WARNING! This article contains The Boys Season 4, episode 6 spoilers.
In the latest episode ofThe BoysSeason 4, fans were treated to a massive revelation that redefined the relationship between Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s character, Joe Kessler, and Karl Urban’s grizzled anti-hero, Billy Butcher. The showrunnerEric Kripkerecently explained the twist that it dropped on its viewers.
The series' episode 6, titledDirty Business, disclosed that Butcher, contrary to his earlier claims, did not rescue Kessler during their perilous mission in Afghanistan. Instead, he left him to perish, a decision that has since manifested in a deeply disturbing manner.
Speaking withEntertainment Weekly, Kripke clarified that Kessler is not an external parasite but an internal demon, a manifestation of Butcher’s darkest instincts. Kessler, it turns out, is no longer among the living. He exists solely as a hallucinatory presence, a tormenting byproduct of Butcher’s V-induced brain tumor. Kripke said:
I don’t think he’s like Venom. I don’t think he’s a dude with his own point of view and wants to go eat chickens or whatever, but I think he represents all that’s dark and malignant inside of Butcher.
Kripke further elaborated on this internal struggle, pointing out that bothButcher and his arch-nemesis, Homelander(portrayed by Antony Starr), are engaged in battles of self-definition.
“Both Butcher and Homelander, in very different ways, are wrestling with whether they’re human or whether they’re monsters. Kessler represents the monster side and Becca represents the human side of Butcher. Those two sides are at war with themselves, but they’re all Butcher.”
During the development ofThe BoysSeason 4, the series' writers intended for Morgan’s character, Kessler, to serve as a clever misdirection. Kripke explained that the goal was to have Butcher wrestle with his inner good and evil, yet his isolation posed a challenge to conveying this struggle. The idea of personifying this conflict with an “angel and devil” on his shoulders emerged early on.
We wanted Butcher to really be dealing with his light and dark sides, and yet he was so isolated for so much of the story that we needed a way to dramatize it. The notion of literally the angel and devil on his shoulders came up pretty soon.
The Boys' Billy Butcher Could Have a Very Different Fate as a Supe
If theories are correct and Billy Butcher on The Boys is now a Supe, it could have major implications for the story and his expected demise.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan on Potential The Boys Spinoff for Joe Kessler
Jeffrey Dean Morgan sparked excitement among fans ofThe Boysby sharing an image from a Deadline interview with showrunner Eric Kripke. The interview hinted at the possibility of aspin-off centered around Morgan’s character, CIA officer Joe Kessler. The actor’s enthusiastic response only added fuel to the fire, suggesting that if such a project were to materialize, he would be eager to participate.
ha!! Kripke!!! don’t you play with my emotions! you know I’m in. sign me the hell up! (checking schedule right now!)
The news arrives on the heels of the announcement that Season 5 of The Boys will mark the end of the main series. While this revelation may disappoint many fans, Kripke has hinted at the development of new spin-off series, implying that Kessler’s story could be one of the first to be explored. The showrunner and the actor’s back-and-forth interaction showed the mutual interest in further expanding the franchise.
