The Boys season 4 episode 4 review: Homelander goes back to the roots

Modified Jun 24, 2024 08:03 GMT

The Boys season 4, episode 4, Wisdom Of The Ages, marks the conclusion of the first half of the season, setting the stage for what's to come. Amidst the dark humor, power struggles, and revenge themes, Butcher shows unexpected empathy, disagreeing with his old friend Kessler on how to handle Ryan.

While Butcher aims to guide Ryan, Kessler sees him as a tool against Homelander. Meanwhile, tensions escalate between Starlight and Firecracker, stemming from their past rivalry since their pageant days.

As these personal issues heat up, there’s also a huge problem brewing that could shake up the whole nation. Hughie uncovers a scary plan by Sister Sage, Homelander, and Victoria Neuman to take over the government and bring in Martial Law, which could really ramp up the tension. So keeping track of everything, season 4 of The Boys is somewhat living up to the expectations even by going deep into the stories of every character.

The Boys season 4 episode 4 brings more empathy, manipulation and revenge

The episode kicks off by taking us back to Homelander's childhood where he was horribly tested at the underground Vought lab. The trip down memory lane sets a dark tone as Homelander faces off against Marty who is an older scientist who once tormented him. Antony Starr brilliantly shows Homelander's mix of cruelty and vulnerability and this intense meeting is made even weirder by Homelander's request for everyone to eat cake, adding a twisted touch to a normal activity.

Meanwhile, Hughie is dealing with the likely loss of his father. Out of desperation, he turns to Compound V hoping it might save his dad. For a while, the story wasn't focusing much on Hughie until this. Eric Kripke found a great way of getting to move Hughie's story forward and showing how far he's willing to go underlining the theme of desperate actions in tough times.

Annie, also known as Starlight, shows her tough side as she plans to fight Vought from within. In her interactions with Robert Singer, where she agrees to help with his anti-supe bill, we see her strategic thinking and her readiness to use her Starlight persona to gather support against Vought. These scenes really took a dive into the show's critique of fame and power.

Frenchie's story gets darker as he tries to confess to Colin about his past because he was involved with the murder of Colin's family. It explores feelings of guilt and the quest for forgiveness which touches on the theme of emotional depth in The Boys.

Firecracker's manipulation of the public's view of Starlight through a media campaign is another key part of this episode showing how media and public opinion can be swayed and in turn, reminding us of the show's skeptical view of heroism and fame.

The episode builds up to intense and violent clashes. Homelander's mind games continue as he manipulates Barbara where he is trying to deny his own humanity by reinforcing his control over everything around him. This interaction in the ominous "red room" is both a literal and a metaphorical stripping down of Homelander's mind.

One of the most shocking scenes is Sister Sage deciding to lobotomize herself because of her extreme intelligence which comments on the heavy burdens of such power and the lengths characters go to find some peace.

The scene is crucial for her development and sheds light on the tragic side of the characters' powers. Fans took to social media to talk about the gruesomeness of the sequence and how it falls under the radar of The Boys who like to keep the scenes raw.

The effects of Hughie's decision to use Compound V lead to more moral questions and show the ripple effects of the characters' choices at the end of the episode. The mix of personal issues and larger political ones set the stage for the next episode which promises more tension and complex developments.

You can catch The Boys season 4 episode 4 on Amazon Prime Video right now and don't forget to set a reminder for episode 5, titled, Beware of the Jabberwock, My Son premiering on next Thursday, June 27, 2024.