The Boys: Pretending to Be Friends Lets Me Copy Superpowers

Shanquan is a second-string hero at Vought, codenamed “Angel.” He could originally only fly, and wasn’t even good enough to count as background scenery in the Seven. Then he awakened the Hero Encyclopedia, a damn System. As long as someone verbally admits they’re his “friend,” even if they’re just putting on an act, he can permanently copy one of their superpowers at random. If they sincerely consider him a friend, he can trigger a critical bonus, choose their core ability to copy, and enhance it. And so, Vought’s hypocritical, nauseating social scene became Shanquan’s most lucrative leveling ground. He mingles with these workplace losers hiding behind the façade of heroes, smiling more warmly than anyone else, all thanks to his golden finger. One “We’re good friends, okay?” from the Deep grants him the Deep’s immense strength. One “You’re a true friend” from Starlight unlocks limitless photonic energy. Maeve clinks glasses with a cold laugh, and a body of steel is his. Even after A-Train is shoved into a garbage truck, he has to grit his teeth and call him a friend. He helps Vought’s PR team package scandals as heroic stories, while stripping the Supes of every ace up their sleeves right under Homelander’s nose. By the time Homelander finally realizes something is wrong, Shanquan is already standing in front of him, smiling as he extends a hand. “We’re friends too, right, senior?”