The irony of Homelander seeing himself as an absolutely superior being, above ordinary humans to the point that he considers them almost like animals he can treat however he wants and the overwhelming rage he feels toward Hughie, who is literally just a weak, soft, completely average human, yet someone everyone loves and appreciates and would risk their lives for. Because Homelander is incapable of understanding love, emotional bonds, or the impact that genuine people have on others, Hughie’s very existence feels like an offense to him and at the same time, something he envies.