EntertainmentTVSuperhero ShowsThe BoysThe Boys season 4 episode 8 recap and Easter eggs: Is this the end of Billy Butcher as we know him?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentTVSuperhero ShowsThe BoysThe Boys season 4 episode 8 recap and Easter eggs: Is this the end of Billy Butcher as we know him?When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Prime Video)
Well, it’s here: the final episode ofThe Boys season 4. And while it has been a wild ride this season with the introduction of a whole gaggle of new Supes and some serious character development for Billy Butcher and his Boys, the fourth installment of Eric Kripke’s diabolical superhero spoof well and truly went out with a bang.
This week, though, we see each side preparing for war as election day is here, Butcher’s health deteriorates and Homelander is causing havoc at Vought, as per usual.
With this being the last time we see The Seven and Butcher’s crew for a while, there’s plenty to unpack in The Boys season 4 finale, so join us as we dive right into the episode.
Spoiler warning: The following article features spoilers for The Boys season 4 episode 8, so make sure you have watched the latest episode before reading on!
The Virus race continues
(Image credit: Amazon Studios)
It’s January 6, and after last week’s not-so-joyous Christmas episode, the election is about to be ratified. With Victoria Neuman’s presence in the Oval Office looming, the Boys are still relentlessly trying to get their hands on theSupe Virus, with Frenchie trying to extract it from Kimiko’s severed leg. Elsewhere, Hughie is still unknowingly shacking up with the shapeshifter posing as Annie, but things get really weird when they propose to Hughie, and he says yes. Soon after the shapeshifter pays a visit to the real Annie to recharge and shows her the ring, causing our little Starlight to face some deep self-reflection.
The impending House vote takes a turn at Vought Tower, however, when Homelander outs Neuman as a Supe live on Firecracker’s TV show Truthbomb, putting further pressure on the Boys’ Virus race. This causes the President-elect Singer to really fear for his life, so along with the Boys and the shapeshifter, he and his staff flee to an underground bunker. But it’s not long until Hughie clocks on to Annie’s imposter, as when the shapeshifter utters their memorable line “It’s like a furnace in here,” he soon realizes that this is not his girlfriend prompting the shapeshifter to attack everyone in the room. However, in a real Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man meme moment, the real Starlight shows up and takes on her doppelganger, and wins.
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After the failed assassination attempt, Neuman realizes she no longer wants to work with Homelander, who is now threatening her and Zoe’s life. In a moment of desperation, she calls Hughie and asks for the Boys’ help, and with some convincing, they agree.
Whilst the Boys are busy protecting the soon-to-be president’s life, it looks like it may be the end for Billy Butcher as he lies sick in hospital. Soon, Grace and Ryan visit, but the happy reunion quickly turns into Billy and Grace telling Ryan that he is the only person who can kill his so-called dad Homelander. Things get really bad though when Grace reveals the truth about Homelander, including Flight 37, and his sexual assault on Becca. This pushes Ryan over the edge but when he tries to leave Grace blocks his way, so he throws her into the wall, breaking her neck in the process. It looks like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree after all.
Homelander on top
(Image credit: Amazon Studios)
Over at Vought, Homelander is preparing for political war and informs the other Supes of his plan to kill the president and reinstate Neuman. To further protect his reputation, or what is left of it, he asks Ashley for a list of everyone at Vought who has dirt on him and instructs The Deep, Black Noir, and Firecracker to kill them all, including Ashley.
The three run around Vought Tower murdering anyone in their path on the list, or not, including a writer who tries to reason with The Deep, telling him he will pay for his life, to which The Deep responds, “You’re a writer, you don’t get paid shit.” Thanks for that Deep, thanks a lot. Ashley manages to escape though and in order to protect herself she breaks into Homelander’s room and injects herself with V.
That’s a pretty bleak ending and sets upseason 5, which just so happens to be its final season, for a total Supe takeover, as Homelander says in his closing speech “Today, a new age of superheroes begins.” For more on that, see our guide toThe Boys season 4 ending explained. However, it wouldn’t be The Boys without a sneakypost-credits sceneslipped in, and this one is a doozy. After the titles roll, we see the new president take Homelander to an underground facility where none other than Homelander’s biological father Soldier Boy lies unconscious, but alive, in a deprivation tank of sorts. That’s right, Soldier Boy is back! I, for one, cannot wait for the next season.
The Boys season 4 episode 8 Easter eggs
(Image credit: Amazon Studios)
Training A-Train:Runaway Supe A-Train’s coming-of-age movie titled ‘Training A-Train' has been a running joke this season, but at the start of the final episode, it is revealed that the film has been canceled, probably due to the Supe fleeing after being outed as the mole. The Boys had fun with this one though as we see a tweet from Training A-Train director Adam Bourke calling for the release of the Bourke Cut, seemingly a joke pointed at DC directorZack Snyder’s Snyder Cuts.
Flight 37:Grace references Flight 37 when listing Homelander’s crimes, but if you cast your mind back to season 1, we actually saw the events of Flight 37 where Homelander and Maeve botched a mission to save a plane from being hijacked. After boarding, Homelander realized he couldn’t save the plane so he decided to let everyone die when he could have rescued a few people at least.
Another social joke:it is no secret that The Boys like to poke fun at social blunders just like with A-Train’s Kendall-Jenner-Pepsi-commercial-esque Turbo Boost ad in season 3. In this episode we see an ad for #AllLivesMatter, parodying the US alt-rights’ response to the recent Black Lives Matter movement.
Bald Ashley is back:Just after she injects herself with V, we see Ashley’s wig fall off exposing her bald head. Back in season 3, it was revealed that Ashley had gone bald due to stress and was wearing a wig. However, with her in a more powerful position this season, we had thought her hair had grown back, but it looks like it didn’t.
The Boys Season 4 is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video right now in its entirety. For more on The Boys, check out the rest of our coverage:
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
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2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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