The Boys Season 4: What's Next for Our Favourite Antiheroes?

The Boys has set itself apart from conventional superhero narratives with its raw, subversive approach. As anticipation builds for the release of Season 4, Amazon Prime Video continues to tease fans with new content. The first clip, unveiled in June 2024, follows a month after the initial trailer's debut on May 4. Both hint at a season filled with intense confrontations and significant developments, particularly for Billy Butcher.

Season 3 left viewers in suspense with several key plot points. Homelander solidified his dominance over Vought International, becoming increasingly unpredictable and malevolent. Billy Butcher, grappling with the effects of Temp V, faces a moral and physical battle as his vendetta against Homelander becomes more personal. Starlight, having severed ties with The Seven, fully aligned herself with The Boys, signaling a shift from hopeful supe to committed vigilante. Soldier Boy's arrival added complexity, with his volatile nature and ties to Vought’s history creating new conflicts.

Amazon Prime’s latest clip offers a crucial glimpse into Butcher's ongoing struggle. The clip shows Billy Butcher trying to convince Ryan, the child of his late wife Becca and Homelander, to escape from Homelander’s grasp. Butcher appeals to Ryan's traumatic memory of Homelander killing a civilian in front of him—a harrowing scene from the end of Season 3. Butcher promises to disappear once Ryan is safe, highlighting his desperate attempt to protect him from Homelander’s influence.

Homelander interrupts the encounter, taunting Butcher and using his X-ray vision to reveal Butcher's deteriorating health due to Temp V overuse. He ominously predicts that Butcher has only six months to live, referencing the grim prognosis from Season 3, where Butcher learned he had 12 to 18 months left. Despite Butcher's efforts, Ryan remains unconvinced, and the clip ends with him walking away with Homelander, leaving Butcher to confront his limited time and ongoing battle alone.

The original Season 4 trailer, which debuted on May 4, reinforces the themes of regret and urgency. In the opening voice-over, Butcher reflects on his life, acknowledging the chaos he has caused and his diminishing time to make amends. The trailer showcases graphic scenes of violence, hinting at a season brimming with bloody confrontations and moral dilemmas.

Several major plotlines are expected to unfold. Homelander's tyrannical control over Vought and his manipulative influence on Ryan will likely escalate, pushing the boundaries of his power. With Butcher's health rapidly declining, his quest against Homelander gains urgency. His use of Temp V has already set him on a fatal trajectory, mirroring his comic book fate where his obsession led to his demise. Vought International's internal machinations and public deception will continue to drive conflict, especially as they deal with the fallout from Homelander’s actions and The Seven’s fractures. Starlight’s transition to a full-fledged member of The Boys will involve navigating her new identity and leveraging her insider knowledge against Vought. The introduction of Soldier Boy and other potential new characters will create a web of alliances and rivalries, complicating the battle lines drawn between supes and The Boys.

Season 4 appears to draw heavily from the comics, particularly concerning Butcher’s fate. In the original story, Butcher’s obsessive vendetta led him to a catastrophic plan to eradicate all supes, ultimately resulting in his death at the hands of Hughie. While the show has deviated significantly from the comics, these themes of revenge and tragic downfall remain central.

With The Boys Season 4 set to premiere on June 13, 2024, the series promises another exhilarating chapter filled with explosive action and moral complexity. As Billy Butcher faces his mortality and Homelander tightens his grip, the lines between heroism and villainy blur further. Fans can expect a season rich with shocks, conflicts, and the series' signature dark humour, raising the stakes for the characters in a world where power corrupts absolutely.