The Boys, the hit superhero satire series, returned for its highly anticipated fourth season on Amazon Prime Video this weekend. With the news that season 5 will be the show’s finale, fans are eagerly dissecting every detail, particularly the cryptic ending that left many scratching their heads. But what exactly is going on inside Billy Butcher’s mind at the close of season 4? Showrunner Eric Kripke has offered some intriguing hints.

Butcher’s Brush with Death

Let’s rewind to season 3. In a desperate bid to take down the Supes, Butcher and Hughie turned to a temporary solution – Compound V variant V24. This granted them temporary superpowers, evening the odds against the all-powerful Supes. However, Butcher, ever the reckless one, overindulged in the serum, leading to a devastating consequence – a brain tumor.

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While this side effect was established, it seems there’s more to the story. In a recent interview, Kripke suggested that the full extent of Temp V’s impact on Butcher remains unknown.

“We established at the end of Season 3 that the amount of Temp V he was shooting in his veins was going to kill him. And sure enough, it is,” Kripke explained.

A Mystery Lurks Within

The show doesn’t shy away from the bizarre, and the ending scene certainly reflects that. We see a pulsating movement beneath Butcher’s temple, hinting at something alive residing within him. This phenomenon goes beyond anything medical professionals could diagnose.

“But ultimately, V is a mysterious and insidious drug, and it does really screwed up things to you,” Kripke said. “And it’s just starting to hint that there’s more going on inside of Butcher than maybe the doctors have found.”

Diabolical Clues?

Perhaps the show’s animated spin-off, The Boys Presents: Diabolical, offers a glimpse into what Butcher might be facing. Debuting earlier this year, the series features a character named Sun-Hee. Similar to Butcher, Sun-Hee suffers from cancer and utilizes Compound V to gain temporary powers. However, the V interacts with her cancerous cells in a horrifying way, causing the tumor to develop sentience. This monstrous tumor even grows tentacles and wreaks havoc before Sun-Hee ultimately confronts it.

While there are clear differences between Butcher and Sun-Hee’s situations (different types of cancer, different serums), the existence of a sentient tumor within a V-user opens up some disturbing possibilities. Could Butcher be harboring a similar monstrous entity within his head?

A Bumpy Road Ahead

One thing’s for sure: The presence of something alive inside Butcher promises a wild ride for the upcoming season. Whether this entity becomes an ally or a monstrous threat remains to be seen. With season 5 confirmed as the show’s finale, the stakes have never been higher for Butcher and The Boys.

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