The Boys season 4 ending explained: Blood, gore, and Soldier Boy

The Boys Season 4 has been a rollercoaster of intensities and emotions for fans much like the previous three seasons, each layering on the chaos as the stakes heighten. The audience saw alliances being tested, new powers revealed, and the very fabric of the super-powered society pulled at its edges. As the season wrapped up, it set the stage for what promises to be a grand finale in the upcoming Season 5.

Amid the chaos, a major revelation came in the last moments of the season finale reigniting theories and questions among the fanbase. The end credits scene of The Boys Season 4 unveiled a major twist which has to be the glimpse of Soldier Boy. The revelation of him being possibly alive stirs up the plot and also redefines the trajectory for the next season and it begs the question: What role will Soldier Boy play in the last season?

The Boys Season 4: Does Homelander expose Neuman?

The Boys Season 4 (Image via Amazon Prime Videos)

In the finale titled Assassination Run, Homelander exhibits a Machiavellian trick in manipulating those around him, turning allies into pawns. The episode opens amidst the political tension of election results being certified.

Homelander alongside characters like Firecracker, The Deep, and Black Noir orchestrates a ruthless purge within Vought International, eliminating anyone who could compromise his reputation and secure his grip on the company and positions him to manipulate the political landscape directly.

Homelander's manipulation peaks during a live interview where he forces Victoria Neuman to reveal her superhuman abilities, which discredits her publicly and secures his control over the plot. This, however, receives a mixed response from the population, and riots break out.

The scene is crucial as it exemplifies Homelander's ability to use fear and violence to maintain control, setting a dark tone for the political upheavals to follow.

The Boys Season 4: Does Butcher kill Victoria Neuman?

Victoria Neuman's arc in the finale serves as a grim reminder of the precariousness of power because by the end of the episode she was lying on the floor in two parts. Her forced outing as a Supe by Homelander precipitates her downfall, stripping her of her political leverage.

Caught in a web of blackmail and threats, Neuman attempts to negotiate her and her daughter's safety for her allegiance to the Boys and their cause.

However, the meeting turns fatal when Butcher, embodying a no-compromise stance, brutally ends her life using his newly revealed tentacle powers. The act of violence shocks everyone, starting from the CIA to the Boys, and comes in to be a major plot development symbolizing the destructive consequences of the relentless power struggle within the show.

The Boys Season 4: Does Starlight kill Shapeshifter?

The final episode of The Boys Season 4 features a dramatic showdown that unfolds as Starlight faces off against the shapeshifter who has been impersonating her having infiltrated the lives of the Boys under the guise of Annie and has wreaked havoc and nearly succeeded in her mission to assassinate President-elect Robert Singer.

The confrontation reaches its peak in a secure bunker designed as the last line of defense for the President. Hughie senses something is amiss with Annie when she slips up in conversation, echoing phrases unique to the shapeshifter they had previously encountered. His suspicions get stronger reflecting on how the shapeshifter had access to Annie’s memories but lacked her genuine emotional responses.

As the tension in the bunker mounts, the shapeshifter sensing her cover might be blown makes her move. In a violent clash, she incapacitates several Secret Service agents, but the real Starlight cuts her spree off, who, having escaped from her captor, arrives just in time.

In a decisive and fierce battle, Starlight confronts her doppelgänger, reclaiming her identity and protecting the President. The fight ends with Starlight killing the shapeshifter.

The Boys Season 4: What happens to the Boys at the end of the episode?

The Boys (Image via Amazon Prime Videos)

The episode takes a tragic turn when Ryan, under intense pressure and feeling cornered, reacts violently to threats from CIA operative Grace Mallory. Grace, attempting to coerce Ryan into staying with her to learn to combat Homelander, pushes him too far.

In a moment of panic and rage, Ryan inadvertently kills Grace by throwing her against a wall, illustrating the volatile and destructive potential of his powers. The act marks a pivotal and dark evolution for Ryan, echoing his father Homelander's brutal tendencies.

As the political landscape shifts with new power dynamics, Homelander's allies consolidate their control. In the chaos that follows Speaker of the House, Calhoun ascends to the presidency after the swift and covert elimination of President Singer orchestrated by Homelander's loyalists. Under Calhoun's presidency, dominated by Supes.

Meanwhile, the Boys attempt a desperate escape from the country but their plans are thwarted one by one. As they navigate the treacherous path to freedom, each member faces capture. In a dramatic sequence at an airport, MM is knocked out in a bathroom by Love Sausage, which is a clear indication that no place is safe.

Cindy and other authorities apprehend Hughie, showcasing the extensive reach of Homelander's network. Only Annie leveraging her powers flies away.

The side of the Supes has gained enormous control over the plot, leaving only Butcher and Starlight alone on the other side. Homelander's father, and his son, both are with him along with the supes. With Sister Sage coming back to play, they are stronger than ever, but Butcher on the other side is nowhere near stopping from getting what he wants.

Fans can watch the last episode of The Boys Season 4 on Amazon Prime Video.

Edited by Pradyot Hegde