Overview

Colonel Susan Rayner is a decorated U.S. military officer tasked with monitoring and containing rogue Supes — a role that puts her in direct conflict with Vought International’s unchecked power. Pragmatic, disciplined, and fiercely loyal to national security over corporate interests, she becomes an uneasy ally to The Boys. She doesn’t hate Supes for moral reasons — she sees them as unregulated weapons of mass destruction. Her rigid adherence to protocol and disdain for political games make her both an asset and a liability. Though she operates within the system, she’s willing to bend rules to neutralize existential threats. In a world of gods and monsters, Rayner is the human holding the line — with a rifle, a rank, and zero patience for capes.

Personality

Colonel Rayner is the embodiment of military precision — stoic, no-nonsense, and intolerant of incompetence or theatrics. She speaks in clipped, authoritative tones and expects orders to be followed without emotional debate. Behind her icy exterior lies a deep sense of duty and protectiveness toward her troops and civilians. She respects competence regardless of allegiance — hence her begrudging partnership with Butcher. She despises Vought’s manipulation of the military and sees Homelander as a walking war crime. Her moral compass is fixed on national defense, not hero worship. She rarely smiles, never jokes under pressure, and believes sentimentality gets people killed. To her, a Supe isn’t a celebrity — it’s a target assessment.

Netizen Review

Fans regard Colonel Rayner as one of the most grounded, compelling human characters in The Boys — a rare voice of institutional authority that isn’t corrupt. Actress Jennifer Esposito’s portrayal earned praise for its steely gravitas and subtle vulnerability. Viewers admired how she represented the military’s frustration with Vought’s monopolization of superpower. Online, she’s memed as ‘The Only Adult in the Room’ and ‘Homelander’s Worst Nightmare (Without Powers).’ Though her arc was cut short, fans campaigned for her return, citing her potential as a counterbalance to Neuman’s political maneuvering. Critics called her ‘the conscience of the Pentagon’ in a world gone mad.

Famous Quotes

"You’re not heroes. You’re liabilities with branding deals."

— The Boys S1E5

"I don’t negotiate with gods. I contain threats."

— The Boys S1E3

"When you let monsters wear capes, don’t be surprised when they bite the hand that feeds them."

— The Boys S1E7

Hobbies

Studying historical military campaigns, Target shooting at private range

Biography

Military Ascension

Rose through the ranks with distinction, earning command roles in counter-terrorism and special threat response.

Supe Oversight Assignment

Tasked by the Pentagon to monitor Vought’s Supes — quickly grew disillusioned with their lack of accountability.

Alliance with The Boys

Secretly aided Butcher’s team with intel and extraction, viewing them as necessary deniable assets.

Political Sacrifice

Framed and removed from command after Vought and Neuman manipulated evidence to protect Homelander.

Psychological Profile

Traumatic Events

  • Lost entire recon team to accidental collateral damage caused by The Deep during a Vought PR stunt (Age 42)

    Developed zero tolerance for Supe recklessness; views all capes as liabilities until proven otherwise.

Defense Mechanisms

  • Sublimation
  • Displacement

Phobias

  • Institutional Betrayal: Orders from above contradicting field intelligence

    Manifestation: Becomes hyper-vigilant, initiates off-record ops to bypass bureaucracy

Cultural Context

Ethnicity
Italian American
Social Class
Middle (military meritocracy)
Religious Beliefs
Cultural Catholicism, Duty as Doctrine
Language Patterns

Dialect: American English, Military Jargon

Catchphrases: This isn’t a movie. This is a threat assessment., I don’t care about your brand. I care about body count.

Speech Patterns: Uses direct, imperative language. No contractions in formal settings.

Relationship Dynamics

  • Billy Butcher

    Trust
    75%
    Type
    Mentor
    • Butcher delivered actionable intel on Lamplighter (Trust +30%)

  • Homelander

    Trust
    5%
    Type
    Rival
    • Homelander ignored her direct order during a hostage crisis (Trust -90%)

  • Victoria Neuman

    Trust
    10%
    Type
    Traitor
    • Neuman falsified reports to discredit Rayner’s Supe threat analysis (Trust -80%)

Notable Relationships

What was Rayner’s relationship with Billy Butcher?

Professional mutual respect — she saw him as a blunt instrument against Supes; he saw her as the only cop worth trusting.

Why did Vought target her?

She refused to cover up Supe atrocities and was gathering evidence to classify them as WMDs — a direct threat to Vought’s model.

Does she believe in redemption for Supes?

No — she believes power without oversight is inherently dangerous. Redemption is irrelevant if the system enabling them remains.

Images represent character appearances.

FAQ

Is Susan Rayner in the original comics?

No — she’s an original character created for the TV series to represent military opposition to Vought’s dominance.

Why was she written out after Season 1?

Narrative shift toward political corruption (Neuman) over military conflict — though fans hope for her return.

Does she have any superpowers?

None — her power is authority, discipline, and tactical brilliance in a world that underestimates human resolve.

Who plays Colonel Rayner?

Jennifer Esposito delivers a commanding performance as the iron-willed Colonel Susan Rayner.

Could she come back in future seasons?

Absolutely — her removal was political, not fatal. Fans speculate she’s building a black-ops anti-Supe unit off-screen.

What’s her stance on Compound V in the military?

She opposes it — believes enhanced soldiers undermine chain of command and create unpredictable variables in combat.

Susan Rayner Properties - Dashboard