While The Boys has taken a lot of inspiration from the comics of the same name, the show has changed much of the original story, but, one returning character for the final season points to a comic accurate ending for Butcher. The show started streaming on Amazon Prime Video in 2019, adapted from the popular comic series by writer Garth Ennis and artist Darick Robertson. Since its debut, the show has become one of the most watched shows on the platform.
However, the show is not a direct adaptation of the comic book story, instead taking the characters and concepts in order to create a more modern series which delivers more relevant social commentary and satire. Recently, the creator of the series, Eric Kripke, announced that the show will end with its fifth season, which means Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and The Boys are fast approaching their final outing. And with one character set to return in season 5, it almost guarantees Butcher will meet a fate similar to the comics.
Legend’s The Boys Season 5 Return Makes Butcher’s Comic Ending More Likely
A Pivotal Part Of Butcher’s Eventual Demise
Earlier in the show, in The Boys season 3, the character of The Legend was introduced. The Legend is a former Vought employee who was responsible for managing heroes like Soldier Boy. However, when Stillwell betrayed him and took his position, The Legend was forcefully retired from the company and became an informant for people like Butcher, providing invaluable secrets about the Supes. His comic counterpart is similar, although his role was to officially document sterilized versions of the heroes’ missions in comic books, which still resulted in the character possessing a wealth of information on the heroes and their dirty deeds.
Recently, the actor who plays The Legend has confirmed he will be returning to The Boys in the fifth and final season. While the character in the show felt relatively minor, with ties to older supes, his return could indicate that the show will be sticking to the comic book ending for Butcher. Especially when combined with the other elements that have already been set up in The Boys spin-off show, Gen V, and season 4.
How The Boys Season 4 Is Already Setting Up Butcher’s Comic Ending
Billy Butcher Is On Track To Have An Explosive Ending
It’s no secret that Billy Butcher is dying. Thanks to his excessive usage of Temp V, and pushing his mortal body to extreme limits as he fights countless supes, Butcher is terminally ill, and from the start of season 4, the reality of the character only having months left before his demise has been established. As the character grows more desperate and delirious to complete his mission, and now armed with the tools to do it with the upgraded airborne supe virus, Butcher is on track to complete his comic book ending.
Butcher grows increasingly obsessed with his personal vendetta to kill Homelander, and as a result, he kills anyone that could get in his way. This includes the comic book counterparts of Frenchie, Kimiko, Mother’s Milk, and The Legend. As Butcher gears up for a final showdown with Homelander, he plans to trigger a series of bombs that target anyone with Compound V in their bodies. While it is possible for The Boys TV show to still have some twists ahead, the virus, and Butcher’s obsession with killing Homelander remain, and The Legend’s inclusion in season 5 appears to further confirm his comics ending.
