Black Noir’s 2 Biggest Weaknesses In The Boys Were Inspired By The Real-Life Actor

Despite The Boys having two versions of Black Noir, Nathan Mitchell has portrayed both characters while also inspiring each of their biggest weaknesses. Black Noir was first introduced to the show in season 1 as a silent and deadly member of The Seven, becoming a fan favorite despite his evil acts. Nathan Mitchell’s original Black Noir never removed his mask and was completely silent during the first three seasons, other than during a flashback scene where Fritzy-Klevans Destine depicted the supe. Mitchell’s dedication to the character made Noir incredibly memorable, adding to how hilarious his replacement is.

Black Noir is still alive in The Boys season 4 despite being killed off in season 3, as Vought decided not to announce his death and simply hired an actor to play him. Mitchell’s new portrayal of the character is completely different, as he is able to fly and talk, giving him a much different personality. Each version of Black Noir feels worlds apart, which is a testament to Mitchell’s acting ability. He has expertly managed to make both versions unique and give them their own quirks, and some of these were inspired by the real-life actor.

Black Noir’s Narcolepsy Is Inspired By Nathan Mitchell’s Own Sleeping Habits

Chace Crawford & Anthony Starr Revealed Mitchell Frequently Falls Asleep During Scenes

During The Boys season 4’s penultimate episode, Black Noir II fought Billy Butcher, and while it seemed like The Seven member had the upper hand, he abruptly fell asleep. His sudden nap was only brief, but it happened due to the character having narcolepsy, which can be seen throughout the season. Although the original version of the character was a more skilled fighter, the new Black Noir is still powerful, making his outlandish weakness a hilarious aspect of his character. However, the icing on the cake is the fact that this trait was inspired by Mitchell’s own sleeping habits.

Chase Crawford and Anthony Starr both confirmed on the Josh Horowitz podcast that Mitchell falls asleep during scenes, showcasing that the new Black Noir took some real-life inspiration. When talking about Mitchell, Crawford said, “We’ll be in scenes, and he’ll literally fall asleep,” and Starr backed this up by giving an anecdote before saying, “Nathan is almost narcoleptic.” The Boys taking Mitchell’s sleeping habits and adding them to Black Noir is a fun behind-the-scenes detail that makes the character feel more fleshed out while setting him up for plenty more hilarious scenes in the future.

Mitchell’s Tree Nut Allergy Was Incorporated Into The Original Black Noir

The Boys Season Revealed The Original Black Noir Had A Nut Allergy Which Was Also Inspired By Mitchell

Mitchell didn’t only inspire the new version of the character, as the actor’s tree nut allergy was also worked into the original Black Noir. Despite being one of the show’s most capable fighters and seeming indestructible in the early seasons, The Boys‘ original Black Noir’s greatest weakness was his nut allergy. During a fight between Black Noir and Starlight in season 2, Queen Maeve exposed Noir’s allergy by force-feeding him an Almond Joy, which instantly stopped the antagonist. Given everything the supe has brushed off in the past, no one would expect nuts to be his Achilles heel.

Like the new Noir’s narcolepsy, the old version’s weakness was also inspired by Mitchell, who has the allergy in real life. According to Eric Kripke, it was Karl Urban who came up with the idea of giving the character Mitchell’s real allergy, which adds a strong bit of depth to Black Noir. Having a deadly assassin be stopped by something as simple as an Almond Joy is hilarious and fits perfectly with The Boys‘ tone. In addition, the first iteration of the character had a tragic backstory, and his nut allergy only adds to his human side despite his superpowers.

Nathan Mitchell’s Personalized Touches Make Black Noir Even Better

Each Version Of Noir Feels Unique Yet Fleshed Out Thanks To These Personalized Quirks

While these subtle additions may not seem like a big deal, Mitchell’s personalized touches add to each iteration of Black Noir. Playing two entirely different versions of the same character seems incredibly challenging, but these small details give each Black Noir his own identity in The Boys. The original was loyal and ruthless, making him the perfect tool for Vought, but these characteristics stemmed from his traumatic past. His significant brain damage gave him a childish imagination that was easy to hide and exploit, making his nut allergy an effective way of showing the character’s true vulnerability.

On the flip side, the new Noir is full of energy and enthusiasm for this new acting role, making him all the more disappointed that he plays someone completely silent. There is a layer of irony in such an energetic character constantly falling asleep – especially at inconvenient times – once again demonstrating how effective each of these traits is. Nathan Mitchell’s performance across The Boys‘ four seasons is easily one of the most underrated, and injecting slight elements of his own life into each version of Black Noir gives them a deeper personality and makes them feel completely unique.

Source: Josh Horowitz Podcast

The Boys

The Boys is a superhero/dark comedy satire series created by Eric Kripke based on the comic series of the same name. Set in a “what-if” world that reveres superheroes as celebrities and gods who experience minimal repercussions for their actions. However, one group of vigilantes headed by a vengeance-obsessed man named Billy Butcher will fight back against these super-charged “heroes” to expose them for what they are.

Release Date

July 26, 2019

Seasons

4

Creator(s)

Eric Kripke

Writers

Eric Kripke

Showrunner

Eric Kripke

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