The Boys Season 4 premiere ending explained: What is the Red Door?

The Boys season 4 premiered its first three episodes on June 12 with intense and shocking sequences, notably exceeding the graphic content of its first three episodes combined. The season introduces significant developments, such as Hughie's mother revisiting his childhood trauma, Butcher grappling with schizophrenia and conversations with his deceased wife Becca, and Homelander coping with unexpected personal changes.

The Season also features the red door, which is a metaphor for Homelander's traumatic origins at Vought's lab, symbolizing the dark past that shaped him. The foreboding image marks the gateway to his horrific upbringing which hints at a deeper exploration of his psyche and Vought's sinister operations.

These elements are just the beginning of what season 4 has in store, with new episodes airing every Thursday starting June 20, 2024.

The Boys season 4 episode 1

The Boys Season 4 (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

In the episode Department of Dirty Tricks of The Boys season 4, the story starts in the middle of an Election Night operation, six months after the conclusion of season 3 and immediately following the spinoff Gen V's first season.

VP-elect Victoria Neuman is busy with victory speeches, providing an opportunity for the Boys to take action. However, Billy Butcher, dealing with sickness from a temporary V-infusion, becomes a liability. Despite his worsening condition, which includes hallucinations and delusions, Butcher remains as stubborn and self-centered as always.

Adding to the complexity, Butcher is embroiled in a custody battle for his stepson Ryan whose allegiance Homelander is manipulating. Homelander's influence on Ryan, demonstrated through a sinister smile in the previous season's finale, suggests a tug-of-war over the young boy's morals.

Yet, Ryan shows signs of internal conflict about his loyalty to Homelander, who views humans merely as objects of amusement. This subplot thickens when Butcher risks the mission's success to confront Ryan and propose an escape from Homelander's clutches, only to face a grim prognosis from Homelander himself.

The mission unravels further when Neuman's daughter Zoe who was injected with Compound-V unwittingly disrupts the operation resulting in deadly consequences for two agents. The episode also reveals a strategic alliance between the Boys and Dakota Bob Singer who is the president-elect facilitated by Grace Mallory. The partnership is crucial as Neuman is a heartbeat away from the presidency posing a major threat should she ascend to the office.

In The Boys season 4 episode 1, amidst unfolding developments, Hughie and Neuman have a crucial confrontation about their strained relationship. Hughie questions Neuman about her secrecy and her daughter's monstrous transformation, leading to two failed assassination attempts. These incidents highlight the recurring themes of power and manipulation in the series.

As The Boys season 4 episode 1 progresses, various subplots are introduced or revisited. Annie January is seen struggling to reclaim her Starlight persona and faces challenges in making a public impact without her superhero suit. Butcher's moral quandary continues as he interacts with old military comrade Joe Kessler who influences Butcher's perspective on his life choices and responsibilities especially concerning Ryan's safety and the broader battle against Homelander.

Meanwhile, Frenchie explores a potential relationship with Colin who is a contact from Narcotics Anonymous which complicates his dynamic with Kimiko. Hughie, dealing with his father's hospitalization following a stroke, faces emotional turmoil, which is exacerbated by the re-introduction of his estranged mother.

On another front, Homelander confronts a personal crisis seeking counsel from Sister Sage whose intelligence proposes a manipulative strategy to address his dissatisfaction and it leads to a calculated and cruel act meant to incite conflict resulting in tragic consequences and setting the stage for further turmoil.

The Boys season 4 episode 2

The Boys season 4 episode 2, titled Life Among the Septics, continues with a scene straight out of a gritty inner-city drama. Viewers are thrust back in time to witness Reggie Franklin's, aka A-Train's, turbulent youth. Here, we see him as a literal runner for local drug dealers—a stark contrast to the superhero speedster he becomes.

The flashback is masterfully interrupted by the arrival of his coach, portrayed by Will Ferrell in a surprisingly layered cameo. The coach's attempt to pull Reggie from the clutches of street life is cliché yet poignant, imbued with a sense of desperation and futility. The scene cleverly turns meta as we learn it's actually a film within the show, directed by Adam Bourke of "Dawn of the Seven" fame, highlighting the often exploitative nature of storytelling in Hollywood.

The episode also introduces a more talkative Black Noir who in a twist of fate is portrayed by an actor deeply troubled by his violent actions under Homelander's command. His visit to A-Train shows a theme prevalent in the episode—searching for authenticity in a world that thrives on façades. A-Train's confrontation with the distortions of his past and Noir's struggle with his role add layers to their characters which pushes them towards introspection about their real identities versus their public personas.

Meanwhile, Hughie's dynamic with his newly reintroduced mother played by Rosemarie DeWitt explores familial bonds and betrayals. The revelation that Hughie's father had reinstated his mother as his power of attorney without his knowledge throws Hughie into turmoil which shows the personal stakes involved in his broader battle against Vought and its superheroes.

The Boys season 4 episode 2 also excels in its portrayal of the Squad With Issues, particularly Frenchie and Kimiko. Frenchie's romantic entanglement with Colin from his past in addiction recovery adds a personal dimension to his character complicating his emotional landscape as he navigates his relationship with Kimiko. Kimiko herself confronts her trauma during a therapy session a scene that underscores her internal conflict and the struggle to find her voice both literally and metaphorically.

Vought's manipulation of public perception continues unabated, as exemplified in a scene where the PR team pitches Ryan's debut as "Homeboy," complete with a Homelander-style costume. Sister Sage's criticism of this shallow branding strategy shows the insidious ways in which Vought capitalizes on cultural archetypes to mold public sentiment which is a recurring theme that The Boys season 4 handles with both humor and sharp critique.

The Boys season 4 episode 2's climax at the Truthcon event, where The Boys confront Sister Sage and a supe podcaster named Firecracker, brings the various narrative threads to a head. The encounter is fraught with tension, deception and the raw violence that the series is known for. The setting is filled with conspiracy theories and extremist rhetoric which serves as a mirror to the real world drawing parallels to the dangers of misinformation and fanaticism.

Butcher's character is tested once again as he grapples with his terminal diagnosis and the implications it has on his leadership and mission and his confrontation with M.M. is emotionally charged, revealing the deep rifts and unresolved anger between them. And with the clash, the personal costs of their crusade could be seen against the supes, mirroring the blurred lines between right and wrong in their fight.

The Boys season 4 episode 3

In episode 3 of The Boys season 4, titled We'll Keep the Red Flag Flying Here the story dives deep into the complex psyche of Homelander and exposes his vulnerabilities and desires. As the episode unfolds Homelander's internal struggle becomes the focal point leading to major developments and setting the stage for a poignant exploration of his origins.

Homelander is thrown into emotional turmoil when he discovers a traitor within Vought and catches his son, Ryan, attempting to meet with Butcher and the revelations strike a raw nerve touching on his deep-seated insecurities and fears of abandonment. In a particularly reflective moment, Homelander confronts his fractured self in the mirror, his reflections taunting him about his human frailties. The self-dialogue encapsulates his conflict between desiring to be an invulnerable symbol of strength and his unacknowledged yearning for familial love and acceptance.

The Boys season 4 episode 3 cleverly uses Homelander's introspection to delve into themes of identity and humanity. Driven by inner voices, he resolves chillingly to eliminate his vulnerabilities by returning to the Vought lab where he was created. Vivid flashbacks depict a sterile and ominous environment where he endured experimentation. These glimpses into his past, featuring a foreboding red door and the tools of his torment, suggest a journey to confront the origins of his trauma.

As Homelander resolves to face his beginnings, the narrative intertwines with Ryan's storyline, further complicating the father-son dynamic. Ryan's secretive visit to Butcher reveals his own struggles with identity and belonging mirroring Homelander's issues but from the perspective of his nascent superhuman existence which draws a poignant contrast between father and son who are both grappling with the weight of their legacies.

The episode does not shy away from showcasing the broader implications of Homelander's quest. Vought's manipulative tactics are shown during a PR pitch for Ryan's superhero debut as "Homeboy", revealing the corporation's relentless drive to shape public perception and control their superhuman assets. Sister Sage and Firecracker's induction into The Seven adds layers to the corporate machinations, illustrating how Vought exploits societal fears and prejudices to maintain its power.

Amidst the corporate and personal drama the episode also advances the subplot involving The Boys themselves. Butcher's confrontation with his own mortality and his tumultuous relationship with his team adds a raw and gritty edge to the story. His interactions with Kessler and the subsequent fallout reflect the ongoing tension and moral ambiguity that define the group's dynamic.

The emotional depth of the episode is further enriched by Hughie's complicated family dynamics because his encounter with his mother grappling with power of attorney issues and unresolved familial strife provides a humanizing break from the superhuman chaos and grinds the story in real-world emotional conflicts.

The main takeaway of The Boys season 4 episode 3 is the red door which symbolizes Homelander's dark past and the traumatic origins of his creation in the sterile ominous labs of Vought.

This red door often depicted in flashbacks stands as a stark, haunting image that Homelander confronts in his quest to sever his remaining ties to humanity and it represents the entry point to the horrors that shaped him, inviting viewers to anticipate a journey into the depths of his character's tortured psyche and possibly revealing more about the sinister practices of Vought.

You can catch all 3 episodes of The Boys season 4 on Amazon Prime Video.

Edited by Divya Singh