‘We’ll Have To See Where That Goes’ The Boys Creator On…

This article contains spoilers for The Boys

Summary

Billy Butcher's fate in The Boys Season 5 remains ambiguous after his transformation in Season 4.
Showrunner Kripke poses questions about Butcher's morality, teasing his monster side in the upcoming season.
Butcher's tragic journey reflects the dangers of power and vengeance, offering a chance at redemption in the finale.

The Boys is set to return for its fifth and final season. Its creator was recently asked about Billy Butcher's fate in Season 5 following the events in Season 4.

The Boys is a satirical superhero TV series by Eric Kripke. It is based on the comic book series by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. It premiered on Amazon Prime Video in July 2019 and was critically acclaimed for its dark humor, gritty realism, sharp social commentary, and subversive take on the superhero genre. Due to its success, it spawned several seasons and a fifth one is on the way. One of the things fans are looking forward to in the finale is finding answers about Butcher after a major transformation in the fourth season.

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By Catherine Armecin Martin

The Boys showrunner, Kripke, recently sat down for an interview with TV Line. He was asked about Butcher, who went full Supe and killed Victoria in Season 4's finale. Just like the audience, the interviewer was wondering whether Butcher, like the Supes he despises, is evil or if there's still goodness within him. Kripke responded with several questions instead of a straightforward answer. He asked whether Butcher is "a man or monster" and if he needs to be a monster to defeat Homelander. Kripke also wondered whether there's still humanity left in him. Apparently, the answer is in the upcoming season, so Kripke doesn't want to give it away. He said:

I think what you're asking is the big question of the series, and so I don't want to give that away. It's a big concern.

The writer and TV producer added that The Boys is a program about "humanity and how power, vengeance, and violence take it away." He added that it was clear in Season 4 how Butcher's monster side beat his humanity, before teasing, "we'll have to see where that goes in Season 5." In the same interview, he addressed Homeland's struggles as he ages. While Butcher's story is about his dimming humanity, Homeland's narrative is reportedly about "mortality and legacy." Kripke teased that the two opposing characters are going through similar experiences. Kripke is excited about Butcher and Homeland's "emotional journeys" because the pair is opposites – being the show's hero and villain – and he wants the audience to see their reactions to the challenges they will face in The Boys Season 5.

Butcher's narrative in The Boys is moving and heartbreaking. It started with his obsession with defeating Homelander, whom he suspected of having assaulted and murdered his wife. He despised Homelander and all the Supes, like the latter. However, his move to seek vengeance prompted him to use Temp V, a temporary compound that grants superpowers for 24 hours. Initially, he said it was to level the playing field against the Supes. However, he repeatedly used it, leading to a terminal condition. Then, he injected himself with Compound V, a compound that, instead of healing him, turned him into a full Supe.

The events in Season 4 underscore his desperation and the lengths Butcher is willing to go to achieve his goals, even if it means turning himself into someone he once despised. His story arc is tragic irony because he wants to destroy monsters and ends up becoming one. His journey reflects how one can become corrupted by the influence of power in their pursuit of justice. Butcher becomes a cautionary tale about the dangers of becoming the very thing one loathes. However, there are still chances that he will redeem himself in the finale by restoring his humanity and breaking the cycle of violence. Among the things he can do is to protect Ryan from Homelander and take down Vought's Compound V facilities permanently. Also, he should prioritize saving lives instead of going after the Supes.