The Boys showrunner hints at one of Homelander's "major conflicts" in season 4

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The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke has teased a little of what’s to come for Homelander after The Boys season 3 ending.

Speaking to IGN, Kripke hints that some of the focus of The Boys season 4 will be squarely on the fallout from Homelander and Ryan reuniting – and how Butcher reacts to that.

"If allowed to raise Ryan, he will raise Ryan to be a second Homelander, which will have apocalyptic stakes. If he stays in that environment, he's on his way to becoming another Homelander," Kripke said. "And so I think it's a hint at what one of the major conflicts in season four will be, which is Butcher and Homelander having this battle over Ryan."

The Boys’ third season ended with Homelander and Ryan standing over their adoring public at a rally, with Homelander killing one particularly vocal protestor. Inevitably, Butcher – and his terminal Temp V diagnosis – will be a major factor in how everything shakes out moving forward.

"I mean, it's still early days in the season four room, but so far what's just really been interesting is when you're really facing your own mortality and you're really on the way out the door, you start really thinking about what's important to you, and what do you want to do with the time you have left?" Kripke explained.

So, expect Butcher going full Butcher – with Homelander (and potentially Ryan) in his sights. At this rate, the next season is going to be diabolical.