The Boys season 4 is drawing near, and has already been renewed for Season 5 as well. Naturally, fans have plenty of questions about where the bloodthirsty superhero epic will go next. In particular, many viewers are wondering about the fate of Billy Butcher.
The season 3 finale hit Karl Urban’s gruff and tough anti-hero with a grim bombshell: Temp V has left him with just 12–18 months left to live. This reveal has sparked plenty of theories about how the rest of Butcher’s arc will play out. From brutal death scenarios to tumbling further down the super-powered rabbit hole, the leader of the series’ titular team has plenty of dark narrative options on the horizon.
10 DC Characters That Could Beat Homelander
Homelander, from Amazon's TV series The Boys, may look tough on the outside, but these famous DC heroes could give him a run for his money.
4 Killed By A Vengeful Soldier Boy
Their Surprise Alliance Ended Badly
- Key reason: Soldier Boy is obsessed with revenge on all that have betrayed him.
- Likelihood: Slim, as Soldier Boy is cryogenically frozen and no one has a good reason to thaw him out right now.
Season 3 saw Butcher establish a surprisingly respectful connection with a supe: the legendary Soldier Boy. The former Payback leader even committed to attempting to take down his biological son Homelander in the service of Butcher.
Unfortunately, Soldier Boy's readiness to blast Homelander's son, Ryan, forced Butcher's hand, leading to the duo's dynamic crumbling. Back in cryo-sleep for now, rumors suggest that Soldier Boy will return before the show comes to an end. Should he escape his current situation, his first objective would likely be to take down Butcher and get payback for the season 3 finale. Regardless of how everything else goes for Butcher, this is one lingering threat that could strike out of nowhere, should anyone be desperate enough to awaken the infamous shield-wielder.
3 Butcher Commits To Becoming A Supe
He Might Have Enjoyed What Temp V Gave Him A Little Too Much
- Key reason: Butcher's life is in danger, and it remains to be seen whether a permanent Compound V update could save him.
- Likelihood: Reasonable. While Butcher hates the supes, there's no denying he enjoyed having superpowers with Temp V.
Butcher’s use of Temp V has decimated his life span. With his death drawing near, the wayward supe-hunter might feel backed into a corner. Desperate to complete his mission, the closing stretch of The Boys could see Butcher take a sad turn into total hypocrisy, and attempt to use Compound V to save himself from an early grave.
This storyline could take several turns, from Butcher committing to doing good to show up Homelander, to his power corrupting him. Considering he has dedicated a large portion of his life now to taking down the supe threat, this bittersweet conclusion could see Butcher get the job done at the expense of the few moral standards he has left. Season 3 saw him get a sick thrill out of his temporary superhuman abilities. Perhaps the temptation of power will be too much for the now-dying Butcher to pass up.
2 Gets His Revenge On Homelander
Their Never-Ending War Is the Crux of the Series
- Key reason: Butcher's commitment to taking down the supes stems from Homelander abusing his wife.
- Likelihood: High. With limited time, Butcher's obsession with taking Homelander down will likely crank up a notch.
The season 3 finale saw Homelander’s supporters double down on their love for the Sinister Seven leader after he killed a protester. With Homelander’s true nature becoming increasingly apparent to the public, Butcher will need to race against time to stop his nemesis before his influence grows any further.
Season 3 saw a more fallible Homelander than ever before. Not only were his numerous psychological instabilities getting the better of him, but the likes of Soldier Boy and Queen Maeve dealt physical damage to the villain that once seemed indestructible. With this in mind, a resourceful menace like Butcher could figure out a way to vanquish his foe once and for all. Should Butcher finally terminate Homelander, the joys of revenge would likely be short-lived. He would still be doomed to succumb to his rapidly ailing health, dying a painful, but oddly satisfactory, death. It would fit the dark themes of vengeance and self-destruction that have dominated his character arc thus far.
1 Hughie Will Kill Butcher
The Comic Books Spell a Bleak Finale for Billy Butcher
- Key reason: Despite their bond, Butcher and Hughie are very different people. The more wild Butcher becomes, the more likely it is Hughie will have to take a stand against him.
- Likelihood: Likely, based on the source material, as well as Butcher's increasingly unhinged antics. Hughie being the one to take down his mentor could provide viewers with a sad, but poignant finale for the Butcher character.
Fans of the comic-book source material have already experienced a dark ending for Billy Butcher. The supe-killing rogue takes his hatred of Compound V to the extreme, seeking to wipe out everyone with even a trace of the superdrug in their system. Horrifyingly, that includes some of his allies, and The Boys themselves come under fire. Ultimately, it falls to Butcher’s usually well-meaning protégé Hughie to put a stop to the madness.
In a moment bordering on unthinkable for viewers of the show right now, Hughie puts Butcher down for good before taking up his role of watching over the supes. While the TV show differs from the comics in several areas of tone and plot, many of its themes remain the same, and certain puzzle pieces are in place for an ending like this to play out. Butcher’s increasingly reckless obsession and hatred of supes could get out of control in season 4. Hughie, meanwhile, has proven to be a more noble figure, despite his own flirting with Temp V danger in season 3. Hughie eventually replacing the dying Butcher as leader of The Boys seems likely in the show. However, the grim turn of the pair’s dynamic ending in murder seems like a stretch for now.
The Boys: Every Member Of The Seven, Ranked By Their Power
The Seven is largely made up of morally bankrupt individuals who only think of themselves, but that's not to say that they aren't still strong.
