The following contains spoilers for The Boys season 4 episode 8, “Assassination Run,” now streaming on Prime Video
Summary
Butcher has cemented his dark arc inThe Boysby becoming one of the show’s ultimate villains. Butcher’s development from anti-hero to dangerous threat has been at the core of the show. Following his use of Compound V in the previous season, Butcher has spent much of season 4 on the verge of death. Despite the protests of his dark side (personified by Jeffery Dean Morgan’s Kessler), Butcher has done his best to restrain his darkest impulses and ideas.
Unfortunately, a tragic turn inthe ending of the season 4 finale"Assassination Run" leads Butcher to give up any hope and become a deadly threat that could unravel the entire world ofThe Boys. It’s notably one of the most accurate reflections the show has made to the original comics in some time, but it also leaves the door open for the character to have a potential last-minute redemption — albeit depending on the choices of others. Here’s the final straw that broke Butcher, and why the series was always building to him breaking bad.
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Mallory’s Death Pushes Butcher To Give Into His “Kessler” Persona
Ryan’s Accidental Murder Is The Final Straw For Butcher
Ryan’s accidental murder of Mallory pushes Butcher over the edgeinThe Boys' season 4 finale, which was the final key needed to unlock his dark side. Butcher has been wrestling with his worst impulses all season, spurred on further by the visions of Kessler. Despite his best efforts to resist his influence and simply die after making peace with Ryan, Butcher can only watch from his sick bed as Ryan lashes out at Mallory’s attempt to restrain him, killing her instantly. Butcher had vowed Becca in her final moments that he’d ensure Ryan was safe and happy.
Unfortunately, he’s effectively failed on both fronts. This leaves Butcher with no restraint when he returns to the Boys, quickly murdering Neuman and taking the Supe virus for himself. Despite his feelings for his teammates, it was his love for Ryan that kept Butcher from becoming his worst self. WithRyan seemingly giving in to Homelander’s influence(and the corrupting effect power has been shown to have all series long), Butcher decides there’s no point in holding back. While Butcher has never considered himself a good guy,he’s officially decided he’s the necessary evil in the world.
Butcher’s Villain Turn Was Predetermined By The Boys' Comic Books
Butcher Was Always Building To A Villainous Turn
It’s notable that while Prime Video’sThe Boyshas diverged from the original comics in several ways,it’s keeping true to the spirit of Butcher’s final role in the story. Homelander’s attempts to seize control of the United States was a primary threat in the comic, but one that was resolved in the penultimate arc of the comic, “Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men.” In the subsequent storyline, “The Bloody Doors Off,” Butcher revealed his belief that all supes were monsters, and set about enacting a plan that would eradicate all of them across the Earth.
Butcher’s arc has been tweaked thanks to the inclusion of Ryan, but it still retains a lot of the core emotional growth from an embittered but driven fighter to a monster of his own making. With Homelander pushing the show into the endgame with his successful rise in power, it makes sense that the show would counter-balance this by having Butcher embrace his worst side and become the unexpected true final threat of the series. It allows the show to fulfill Homelander’s dark ambitionswhile keeping true to the central arc of Butcherand the people caught in his orbit.
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Can Butcher Be Redeemed In The Boys Season 5?
At the heart ofThe Boysseason 4 are questions about redemption. Each of the Boys have done things they regret, ranging from cruel treatment of others to outright murder. Hughie voices the power of redemption. While his teammates accept this idea,Butcher is the one member of the team who actively resists that idea, seemingly dooming himself to a grim fate. However, the fact remains thatThe Boysis a show about the corrupting influence of power and the responsibility of making the world a better place.
If someone can get through to Butcher and break the hold Kessler has on him, there’s still a chance he could rediscover a sense of restraint.This could be Hughie as in the comics, or could factor into Ryan’s own potential redemption. It’s important to remember that Butcher’s illness doesn’t seem to have been healed by his powers, either. He may even follow in his comic counterparts' footsteps and become the final threat to the show as a whole without finding any redemption. However, there’s still a slim chance thatThe Boysends on a more optimistic note for Butcher.
The Boys
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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.
