I’ve watched The Boys with a mixture of excitement and horror this season. As someone who grew up in a world where superheroes were idolized and revered, it’s both fascinating and terrifying to see how their darker side can consume society.
As someone who has been following “The Boys” since its inception, I must admit that this latest season has left me feeling quite conflicted. Initially, I approached each episode with a healthy dose of skepticism, having grown tired of the show’s predictable storylines and heavy-handed messaging. However, as the episodes progressed, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the unexpected twists and turns.
Yes, in several aspects, the fourth season didn’t live up to our expectations. The show’s tone has shifted noticeably, leaning heavily on crude humor and graphic violence. Previously subtle political satire has become more heavy-handed, with the primary antagonist bearing a striking resemblance to a certain political figure, at times feeling overly obvious. In comparison, the intricately woven Soldier Boy storyline from season three is eclipsed by a fragmented plot that feels disjointed and inconsistent. Multiple character arcs have felt repetitive or detached from the overarching narrative.
In season three, neither The Boys’ plan to defeat Homelander nor their attempt against Soldier Boy proved successful. Consequences did ensue, such as Butcher’s illness and Ryan’s connection with Homelander. Nevertheless, the overall feeling was lacking in substance, particularly when compared to “Herogasm.” Fortunately, season four has avoided this issue: With the announcement of a fifth and final season, the show now has the freedom to bring about significant changes. The ending we’ve been left with is somber and reminiscent of “Empire Strikes Back,” implying potential redemption and hope amidst the anticipated bloodshed in the remaining eight episodes.
The “Assassination Run” storyline kicks off during the January 6 electoral vote count. At this point, Dakota Bob Singer is on the brink of becoming president. The Boys’ primary objectives remain consistent with their previous mission: ensuring Singer’s safety from the assassin shapeshifter and refining their virus to effectively eliminate Homelander and Victoria Neuman.
In the previous episode, the plotline of the shapeshifter was introduced for the first time. It’s logical that this storyline would reach its conclusion in the early part of this current episode. However, before wrapping up, Shifter causes significant destruction.
Shifter must occasionally touch the original to preserve her form. Therefore, she momentarily departs and provokes “Annie the Real” for an amusing interlude. This interaction offers several benefits: it showcases Erin Moriarty’s acting skills as she portrays both twins, one playfully antagonizing while the other quivers in apprehension. Moreover, this confrontation symbolizes the ongoing internal struggle between “good Annie” and “bad Annie,” with Shifter deriving pleasure from accessing Annie’s recollections and taunting her for viewing herself as a savior.
As someone who has spent years observing the complexities of human nature through the lens of a criminal psychologist, I must admit that Annie’s behavior in the given situation leaves me somewhat puzzled. It seems rather unusual for a sociopath, or anyone for that matter, to invest so much energy into mocking the internal conflicts of one of their victims while neglecting their primary objective – in this case, assassinating the president.
After regaining her strength, Shifter unites with Hughie, Mother’s Milk, and Kimiko in a fortified shelter intended for Singer’s protection. It is then that Hughie becomes enlightened, recognizing Shifter using identical language as when they initially encountered her disguised as someone else. Despite their efforts to maintain composure and feign normalcy towards Shifter’s friendly banter, Hughie and Mother’s Milk fail miserably due to their abysmal lying abilities. Shifter quickly perceives their unease and instigates an attack, eliminating several Secret Service agents and fracturing Kimiko’s neck before ultimately succumbing to the wrath of the genuine Annie. “I don’t know if I’m a hero,” Annie confesses. “I don’t know who in the world I am.” She may not have delivered her finest performance, but she manages to get the job done.
After the failed assassination attempt on the president-elect, Neuman’s world is turned upside down. Things become even more complicated when Homelander publicly reveals her superhero identity. He warns Neuman that if she does eventually become president, she will only be a mere puppet, manipulated by one of the most dangerous supes. Furthermore, Neuman realizes that her daughter Zoe’s life is at stake, and they must urgently find a way to break free from this perilous alliance.
From my perspective, this season has effectively explained its shifts in loyalty, particularly concerning A-Train who is strangely absent from the narrative. Similarly, Neuman’s involvement with the Boys has been more noticeable than before, as evidenced by her talks with Hughie and their alliance at Stan Edgar’s farm. Therefore, when she decides to leave for good and offers assistance against Vought in return for safety, the scene seems authentic. Likewise, Hughie’s request for his teammates to consider forgiveness instead of more fighting holds weight after the emotional toll he has endured (both recently and historically). Perhaps opting for mercy could be the path towards resolution.
At the moment when an alliance with Neuman appears feasible for Hughie, that’s unfortunately when she must depart. Despite Hughie’s heartfelt appeal for trust, Butcher remains unyielding in his unwillingness to make deals. In a flash, Butcher’s body transforms, revealing Doc Ock-like tentacles erupting from his chest. Lifting Neuman into the air, he brutally tears her apart, scattering her allies with her guts. The gruesome scene unfolds swiftly, leaving everyone too terrified to intervene as Butcher makes a hasty exit with the new virus.
At the CIA safe house, the interactions between Butcher, Ryan, and Grace Mallory are engaging and lead up to a chilling and sorrowful finale. In this moment, Ryan unintentionally takes Grace’s life by shoving her away in self-defense as she attempts to trap him. This event sheds new light on some earlier scenes this season, such as Homelander’s trip to the lab for “therapy.” Ryan has grown increasingly resistant to embracing his father’s beliefs, particularly since he learned of his mother’s rape. However, he cannot help but see the parallels between how they have been manipulated and used by their respective groups. Homelander was given false affection to foster dependence, only to be utilized as a weapon. With this realization, Ryan can’t help but feel that history is repeating itself.
Unfortunately, I find myself in a predicament where Ryan’s reluctance to comply with his new assignment, which involves betraying his own father, could lead to disastrous consequences if Butcher pushes things too far with the virus. I’m reminded of how easily he discarded Neuman and destroyed their partnership. And yet, as Butcher escapes into the darkness, it’s a chilling reality that America under Calhoun, now in control after Speaker’s rise to power, will be a darker place than it was just a week prior. With no apparent principles or aspirations of his own, Calhoun appears to be an ideal puppet for Homelander, making him a more dangerous threat than Neuman ever posed.
In essence, Sage had orchestrated the situation to ensure that her grand scheme would not be derailed, despite encountering setbacks and unexpected challenges. Singer’s survival made him an ideal scapegoat when Neuman met his demise. The Deep, Black Noir, and Firecracker successfully eliminated anyone at Vought with damaging information about the Seven without any legal repercussions. Once Homelander ordered a crackdown on the supposed deep-state Starlighters, each of the Boys were swiftly apprehended by deputized superheroes including the Guardians of Godolkin. Only Annie and Butcher remained free, and the nation was in disarray.
As a movie buff, I’d put it this way: The chaotic and captivating finale of this season leaves us with an image of America that eerily resembles the one presented in Project 2025. Though the satire may not be as sharp as it was in the early episodes, The Boys’ portrayal of a dystopian society continues to hit close to home for me.
Extra Frames
• Okay, one quick rant: Look, I know Eric Kripke finds Hughie’s experience at the Tek Knight sex dungeon “hilarious,” but I have to say, it really bothers me how this episode frames Hughie getting raped (yes, raped) by the shapeshifter posing as Annie. It happens almost 20 times, but he seems to have no conflicted feelings about it besides regret at betraying his real girlfriend. And Annie is totally unsympathetic to what he went through, making it all about herself even though he essentially just got sexually assaulted three episodes in a row.
I’ve been in similar situations before where a decision was made that seemed disappointing at first, but upon reflection, I came to understand that it was ultimately for the best. In the case of “Training A-Train” being canceled, it’s easy to be disheartened by the announcement, especially if we were looking forward to attending or participating in some way. However, the statement “We just realized we’d make more from the write-off” suggests that there may have been financial considerations involved, and perhaps the resources that were going to be used for the training could be put towards something else that would generate more revenue or have a greater impact on the organization.
• The lactation-inducing meds Firecracker is taking are making her very sick.
Based on my experience working in the field of digital forensics, I believe there are several plausible explanations for how the footage of Singer was recovered. One possibility could be that Shifter had carefully hidden the recording in a cloud storage or an external hard drive, waiting for the right moment to release it. Another theory, which seems more intriguing from my perspective, is that Shifter was discreetly filming and live-streaming the footage to Sage in real time using advanced technology, allowing for instant access and distribution. The latter scenario implies a higher level of sophistication and planning on Shifter’s part, making it an even more compelling story to unravel.
Some viewers may have hoped that Frenchie and Kimiko would become a couple throughout the series, but I personally wasn’t among them. Last year’s awkward kiss and subsequent decision to remain friends felt more natural to me, rather than a deliberate postponement of their romantic feelings. It was surprising then, to witness her vehemently protest as Frenchie was taken from her later on. I hadn’t sensed that they were suppressing deep-rooted emotions solely because they didn’t believe themselves worthy of each other.
I must admit, I was taken aback by Ashley’s decision to take Compound-V this season. Her subplot had been a pleasant surprise for me, and I found myself rooting for her as she navigated through the complexities of becoming a superhero. I can only imagine the courage it takes to make such a life-altering choice, especially when faced with uncertainty and potential danger. Ashley’s journey thus far has shown resilience and determination, and I’m eagerly anticipating how her story unfolds as she embraces her new identity as a superbeing.
Does Butcher’s expiration date approach still loom near, or does yielding control to Kessler (Butcher’s own Venom-like symbiote) instead offer him some form of protection?
• Has Sage worked out a new plan for private prisons now that Tek Knight is dead?
• “I threw you out like garbage. Why would you do this?” “To see if I could.”
Unfortunately, Zoe winds up living in the very group home her mother worked so hard to keep her away from. This is quite unfortunate.
Adding a credits scene featuring Soldier Boy in the third season is typical Marvel Cinematic Universe storytelling, given his potential relevance at this point. Perhaps the finale could have hinted “Soldier Boy’s return is imminent.”
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2024-07-22 20:09