The Boys season 4 ending, explained
By Bryce Olin
The ending of The Boys season 4 is truly diabolical. There’s no other word to describe everything that happens in the season finale.
Then, it’s all taken to a whole new level as Sage’s plan comes to fruition for the Homelander, Vought, and the United States of America.
You can check out our full recap of the episode if you want the play-by-play. For this, we’re focusing on the main points!
The Starlight Shifter nearly kills Robert Singer
After Homelander reveals to the world that Victoria Neuman is a Supe on national television, Robert Singer is taken to an underground bunker to protect him from Homelander and those who wish to kill him. His death, after the election results were certified, would result in Victoria Neuman becoming the president, the first Supe President in the history of the United States of America.
In the bunker, Hughie realizes that the shifter is posing as Annie after it reveals that it’s hot. It’s a dead giveaway to Hughie, and it gives Robert Singer just enough time to escape the bunker before Annie shows up to save the day!
In the abandoned house, Annie goes full Gerald’s Game to get out of the handcuffs where the shifter stashed her, and she arrives just in time to save Robert Singer, Hughie, MM, and Kimiko from certain death. Annie kills the shifter just outside the bunker.
Ryan kills Grace Mallory
After the assassination attempt, Grace reveals to Ryan that she wants to help him become a weapon to stop Homelander. Butcher tries to stop her, but she proceeds. It’s too much for Ryan to comprehend. He realizes that they’ve tricked him into becoming a prisoner while they mold him into a weapon. Grace tries to hit a button to keep Ryan from fleeing, but before she can get there, Ryan throws her into the wall, killing her. He leaves the facility while Butcher watches on.
Why is that important? Well, Grace was a huge ally of the Boys for most of the series. Most importantly, it’s the move that shapes the course of Butcher’s next move!
To this point, Butcher has been battling with what he should do. Should he release a virus that wipes out Supe-kind in the world? Should he kill Ryan before he becomes Homelander 2.0? Should he save Ryan? Well, Ryan has chosen his path, so far, and Butcher’s path forward is clear.
Butcher kills Victoria and steals the virus
After Homelander threatens Victoria and Zoe’s life unless she does what he says as President, she tries to ally with the Boys. She reaches out to Hughie and MM. In exchange for protecting Zoe, Victoria will work with the Boys to stop Homelander and Vought before disappearing. That’s the deal.
Then, Butcher appears, and it’s clear that ain’t the plan. He has other ideas!
Hughie tries to stop him, but Butcher pushes him aside and reveals his power. Tentacles shoot out of Butcher’s chest. They wrap fully around Victoria, covering her eyes so she can’t kill them all, and rip her in half. It’s a truly shocking moment, but looking back, should we be shocked? He’s been on this course since the beginning of the series. The only thing stopping him was Ryan.
Butcher also steals the virus that Frenchie had turned into a shootable weapon. We know who Butcher is targeting next. I don’t have to say it, but I will. It’s Homelander.
Butcher’s big move actually backfires in a major way. Instead of having Victoria Neuman in a position to replace Robert Singer or working with Vought and the Boys as a double agent, she’s dead. And, that’s when Sage makes her big move.
Robert Singer is arrested for the murder of Victoria Neuman
All hell breaks loose next! After Homelander had everyone at Vought who wasn’t explicitly loyal to him killed, Sage saves the day.
Robert Singer is arrested for the murder of Victoria Neuman. A recording of his conversation with MM in the bunker about killing Neuman leaks to the authorities, and Sage uses the chaos to help Speaker of the House Calhoun pledge his allegiance to Homelander. With Singer and Neuman out of the way, Calhoun is next in line for the Presidency, which means Homelander is actually the President of the United States. Scary stuff, man.
Sage tells Homelander to trust him. She also tells him, “Buckle up for phase two.”
Immediately, President Calhoun declares martial law and utilizes the United Supes of America to work for Homelander in rounding up detractors and political enemies, the Starlighters. Homelander announces that a “New age of superhero begins.”
Hughie, Frenchie, and Mother’s Milk are arrested
The Boys try to flee, but they are quickly apprehended by Homelander’s soldiers led by Supes. The Gen V kids, Cate and Sam, arrest Frenchie while fighting off Kimiko. During Frenchie’s arrest, Kimiko regains her voice! That’s definitely a big change heading into season 5.
Cindy, also known in my brain as Old Eleven, helps secure Hughie, while Annie goes full Captain Marvel and flees. She’ll be back to save the day. We know that!
Mother’s Milk gets knocked out by fan-favorite Supe, Love Sausage, and taken into custody.
This is not a good look for the Boys heading into season 5, the final season of the series. Butcher, with the virus locked and loaded, evades capture. It appears he’s using Compound V again. This is his swan song. The penultimate scene of the season is Butcher driving away on a lonely stretch of highway, but he’s not alone. Kessler is with him in the backseat, ready to wipe out all of the Supes in the world.
Other important notes
In the final scene of the season, Homelander is called in by President Calhoun to a hyperbaric chamber. Inside, Soldier Boy is sleeping, I guess, peacefully. What does this mean? Well, we know that he’ll be back in The Boys season 5!
Ashley, the Vought CEO, took Compound V and transformed into a Supe to make sure she couldn’t be killed during the Vought massacre. We don't see the final product, but we saw something happening inside her skull and it looked painful. We'll see her back in season 5!
A-Train is still mysteriously absent after disappearing at the end of episode 7. Will he reunite with Butcher, Annie, and Kimiko to stop Homelander and Vought? We’ll find out!
Zoe, Victoria’s daughter, was sent to the Red River Group Home, just like her mom was many years ago. It will be interesting to see if Zoe is a presence in the fifth season. Based on how the season ended, there’s definitely reason to believe that Zoe will be back in a big role in the final season, but we’ll have to wait and see.
That's how it all comes to an end in The Boys season 4. What a season!
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