The Boys' season 4 sets up the final season perfectly

Prime Video’s ever-controversial show, The Boys, is a chaotic mesh of fun, action, and political commentary. It’s back again with Season 4, with all episodes out now! Bending the superhero genre, Eric Kripke, the director and writer of this adaptation, has created a masterpiece of satirical absurdity. Many fans have touted this adaptation as better than the original comics, which would be correct. The changes match the intended energy of the comics way better than the original did. While that sounds like it might water down the original comics, it also makes it easier to swallow for viewers and more focused on the real story.

What’s New in Season 4?

Season 4 was a gamble. It approaches the final climax of the show, as Kripke recently stated that Season 5 is the last in the series. Expectations were built up from the previous 3 incredible seasons, leaving us with even more questions about how it can get better, more thrilling, and even more twisted. Well, Season 4 certainly did the job of answering that. The twists and turns had us gripping our seats. So, let’s explore the new plot points without too much information for those who haven’t caught up yet.

Kimoko and Frenchie in Season 4, Episode 2

The New Members of The Seven

There are two new members of The Seven this season – Sister Sage and Firecracker. Sister Sage’s power is quite simple but effective. She’s the most intelligent person on the planet. Homelander personally recruits her to The Seven after enough failed strategies have been exhausted and fresh new ideas are needed. Sage undeniably becomes one of the biggest threats of the season. The second recruit, Firecracker, is harder to like but definitely a loose canon that fits perfectly with the show. Firecracker holds a grudge against Starlight and proves to be her dynamite. She will also do anything to prove her loyalty to Homelander. However, now that the season is over, fans speculate that Firecracker is vital to a hidden part of Sage’s plan.

Sister Sage and Firecracker, the new members of The Seven

Gen V Threads Back In With Surprise Faces and Old Faces Return

For those who watched the spin-off, Gen V, these faces must have been both a surprise and an annoyance. The thrilling spin-off revealed much about the world of The Boys, particularly the deeper sinister parts of Vought and the extent of hatred supes and humans have for each other. This season, two main characters, Sam Riordan and Cate Dunlap, make a surprise appearance. However, as predicted by their actions in Gen V, they were not here for college fun. Another supe, though short-lived, was Tek Knight, a character who parodies Iron Man and Batman. He has been mentioned throughout the show but only finally physically appeared in Gen V. His appearance was not welcome but undoubtedly critical to the show’s twist. There’s also an old face that returns, and we cannot tell whose side they will take.

Sam and Cate from Gen V

Was It All Perfect?

The Boys gain a new, unexpected ally who had everything to lose but gained so much. Yes, it’s A-Train! A-Train’s redemption arc made many fans incredibly emotional and excited and had a great payoff. The humour of this season was on-point, with Black Noir coming in with some hilarious lines. Moreover, the season ended so strongly that we could not wait for two years. However, every great piece of media has criticism. Some of it revolved around the romances. While in the end, the romances we expected happened or concluded with peace and resolution, the ending of Season 4 left us anxious for these couples. More than just the ending, Hughie, the main protagonist of The Boys, has faced a terrible time this season, but fans felt he was mistreated by the rest, particularly his own girlfriend, Starlight. There are nuances to the situation at hand, but it feels distasteful that there wasn’t enough time to adequately address what happened to Hughie.

A-Train in Season 4 is on his way to redeem himself

Homelander vs Butcher: Who Emerged Victorious?

With Homelander losing his sanity each season and Butcher sabotaging his health, it’s safe to say it’s going to be a tough battle between the two. Season 4 gave us no real answers to the question of who might win. Homelander has gained a whole new level of power thanks to Sister Sage’s plan. Butcher, who was always one cough away from dying this season, is also back in action but with a terrifying cost that we all rooted for him not to take. So, depending on how much influence Homelander gains and how well Butcher can control what’s happening to him, the bet’s on anyone.

Butcher vs Homelander in Season 5 is a gamble now

Another One Bites the Dust

Someone dies. No further comment.

Overall Thoughts on Season 4

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This season is both the weakest and strongest in the series. With more character development involved but less unhinged energy, fans felt it lacked the thrilling action from the previous seasons. While I don’t necessarily agree with that point, it could have used more fight scenes. However, as a fan of redemption arcs and morally grey characters, the season was a hit. It’s a great setup for the final season, but it also finally shows the essence of being a hero. Out of all the interesting characters, A-Train was definitely the MVP of the season. Antony Starr as Homelander deserves an Emmy for his performance. Will Season 5 hold up to the series standard?