Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Boys season 4, episode 8.
Summary
Billy Butcher takes a dark turn inThe Boysseason 4, which sets him up to be a villain in the show’s final outing — thoughone tragic scene reveals how Karl Urban’s character can be redeemed. Butcher spends much ofThe Boys’ fourth season at odds with himself, with his humanity warring with his instinct to lash out against all Supes. This inner conflict is represented by hishallucinations of Beccaand Kessler, each of whom represent a different side of Butcher.
For most ofThe Boysseason 4, Becca influences Butcher’s behavior. He does everything he can to honor her dying wish, prioritizing saving Ryan over his vendetta against Homelander. However, theending ofThe Boysseason 4finds Butcher embracingthe devil on his shoulder: Joe Kessler. Butcher decides to give into his crueler impulses, which demand he unleashGen V’s Supe virus, essentially committing genocide against all Supes. It’ll be hard to come back from this decision, butthere’s one thing that could stop Butcher from doing this inThe Boys.
Butcher’s Powers In The Boys Remind Me A Lot Of Netflix’s Own Anti-Superhero Show
The Boys season 4 reveals that Butcher is now a Supe, and his power in the Amazon show feels reminiscent of another subversive superhero series.
Butcher’s Redemption Depends On Ryan Choosing Good In The Boys Season 5
Ryan’s Tragic Encounter With Grace Is What Makes Butcher Lose Hope
It’s hard to say whether Butcher will have a change of heart inThe Boysseason 5, buthis redemption is likely dependent on Ryan choosing good over evil. After all, Ryan’s tragic encounter with Grace is why Butcher gives in to Kessler in the first place. Ryan killing Grace supports Butcher’s belief that all Supes are bad, and this causes him to lose hope inThe Boysseason 4 finale. For this reason, it seems obvious that Ryan could be the one to save him later on.
The Boysgoes back and forth on Ryan’s true nature, as Homelander’s son demonstrates positive and negative qualities. It’s unclear which side of him will win out, butRyan will need to make a difficult choice duringThe Boys’ final season. Now that he knows the truth about his father, he can take a hard stance against him. Of course, that may be difficult to do afterHomelander and Sister Sage’s takeoverof the U.S. government. Hopefully, Ryan finds a way to push back regardless of his father’s increased power. This could go a long way towards stopping Butcher.
The Boys Still Needs To Pay Off Butcher’s Connection To Hughie
There’s A Reason Butcher Views Him Like A Younger Brother
While Ryan is the only one who can bring Butcher back from the dark path he’s chosen,Hughie should also play a role in his redemption.The Boysstill needs to pay off its parallels between Hughie and Lenny, as the series frequently compares Jack Quaid’s character to Butcher’s late brother. Hughie himself draws that connection again in The Boys season 4 finale, when he asks Butcher to trust him as he once trusted his younger brother.
The Boysstill needs to pay off its parallels between Hughie and Lenny, as the series frequently compares Jack Quaid’s character to Butcher’s late brother.
Unfortunately, Butcher doesn’t honor this request, killing Victoria Neuman despite Hughie’s plea. If Butcher redeems himself inThe Boysseason 5,it can finally make sense of The Boys’ Hughie and Lenny comparisons. Perhaps Hughie and Ryan will both get through to him during the final episodes. They’re some of the only people he shows vulnerability with, so if anyone can bring him back from the darkness, it’s them.
Why Butcher Should Be Redeemed In The Boys Season 4
There’s a chance Butcher will die a villain inThe Boysseason 5, butthe Amazon series really should redeem him at the end. Although Butcher has a dark side from the very beginning, there’s no denying he’s capable of compassion. Too many of the people he cares about — from Ryan to Becca — would condemn the actions he’s considering. He has to feel some guilt over betraying them; otherwise the focus on his relationships doesn’t make much sense. A redemption is howThe Boyscan pay these bonds off.
Additionally,The Boys’ central message should likely be the one Hughie poignantly delivers during the season 4 finale. Hughie suggests that they’ll need to “start acting human” if they want to defeat monsters — and honestly, he’s right. If Butcher goes through with his Supe genocide,it will make him just as bad as Homelander. Although that’s true to his comic roots, it would hurt the characterThe Boysspends so much time developing. There must be the reason the Amazon show gets viewers to sympathize with Butcher more than the comics. Hopefully, season 5 brings it all together.
The Boys
Cast
The Boys is a gritty and subversive take on the superhero genre, focusing on a group of vigilantes who confront powerful superheroes abusing their abilities, exploring themes of corruption and moral ambiguity in a world where heroes are not always what they seem.
