Mother’s Milk, but the origin of that nickname is something many fans have asked about.

Even as far as The Boys Season 4, most people call him M.M., but he’s introduced early in the show as Mother’s Milk. It’s just presented off-hand as a quicky nickname.

The name is largely a holdover from the comics, where it does have an incredibly dark background, like most things in The Boys comics.

Here’s everything you need to know about Mother’s Milk from The Boys and how he got his nickname.

Why is he called that in the show?

There’s no clear answer to why Marvin is known as Mother’s Milk in The Boys.

There’s no reason for the show to explore it, either. In most cases, the name is only referenced in passing, with most people calling him M.M. That shorthand makes a lot more sense in the show, given the character has been renamed Marvin Milk.

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While the show has avoided explaining it, it looks like it was in the cards at one point. Actor Laz Alonso told L.A. Confidential in 2023 that The Boys Season 3 would give fans “a lot of context as to Mother’s Milk origin story: his backstory, why he’s named ‘Mother’s Milk,’ where the name came from, his family life.” However, no explanation ever actually took place in the series, so it was likely cut.

His origin in the TV show removes anything from his background that could be tied into his nickname, too. The Boys TV show makes Mother’s Milk a victim of a supe incident where his grandfather was murdered, the stress of which led to his father’s death, motivating him to stop supes.

Comic book origins

Mother’s Milk in the comics is a codename referencing the source of his powers. Mother’s Milk in the comics is a supe whose real name is Baron Wallis. His codename is a nod to the source of his power, his mother’s Compound-V-infused breast milk.

Baron was exposed to the Compund-V in his mother’s breast milk as an infant and nearly died when she attempted to ween him off, eventually saving him by continuing to breastfeed him as he grew older. In his adulthood, he carries some of her breast milk with him to top off his powers.

Mother’s Milk has enhanced strength and durability, but only as long as he continues to drink her breast milk. Without it, his powers will weaken, and his body will begin to whither, eventually dying.

We don’t know yet if Mother’s Milk will get an explanation for his nickname, but you can check out our The Boys Season 4 theories and read up on all the new Supes in The Boys. Or read about the best new movies on streaming and the best new shows on streaming this month.