WWE RAW this week saw a fiery exchange between Cody Rhodes and Paul Heyman. During his promo, ‘The American Nightmare’ made a powerful statement on RAW this week, not only addressing Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s comments from SmackDown but also hinting at a darker side of him during his interaction with Heyman.
Rhodes made a nod to the dark and violent character, Homelander, from the popular Amazon series The Boys. He channeled his inner Homelander during the promo. It was a move that would surely catch the attention of Antony Starr (the actor behind the character).
Cody Rhodes Emulates Homelander in Intense WWE RAW Confrontation
The crowd erupted in a standing ovation as Cody Rhodes entered the ring in this week’s WWE RAW, eager for his response to The Rock’s scathing words on SmackDown.
Rhodes addressed The Rock’s remarks about his mother, offering compliments to Dwayne Johnson‘s mom instead. He then portrayed his own mother as tougher than The Rock depicted, setting the stage for a heated rivalry.
Paul Heyman‘s interruption during Rhodes’ promo added another layer to the drama. ‘The Wise Man’ proposed an offer for Rhodes to appear on the next SmackDown, enticing him with a one-on-one match against Roman Reigns without The Bloodline’s interference. Rhodes accepted the offer eagerly and also had another surprise in store.
This is where things got interesting. As boos rained down on Heyman, Rhodes delivered a line that sent shockwaves through the WWE Universe: “They’re booing you, and I’m about to go full Homelander and rip your throat off.”
LMFAOOO CODY RHODES JUST REFERENCED HOMELANDER 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/fmG2ybnbcK
— Nicholas (@NicholasPas5) March 19, 2024
The reference to Homelander, the villainous yet celebrated superhero from Amazon’s The Boys, was a bold one. The character represents a dark paradox: immense power masked by a heroic facade, who isn’t afraid to use brutal violence.
Fan Theories Run Wild on Cody Rhodes’ Homelander Reference
Cody Rhodes’ Homelander comment sparked a frenzy in the pro wrestling community online. Speculations flew around, with fans split on what it could mean.
One fan said it is about Rhodes’ WrestleMania XL entrance with gear inspired by Homelander’s menacing red, white, and blue motif. This would mark a big change for Rhodes, who’s usually seen in more traditional wrestling gear.
CODY WENT OFF AS HE SHOULD, homelander gear at mania??? 👀 @CodyRhodes pic.twitter.com/IKZjGqFaYq
— aya (@cosmicbanks) March 19, 2024
Another idea is that Rhodes’ Homelander reference hints at a more aggressive and ruthless side to him. So, could this be the beginning of a darker chapter for ‘The American Nightmare’? This could be a major storyline twist, making the 38-year-old more of an anti-hero character.
YOOOOO Cody Rhodes with The Homelander reference was 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥! #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/FEMGiawOvo
— ꧁༺ 💜 𝓖𝓵𝓪𝓶𝓥𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓷 💜 ༻꧂ (@VioletZaneINT) March 19, 2024
But some fans said that Rhodes has been always seen as WWE’s top “babyface,” so going full-on Homelander might not fit with the character he’s built.
Cody Rhodes calling himself Homelander is not the image you want to portray as the biggest babyface in WWE
— Nato Jacobs (@dcmadness202) March 19, 2024
No matter how fans see it, one thing’s for sure: Cody Rhodes’ promo has stirred up a lot of excitement and talk. Whether it hints at a new costume, a different character, or just a clever way to deal with Paul Heyman, fans can’t wait to see what happens next in WWE.
