The Boys season 4 episode 8 recap and Easter eggs: Is this the end of Billy Butcher as we know him?

Well, it’s here: the final episode of The Boys season 4. And while it has been a wild ride this season with the introduction of a whole gaggle of new Supes and some serious character development for Billy Butcher and his Boys, the fourth installment of Eric Kripke’s diabolical superhero spoof well and truly went out with a bang.

The Boys season 4 episode 8, simply titled ‘Season Four Finale’ (changed from its previous title ‘Assassination Run’ due to the recent attempt on Donald Trump’s life) follows on from episode 7 where we saw further cracks form in The Seven as A-Train was outed as the mole, and the Boys took a few more Ls as Starlight was abducted by the shapeshifter.

This week, though, we see each side preparing for war as election day is here, Butcher's health deteriorates and Homelander is causing havoc at Vought, as per usual.

The Virus race continues

Frenchie in The Boys season 4 episode 8 — (Image credit: Amazon Studios)

It’s January 6, and after last week’s not-so-joyous Christmas episode, the election is about to be ratified. With Victoria Neuman’s presence in the Oval Office looming, the Boys are still relentlessly trying to get their hands on the Supe Virus, with Frenchie trying to extract it from Kimiko’s severed leg. Elsewhere, Hughie is still unknowingly shacking up with the shapeshifter posing as Annie, but things get really weird when they propose to Hughie, and he says yes. Soon after the shapeshifter pays a visit to the real Annie to recharge and shows her the ring, causing our little Starlight to face some deep self-reflection.

The impending House vote takes a turn at Vought Tower, however, when Homelander outs Neuman as a Supe live on Firecracker’s TV show Truthbomb, putting further pressure on the Boys’ Virus race. This causes the President-elect Singer to really fear for his life, so along with the Boys and the shapeshifter, he and his staff flee to an underground bunker. But it's not long until Hughie clocks on to Annie’s imposter, as when the shapeshifter utters their memorable line “It’s like a furnace in here,” he soon realizes that this is not his girlfriend prompting the shapeshifter to attack everyone in the room. However, in a real Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man meme moment, the real Starlight shows up and takes on her doppelganger, and wins.

After the failed assassination attempt, Neuman realizes she no longer wants to work with Homelander, who is now threatening her and Zoe’s life. In a moment of desperation, she calls Hughie and asks for the Boys’ help, and with some convincing, they agree.

Whilst the Boys are busy protecting the soon-to-be president’s life, it looks like it may be the end for Billy Butcher as he lies sick in hospital. Soon, Grace and Ryan visit, but the happy reunion quickly turns into Billy and Grace telling Ryan that he is the only person who can kill his so-called dad Homelander. Things get really bad though when Grace reveals the truth about Homelander, including Flight 37, and his sexual assault on Becca. This pushes Ryan over the edge but when he tries to leave Grace blocks his way, so he throws her into the wall, breaking her neck in the process. It looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree after all.

Homelander on top

Victoria Neuman and Homelander in The Boys season 4 episode 8 — (Image credit: Amazon Studios)

Over at Vought, Homelander is preparing for political war and informs the other Supes of his plan to kill the president and reinstate Neuman. To further protect his reputation, or what is left of it, he asks Ashley for a list of everyone at Vought who has dirt on him and instructs The Deep, Black Noir, and Firecracker to kill them all, including Ashley.

The three run around Vought Tower murdering anyone in their path on the list, or not, including a writer who tries to reason with The Deep, telling him he will pay for his life, to which The Deep responds, "You’re a writer, you don't get paid shit." Thanks for that Deep, thanks a lot. Ashley manages to escape though and in order to protect herself she breaks into Homelander's room and injects herself with V.

Back at the Boys’ makeshift lab, Neuman arrives with Zoe and agrees to help them take down Homelander in return for protection. However, shit hits the fan when Butcher rocks up to snatch the virus, and with his weird chest tentacles, he rips Neuman apart, killing her. With Neuman now dead, Homelander fears his dreams of total Supe domination are now out of reach, but Sage returns to tell him this was her plan all along as Singer is now to blame for Neuman’s death and the next in line for presidency is willing to pledge his allegiance to Homelander. As the song ‘Rape Me’ by Nirvana plays in the background, eerily fitting for the corrupted Supe leader, the new president declares martial law giving Supes full legal authority.

With all hope lost, the Boys call it quits and plan to flee the US and go their separate ways. But before any of them can get very far, Hughie and Stralight are stopped by a very familiar-looking Supe from Gen V prompting Starlight to fly away and leave Hughie, Kimiko, and Frenchie are apprehended by the Guardians of Godolkin Sam and Cate, and MM is caught by the Love Sausage who you may remember from The Boys season 3 episode 6. Butcher, however, manages to get away scot-free with the Virus in his possession, he is still seeing his imaginary friend Joe Kessler, though.

That's a pretty bleak ending and sets up season 5, which just so happens to be its final season, for a total Supe takeover, as Homelander says in his closing speech “Today, a new age of superheroes begins.” For more on that, see our guide to The Boys season 4 ending explained. However, it wouldn't be The Boys without a sneaky post-credits scene slipped in, and this one is a doozy. After the titles roll, we see the new president take Homelander to an underground facility where none other than Homelander’s biological father Soldier Boy lies unconscious, but alive, in a deprivation tank of sorts. That’s right, Soldier Boy is back! I, for one, cannot wait for the next season.

The Boys season 4 episode 8 Easter eggs

Hughie and Annie in The Boys season 4 episode 8 — (Image credit: Amazon Studios)

Training A-Train: Runaway Supe A-Train’s coming-of-age movie titled ‘Training A-Train' has been a running joke this season, but at the start of the final episode, it is revealed that the film has been canceled, probably due to the Supe fleeing after being outed as the mole. The Boys had fun with this one though as we see a tweet from Training A-Train director Adam Bourke calling for the release of the Bourke Cut, seemingly a joke pointed at DC director Zack Snyder’s Snyder Cuts.

Flight 37: Grace references Flight 37 when listing Homelander’s crimes, but if you cast your mind back to season 1, we actually saw the events of Flight 37 where Homelander and Maeve botched a mission to save a plane from being hijacked. After boarding, Homelander realized he couldn't save the plane so he decided to let everyone die when he could have rescued a few people at least.

Another social joke: it is no secret that The Boys like to poke fun at social blunders just like with A-Train’s Kendall-Jenner-Pepsi-commercial-esque Turbo Boost ad in season 3. In this episode we see an ad for #AllLivesMatter, parodying the US alt-rights’ response to the recent Black Lives Matter movement.

Bald Ashley is back: Just after she injects herself with V, we see Ashley’s wig fall off exposing her bald head. Back in season 3, it was revealed that Ashley had gone bald due to stress and was wearing a wig. However, with her in a more powerful position this season, we had thought her hair had grown back, but it looks like it didn't.

“O Captain! My Captain!”: After Homelander rounds up the Supes at Vought Tower, The Deep says “Oh Captain, My Captain" to him, which is actually a poem by Walt Whitman about the death of Abraham Lincoln, which is ironic considering the theme of this episode. This is probably the cleverest thing The Deep has said all season, but he probably knows it best (as we all do) from the 1989 film Dead Poets Society, starring Robin Williams.

The Boys Season 4 is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video right now in its entirety. For more on The Boys, check out the rest of our coverage: