Every Season 4 Episode of ‘The Boys’ Has “At Least One Totally F***ing Bananas Moment”

 

Creator Eric Kripke unpacks the wild three-episode premiere, reveals political inspirations for a new character, and teases what's ahead: "Episode six makes me cover my mouth with my hands every time I watch it."

[This story contains spoilers from the first three episodes of season four of The Boys.]

In the parallel universe of The Boys, where satirical humans and superheroes coexist, the most powerful "supe" in the world, Homelander, is on trial. Portrayed by Antony Starr, Homelander faces 12 jurors for committing a crime in public and getting away with it. Given his powers, Homelander is unsurprisingly found not guilty.

Season four’s three-episode opener dives into more political chaos, reflecting real U.S. politics. Creator/showrunner Eric Kripke mentions that while the show is about Trumpism, it wasn’t planned to coincide with Trump’s trial. “We write what we’re either scared of or pissed off about,” he explains. The show remains unsubtle in its political commentary.

After his vindication, Homelander grapples with fatherhood and the incompetence of the remaining members of the Seven, his elite supe group. Currently, there are four members: The Deep (Chace Crawford), the new Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell), A-Train (Jessie T. Usher), and himself. He seeks three new recruits, including his son Ryan (Cameron Crovetti). Meanwhile, Starlight (Erin Moriarty) has left the group and started an anti-Voight, anti-Homelander movement called the Starlighters. In retaliation, Homelander orchestrates the murder of three fans, blaming their deaths on Starlight's organization.

Homelander’s first new recruit is Sister Sage (Susan Heyward), a young Black woman from Detroit with the power to be the smartest person in the world. Despite Homelander’s perceived racism, Kripke clarifies that he is more of a supe supremacist, valuing superpowers over race. Homelander respects Sister Sage’s intelligence, recognizing the need for someone smart in his inner circle.

The Boys themselves are dealing with personal traumas: Hughie (Jack Quaid) neglects his father, who ends up on life support; Frenchie (Tomer Capone) falls for a worker from Starlight’s organization; Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) is jealous of Frenchie’s new relationship; and Butcher (Karl Urban) struggles with the effects of the Temp-V drug he took in season three.

Introducing Firecracker (Valorie Curry) in episode two, the series satirizes far-right politicians. Kripke likens Firecracker to figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert. Firecracker’s character is reminiscent of controversial political figures, adding to the show’s satirical edge.

Kripke promises that each episode of season four will feature at least one outrageous moment, with episode six being particularly shocking. While it may not top the infamous Herogasm from season three, scenes involving Temp V-ed up farm animals and Tek Knight’s Batman parody are highlights.

Ahead of season four’s release, Kripke announced that the fifth season would be the last. He aims to conclude the serialized story with a climactic clash between Butcher and Homelander. However, the universe of The Boys will continue with spinoff shows like Gen V, the animated anthology Diabolical, and other projects in development.

The Boys streams new episodes of season four on Thursdays on Prime Video.