Explained: Homelander's Takeover & The Fate of The Boys Season 4 Ending
With Homelander and Sister Sage's clever scheme to take over the White House working, The Boys season 4 finale ends with a dramatic change in power. Under Homelander's despotic control, the Boys are left dispersed with an uncertain future.
The Boys Season 4 Finale Homelander's Rising To Power
While Homelander and Sage take advantage of the anarchy, The Boys effectively stop the assassination attempt on Robert Singer. Singer is the one responsible for Victoria Neuman's death; this opens the path for Homelander's puppet Steven Calhoun to inherit the presidency. Homelander orders martial law and launches a tsunami of superhero enforcement, endangering The Boys.
The Boys' Future and Homelander's Plan
Though Homelander's future intentions are yet unknown, he seems ready to set internment camps for those judged a threat. Most of the team is taken prisoner by Homelander's army; the boys are caught in the crossfire. The only one who escapes is Annie (Starlight), so leaving Butcher's future dubious.
Why homelander rounded up the boys team?
Homelander's reasons for gathering The Boys transcend mere retribution for Neuman's death. He wants to eradicate any challenge to his rule so that his internment camps may be established and so confirm his authority. For the show, this marks a major turning point that will prepare a tense and conflicted last season.
Starlight's Return to Power and the Interpretive Value of Acceptance
Starlight recovers her abilities in the finale at an infrequent moment of hope. Her capacity to fly once more is quite important since Cindy attacks Hughie as well. This growth points to a connection between Starlight's emotional state and her abilities. Accepting her past mistakes seems to have helped her powers to come back, so preparing her for a major part in the forthcoming battle against Homelander.
Kimiko's Voice: Repair and the Authority of Love
Kimiko finding her voice in the finale is yet another unexpected change. This represents a major turning point in her healing from her past trauma since it implies that her love of Frenchie and her path of self-acceptance help her to heal. Kimiko's voice is a potent emblem of opposition to Homelander's repressive government, evidence of the human spirit's fortitude against hardship.
Ryan's Villainous Potential and Butcher's Dark Turnaround
Butcher's choice to welcome his inner darkness sets up a sad and crucial scene in the finale. He kills Neuman using his fully developed powers, so preparing the ground for Homelander's takeover. Ryan, who becomes vulnerable to the same dark influences that afflict his father after seeing his mother's death and learning the truth about Homelander, also sets up a possible villainous arc for himself.
Butcher's Supe Powers and the Decision to Kill
After being exposed to Compound V, Butcher's recently disclosed abilities show up as tumorous tentacles capable of rip-through of flesh. But his acceptance of Kessler, the "devil on his shoulder," helps him to really reach his potential. Butcher's decision to eliminate Neuman emphasizes his conviction that all Supes should be eradicated, so stressing the risks of unbridled authority and the possibility for corruption.
The Soldier Boy Scene following credits: a threat to homelander's power?
The post-credits scene reveals Homelander's plan to use Soldier Boy, a strong Supe with a turbulent past, to confirm his power, so throwing a curveball. Though Homelander's intentions remain unknown, it is obvious that Soldier Boy's comeback marks a major turning point ready to fundamentally change the course of the show.
The Alliance Potential for Soldier Boy and the Father-Son Dynamic
Homelander's need to enlist Soldier Boy could be motivated by his need to get his approval or to unite power. The latter situation implies that Homelander's unrelenting search of approval reaches even his father, Soldier Boy. With Soldier Boy present, the narrative gains complexity and promises a wild and erratic season five.
The Boys' Future: An Argument for Freedom and Hope
The Boys season 4 finale departs viewers with a depressing view but also with a faint hope. Far from finished is the boys' struggle for freedom against the corrupt influence of Homelander and Vought. Season five promises an exciting and chaotic ending to this dark superhero satire with Starlight's restored powers, Kimiko's newfound voice, and the approaching threat of Soldier Boy.
