WARNING: Spoilers for the Season 4 finale for The Boys.
The results are in, and The Boys finale has delivered something extraordinary.
Sick Boy
Butcher is still alive, albeit barely. The super cancer has taken its toll on him, and longevity is questionable. Still seeing Kessler as the imaginary devil on his shoulder, the decision to make the right choice continues to be a struggle. A visit from Mallory ignites one last bit of hope before the election is certified. After a spat with Homelander, Ryan visits Butcher. However, this completely backfires. Mallory and Butcher try to convince Ryan how twisted Homelander’s actions are and the only way to stop him is to train Ryan. Ryan refused, believing him to be a means to an end, and looked at him as a weapon. This is very similar to the way Homelander was raised and manipulated. In a rage, Ryan kills Mallory, solidifying Butcher’s choice of what he needs to do.
Super Vice President
Given this episode of The Boys deliberately takes its cues from real-world events, it’s no surprise that the incumbent vice president Victoria Neuman is outed as a superhero on live television. This revelation causes a reverb effect, riots, and mass hysteria nationwide. Homelander’s intentions are on full display, and he has no issue going to drastic lengths to see his new world order come to fruition. Regardless, Neuman is now in a dangerous compromised position and has lost any political power she could’ve had going forward. Homelander then orders Ashley to list anyone at Vought who has damaging information on The Seven. Change is coming to The Boys and not in the way anyone is expecting.
Body Swap
Meanwhile, Hughie slowly begins to figure out that Annie is not Annie, but the shapeshifting supes. At certain points early on in the episode after the abrupt proposal, Hughie notices some things are off. Things click when the crew goes to keep the incumbent president safe from the would-be assassin. The shapeshifter says a previous line (hotter than a furnace in here) and that’s when Hughie realizes Annie is not Annie. When the cover is blown, the shapeshifting supe goes straight for the president, but Annie shows up and saves the day. The fight between Annie and the shapeshifter was an excellent use of the same actor in two places at once. More often than not this can feel noticeable from a special effects perspective but was effective here.
Bad To The Bone
In the wake of Homelander’s plan to take over the USA, Neuman reaches out to Hughie to keep her daughter safe. A meeting takes place, with Frenchie ready to use the new virus in case things go sideways. As the exchange takes place, Butcher walks in. Hughie attempts to convince Butcher to trust him, however, things become worse. The super cancer that was killing Butcher, comes out and lays waste. Butcher kills Neuman and takes the virus. This turn solidifies Butcher as a possible antagonist for the final season of The Boys. The turn for Butcher’s character developed through this show, and this payoff is heartbreaking yet not that shocking. Butcher has progressively become darker from season to season, and Ryan killing Mallory was the final breaking point.
One More To Go
The fifth and final season of The Boys has been confirmed, and the fourth season ends on some massive points. Homelander has made Calhoun a puppet president who enacts marshall law, and all supes directly answer to Homelander. The crew takes off after receiving passports, but nobody makes it far. Butcher drives off with the virus into darkness. Hughie and Starlight are ambushed on the road, with Hughie is captured by the government. MM is ambushed in a bathroom by Love Sausage. Kimiko and Frenchie are taken in by some familiar faces, and Kimiko speaks for the first time! The fifth and final season as described by showrunner Eric Kripke in an interview with Ladbible is “As far as we’re concerned, it’s our show’s version of the apocalypse.”
All episodes of The Boys premiere on Thursdays on Prime Video.