The Boys Season 3 finale left Butcher in a rough spot. The rest of the Boys have lost all respect for him, he's pushed Ryan right into Homelander's arms, and his very life is now on a ticking clock. And that last bit begs the question: Is Billy Butcher going to die in Season 4? (Or maybe Season 5?) If not, how is he going to claw his way out of his own mortality?

I'm sure there are dozens of theories floating around the internet now about whether or not Karl Urban's iconic antihero is going to kick the bucket, or how he'll avoid it. So let's talk about my own pet theory for The Boys season 4 and beyond by first looking back at the narrative and choices Butcher made in season 3, how he relates to Homelander from a storytelling perspective, and how Ryan, Hughie, and the rest of the Boys may treat Butcher going forward.

Oh, and, you know, spoilers ahead and all that jazz. :)

If you haven't seen my video essay about Homelander or the Season 3 Boys finale itself, you can check those out here:
"One Villainous Scene: What Homelander Needs" -    • One Villainous Scene - What Homelande...  
"A (Not Quite) Perfect Finale | The Boys S3 Finale Confrontation - Video Essay" -    • A (Not Quite) Perfect Finale | The Bo...  

Check out my Joker fan film and my own superhero short film here:
"The Last Laugh" -    • "The Last Laugh" - A Joker Fan Film (...  
"Punishment" -    • Superhero Short Film "Punishment"  | ...  

Oh, and did you know we've started a PODCAST? Yeah, I know, crazy! Check out the Sights and Sounds Podcast on Spotify, Apple, or any other podcast hub -- Or, check us out on our website: https://www.sightsandsoundscollective...

My latest short films:
"Bottled" Horror Short Film -    • Horror Short Film "Bottled" - Shot in...  
"Bump in the Night" -    • Short Horror Film "Bump in the Night"...  

Thanks also to Nando v. Movies for the motivation to finally get started with video essays like this, and to channels like ScreenCrush, HeavySpoilers, and more for inspiring and promoting this type of film analysis. I hope to some day live up to the example and quality you guys set!