The Boys Web Series: Season 4, Cast, Characters, and Plot Explained
Introduction
What Is The Boys About?
At first glance, The Boys might seem to be just any other superhero show. It has people in skintight suits flying around, hurling punches, and saving the world. But no, this is a brutal, no-holds-barred exposé on the world's most famous superheroes, some of whom aren't quite as heroic as they appear. It plays out in a world where superpowers are abused, corporations run amok, and the people we expect to save the day are instead making quite an epic mess of it all.
The superheroes of Vought International are essentially the Disney version of superheroes, just quite a bit more corrupt and a lot less family-oriented. They are known as The Seven and are huge celebrities raking in billions from merchandise, movies, endorsements, and alike. But what is the issue? Only that each and every one of them is flawed (to say the least) and doesn't really care about doing the right thing.
Another issue comes into the picture: Billy Butcher along with his ragtag group of vigilantes, The Boys. Billy queries whether there will be a day he gets vengeance against Homelander, the leader of The Seven, who is basically a creepy evil Superman. But the truth turns out to be somewhat more complicated than simply taking down one corrupt superhero. The Boys are out to expose the truth about the heroes and take down Vought one villain at a time.
What Makes It Stark Different from Other Superhero Shows?
You've probably been hit over the head with a sense of "yay, justice!" if you've ever watched the superhero movie. However, The Boys gives that whole feeling of heroism a swift kick in the face. It's gritty, it's dark, and it pulls no punches—literally. The characters are so flawed, so human (save for the superheroes, of course), that you'll find yourself rooting for the "bad guys" just so that you can see them take down the real bad guys (a.k.a. the so-called superheroes).
Consider Homelander, for example. He encompasses the essence of a superman for America, really - stronger than a speeding bullet, faster than a jet, able to melt enemies with his laser eye. He is a rather bad version of a god either on a power trip or throwing a tantrum. His concept of saving the world extends to turning foes and civilized people hapless into heaps. To see him try acting like a really good guy while doing these awful things is what makes clear that this isn't your average superhero fluff.
Then we have the Boys. These ones are not your average latex-wearing cancerevigilantes out for justice. They are, well, mostly normal people who just got fed up with superheroes, running amok with not even a day in court. Angry, flawed with a whole lot of issues. The ultimate goal? To stop the powers that be from getting a jump on them.
Now, there would be no fun with The Boys without a colorful cast of characters. First comes Billy Butcher, who has about the same charm as a grumpy bulldog, with the mentality of a guy with too many bad superhero movies in his portfolio. Billy has one mission in life: to take down Homelander, paradise to anyone who sides with him in this battle. He has serious hate-boner for anything flying (literally) and all about being a rules-breaker. But that he is mostly a jerk, you cannot help but like him as he remains consistent.
Post-injury, Hughie Campbell becomes a recruit to The Boys 1) because he sorts out the superhero chaos that placed him into an impossible situation of his girlfriend's gruesome demise, and, cobalt blue is anger mixed with an outpouring of grief. Hughie is the audience's eyes and ears: confused and a bit overwhelmed, but always wanting to do the right thing, even if that means making a very, very bad decision.
The Boys consist of Frenchie, who is, well, French and has a soft spot for the crazy, violent world he has chosen. Then there's Mother's Milk, who is reasonably calm and regularly tries to reign in the wild schemes of Billy (and fails). And lastly, with Kimiko, a human weapon with an all-too-sad backstory and the ability to punch through walls. They're probably the most dysfunctional heroes-fighting team ever.
And there's the other side to this-The Seven, who, although the most powerful entities on Earth, are some of the funniest in their self-importance. Queen Maeve is the only one with any integrity, but even she cannot remain above the fray for too long. The Deep has fish powers (don't ask) and is both too ludicrously incompetent and far too creepy to even care. And there's A-Train, quick as lightning and indeed subtle as a wrecking ball. It's like watching a bunch of high school bullies with superpowers-might be strong, but they're mighty annoying.
Regardless of whether I appreciate soccer, the combination of ghastly violence and cruel humor does not perplex me in any way. The kind of humor that this series offers is not something that you can reserve in the usual way, like, “Is that guy going to explode or what? Well, let’s move on, I guess.” This absurd irreverence keeps things new and fresh throughout till the very, very end.
Characters: The Real Heroes?
Post-injury, Hughie Campbell becomes a recruit to The Boys 1) because he sorts out the superhero chaos that placed him into an impossible situation of his girlfriend's gruesome demise, and, cobalt blue is anger mixed with an outpouring of grief. Hughie is the audience's eyes and ears: confused and a bit overwhelmed, but always wanting to do the right thing, even if that means making a very, very bad decision.
The Boys consist of Frenchie, who is, well, French and has a soft spot for the crazy, violent world he has chosen. Then there's Mother's Milk, who is reasonably calm and regularly tries to reign in the wild schemes of Billy (and fails). And lastly, with Kimiko, a human weapon with an all-too-sad backstory and the ability to punch through walls. They're probably the most dysfunctional heroes-fighting team ever.
And there's the other side to this-The Seven, who, although the most powerful entities on Earth, are some of the funniest in their self-importance. Queen Maeve is the only one with any integrity, but even she cannot remain above the fray for too long. The Deep has fish powers (don't ask) and is both too ludicrously incompetent and far too creepy to even care. And there's A-Train, quick as lightning and indeed subtle as a wrecking ball. It's like watching a bunch of high school bullies with superpowers-might be strong, but they're mighty annoying.
Dark Humor: Not Your Average Punchline
Regardless of whether I appreciate soccer, the combination of ghastly violence and cruel humor does not perplex me in any way. The kind of humor that this series offers is not something that you can reserve in the usual way, like, “Is that guy going to explode or what? Well, let’s move on, I guess.” This absurd irreverence keeps things new and fresh throughout till the very, very end.
Other than that, majorly funny and oddly relatable is the humor directed toward the superhero genre that perpetuates the show. It shows you just how infinitely ridiculous having a band of almighty beings around-untouchable! can be. The Boys shows that superheroes don’t need to act good to become famous--sometimes quite the opposite. Bad is the new good.
What To Expect
What To Expect
Where can I Watch
The Boys isn’t merely another superhero drama: It’s a crazy ride that dares squarely at making everything we thought about superheroes mere kiddy stories. Brutal, hilarious, incomparable, the heroes in this show are sometimes more dangerous than the villains, and the blurred line between hero and villain.
If you want a good mix of dark humour, action, and social commentary (with plenty of blood and guts), The Boys should fit the bill. You have been warned: Once you begin, there’s no undoing it. And when everything is said, you will be wondering why you ever reasoned ever that superheroes should be all about saving the world with a grin.
If you want a good mix of dark humour, action, and social commentary (with plenty of blood and guts), The Boys should fit the bill. You have been warned: Once you begin, there’s no undoing it. And when everything is said, you will be wondering why you ever reasoned ever that superheroes should be all about saving the world with a grin.
So pop some corn (or whatever you like to eat while binge-watching), and prepare for a superhero drama that’s more “bad guys doing good” than “good guys saving the day.” Believe me, you won’t look at capes the same way after this.
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