Karl Urban as Billy Butcher, Tomer Capone as Frenchie, and Laz Alonso as Mother’s Milk in season four of “The Boys.” Jan Thijs/Prime Video
Warning: Major spoilers ahead for season four of Prime Video’s “The Boys.”
“The Boys” has returned for another gory, bloody, jaw-dropping season.
Season four, which debuted with three episodes on Thursday, is stuffed with Easter eggs, nods to the comics, and references to the college-set spin-off series “Gen V.”
Here are all the details you might have missed so far.
The Boys operate out of a white van that says Mr. Marathon Catering when they attempt to crash an election night party in the season four premiere.
The season four premiere of “The Boys” kicks off with an election night party. Prime Video
This is likely a nod to the supe Mister Marathon.
In the comics, he was a member of The Seven who was replaced by A-Train. The character has also previously been mentioned in passing during season two, first by Ashley Barrett (Colby Minifie) in episode five and then by Lamplighter (Shawn Ashmore) in episode seven.
Homelander tells his son Ryan that humans are merely “toys for our amusement.”
Top: Antony Starr as Homelander and Cameron Crovetti as Ryan in season four of “The Boys.” Bottom: The character Homelander talking to himself in the comics. Prime Video; Dynamite Entertainment
At the election night party, Homelander (Antony Starr) tells Ryan (Cameron Crovetti) not to be scared or intimidated by humans because “they’re only humans and toys for our amusement.”
Later in the episode, Homelander again speaks demeaningly of humans when he tells Sister Sage (Susan Heyward), “Humans are nothing. They’re less than nothing. They’re just toys for my amusement, and yet, they control everything. It’s unnatural.”
Homelander likening humans to toys comes from the comics.
In volume nine (“The Big Ride”), Homelander talks to himself in the mirror and says, “People are toys. They’re toys and they’re there for my amusement. And there’s not a thing more to them than that.”
Homelander initiates applause for Victoria at the party and says, “Girls get it done… in the White House.”
Aya Cash, Erin Moriarty, and Dominique McElligott in season two, episode five of “The Boys.” Amazon Studios
This is a callback to season two, in which Annie January/Starlight (Erin Moriarty), Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott), and new Seven member Stormfront (Aya Cash) were grouped together for a female-power-style press campaign called “Girls Get it Done.”
Ashley Barrett references the chaotic events of the season one finale of “The Boys” spin-off “Gen V.”
Antony Starr as Homelander in season one, episode eight of “Gen V.” Amazon Studios
During a meeting, Ashley tells Homelander, “After that debacle at Goldolkin — thank you again for saving my life — the board felt we should find new candidates for The Seven ASAP.”
This is a direct reference to what happened during the season one finale of “Gen V,” which takes place at a college for young supes called Godolkin University.
During the episode, students who were being tortured and experimented on in an underground lab called The Woods were freed and unleashed havoc on campus. As the young supes went wild, Ashley called in Homelander to get the situation under control.
Some of the names of the supes in consideration to join The Seven are pulled from the comics.
Talon, left, in season four of “The Boys.” The same character, right, in the comics. Prime Video; Dynamite Entertainment
Ashley presents Homelander and The Seven with a list of 25 supes to choose from to fill the team’s vacant seats, including Talon, Hyperion, Dogknott, and Wrangler. Talon and Dogknott are both characters that appear in the comics.
Butcher secretly meets Victoria at an abandoned Vought Video store next door to a Church of the Collective building.
An abandoned Vought Video store on the season four premiere of “The Boys.” Prime Video
The Church of the Collective, run by Alastair Adana (Goran Visnjic), was a big part of season two. After being ousted from The Seven, The Deep joined the church in an attempt to make amends and earn his way back into the supe group.
The video store contains a cutout poster for the supe Polarity’s movie “Static Heat 3.”
A poster for the Polarity film “Static Heat 3” in season four of “The Boys.” Prime Video
This is another nod to “Gen V.”
On the show, Polarity (Sean Patrick Thomas) is a supe with the ability to manipulate magnetic fields and magnetism. He’s also a Godolkin University trustee and the father of a student named Andre Anderson (Chance Perdomo).
Butcher references the supe-killing virus he discovered during season one of “Gen V.”
Season four of “The Boys” takes place after the events of season one of “Gen V.” The end-credits scene of the finale, which shows Butcher investigating The Woods, confirms that he’s the person Grace Mallory (Laila Robins) was speaking to earlier in the season about a virus that can wipe out supes.
Hughie Campbell’s flash drive of incriminating files on Victoria is attached to a Billy Joel keychain.
Hughie Campbell’s flash drive is attached to a Billy Joel keychain. Prime Video
Billy Joel is one of Hughie’s (Jack Quaid) favorite musicians; throughout the show, he references his love for the singer.
During season two, Hughie explains that he’s fond of Joel because he and his mom, who left him when he was 6 years old, used to have dance parties to his music.
Ambrosius’ tank contains a small figurine of The Deep steering a ship wheel.
Ambrosius (voiced by Tilda Swinton) and The Deep (Chace Crawford) in season four of “The Boys.” Prime Video
Ambrosius (voiced by Tilda Swinton) is an octopus that The Deep met at Herogasm last season and had sexual relations with.
Season four reveals that The Deep, who’s now divorced, has been secretly stashing Ambrosius in a tank in his bedroom closet. When he’s not around to keep her company, the sea creature stays occupied with a small toy of The Deep that she can wrap her tentacles around.
Sister Sage’s real name is Jessica Bradley.
Susan Heyward, left, as Sister Sage in season four of “The Boys.” The character Jessica Bradley, right, in the comics. Prime Video; Dynamite Entertainment
Sister Sage is from Detroit, and her power is that she’s the smartest person on the planet.
Homelander recruits her for The Seven because he’s tired of being surrounded by people who are so terrified of him that they agree with everything he says and don’t challenge him. Homelander also reaches out to her because he’s been thinking about his legacy and wants her help in figuring out how to create the ideal world to leave behind for his son Ryan.
In the comics, Jessica Bradley is a personal assistant to Vought-American CEO James Stillwell.
Hughie’s desktop wallpaper at The Boys headquarters is a selfie of him and Annie.
Jack Quaid as Hughie Campbell in season four, episode two of “The Boys.” Prime Video
After overcoming to difficulties last season, Hughie and Annie are finally in a solid place in their relationship.
Koy, the Vought stunt coordinator who choreographs Ryan’s first staged save, is the show’s real-life supervising stunt coordinator John Koyama.
John Koyama as Koy in season four, episode two of “The Boys.” Prime Video
Later in episode two, when they execute the fake civilian rescue, Ryan accidentally throws Koy too hard, sending him flying into a building to his death.
“Gen V” characters Sam Riordan and Cate Dunlap’s appearances in season four are subtly teased in the news crawl early in episode three.
Erin Moriarty stars as Annie January/Starlight in “The Boys.” Prime Video
As the channel NNC covers Annie rallying Starlighters and declaring she’s back, a news crawl reads: “Guardians of Godolkin Sam and Cate to join Seven members at V52 Expo.”
The season four trailer for “The Boys” includes a quick shot of Sam (Asa Germann) and Cate (Maddie Phillips) from “Gen V,” but it’s unclear which episode fans will see them in.
