Summary

Season 4 ofThe Boyscould be its most shocking yet, with plenty of moments that left fans stunned. The Boys are a fractured group in season 4, with Butcher temporarily being forced to relinquish his power over the group as he struggles with his terminal diagnosis. However, the Boys get up to just as many ridiculous missions without him, and the supes at Vought get more and more violent as they aim for national domination.

Season 4 has received mixed reviews, with some critics and fans arguing that the show’s political satire has lost its edge. However, even if it isn’t thebest season ofThe Boys, it still delivers plenty of jaw-dropping moments and wonderfully indelicate jokes.The Boysseason 5could be even wilder, especially as the show has cleared a path for Homelander to step into the White House. While future episodes are still a long way off, fans have plenty to chew on from season 4’s most surprising moments.

16Sage’s Nancy Reagan Comment

Sage Announces Her Arrival In The Best Way Possible

Sage, or Sister Sage as Vought labels her, is the most influential new character inThe Boysseason 4. The smartest person on the planet treats American politics like a strategy game, which highlights how her super-powered intelligence makes daily life boring for her.She gains Homelander’s respect by standing up to him, and she mouths off during her first day at Vought Tower, claiming that the institution"blows harder than Nancy Reagan on the MGM backlot".This is a reference to salacious Hollywood rumors about Ronald Reagan’s wife from back when he was still an actor.

15Homelander Kills Todd & His Friends With Baseball Bats

Homelander Feels Emboldened After His Fans Support Him Murdering A Protester

Season 4 ofThe Boysstarts off with a bang, and it sets the tone for Homelander’s increasingly manic pursuit of power. Homelander invites Todd and two more of his most devoted fans to a secret meet-and-greet. They’re ecstatic at the chance to meet him, but he instructs Deep, A-Train and Black Noir to kill them with baseball bats. Supe violence is nothing new inThe Boys,but there’s something about the method of execution here that is particularly disturbing.It’s more violent and personal than Homelander’s laser-vision, because it could have been done by humans.

14Vought Cancels A-Train’s Movie For Tax Purposes

The Boys Takes A Swipe At A Recent Hollywood Trend

When A-Train is found to be the mole inside Vought, the company has to pivot quickly and cut all ties with him. Having just shot his newest movie with Will Ferrell, Vought decides to scrap the project for a tax incentive.The Boystakes aim at Warner Bros.and other Hollywood studios with this joke, referring to scrapped movies likeBatgirlandCoyote Vs. Acme.After building so much anticipation for these movies, it’s frustrating to see them shelved.The Boysparodies this decision by showing Ashley proudly claiming that their decisions are driven exclusively by profit, with no regard for what audiences want.

13Webweaver’s Safe Word

The Boys' Spider-Man Parody Takes A Twist

In Tek Knight’s sex dungeon, Hughie discovers that his only escape is to repeat Webweaver’s pre-agreed safe word. The problem is that he has no idea what the word is. Tek Knight reminds him that it’s the thing he loves most in the world, so Hughie desperately tries to guess, but to no avail. Eventually, Tek Knight’s butler reveals the word: Zendaya.This is a reference to Tom Holland’sSpider-Manmovies, since Webweaver is one ofThe Boys’many Marvel and DC parodies. Zendaya plays Mary Jane in the MCU, and she’s also dating Tom Holland. Referring to her in such a perverse sexual scenario is extremely risqué.

12Stan Edgar’s Relationship With Prince Andrew

Giancarlo Esposito Makes A Surprising Return To The Boys

After spending some time in prison,Stan Edgar made a surprising return in season 4 ofThe Boys.During an ill-fated mission on a farm with the Boys and Victoria Neuman, he steps in a muddy puddle. Neuman reminds him that he probably has dozens of identical pairs of shoes, but he claims that particular pair was a gift from Prince Andrew. The British Royal has been under a barrage of controversy in recent years due to his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Stan Edgar doesn’t hide his association with Prince Andrew however, and there’s a hint of pride in his tone that suggests any link to the royal family reflects well on him.

11Vought’s Targeted Advertising

The Boys Shows The Dark Side Of Product Placement

At V52, an event inspired by the likes of Comic-Con and Disney’s D23 Expo, Vought lists the dizzying number of upcoming projects in the works. One of the company’s proudest new inventions is a form of targeted advertising that alters streaming content to suit the audience. Deep explains that if a white viewer is watching a show, they will see product placement tailored to them, with the example of a bottle of beer. If a BIPOC person watches the same show, the character on screen will instead be holding a bottle of peach cognac., and it’s made even funnier by the fact that it feels entirely possible.

10Homelander Forces Marty To Masturbate

Homelander Goes Home For A Little Soul-Searching

The trailers for season 4 ofThe Boysteased the image of Homelander standing in an elevator soaked in blood.When this moment finally arrived, it did not disappoint. Homelander returns to the laboratory where he spent most of his childhood when he realizes he needs to reckon with his past to destroy his human need for affection. He soon leaves the entire staff strewn about the room in bloody pieces, but not before paying particularly close attention to two men. As retaliation for laughing at him in his teenage years, Homelander forces Marty to masturbate in front of his colleagues, before shooting a lazer through his genital area and watching him writhe in agony.

9Frenchie Amputates Kimiko’s Leg

Kimiko Goes Through A Lot In Season 4

Kimiko’s super-healing powers are on full display in season 4 ofThe Boys. She leaps out of a building, has her neck snapped, and gets shot multiple times. It’s hard to make any of this feel fresh, but her amputation scene is even more graphic thanThe Boys’usual fare. After she is injected with the supe virus, Frenchie has no choice but to amputate her lower leg before the disease can spread through her bloodstream.The playful music and her cuddly soft toy only make the action look even more grim by contrast.

8Hugh’s Accidental Killing-Spree

Hughie Reconnects With His Mother Under The Most Extreme Circumstances Possible

Simon Pegg makes a much-anticipated return toThe Boysin season 4, but for a while it seems as though his character will be stuck in a coma for the entire season. Ultimately, Hughie’s mother Daphne injects him with Compound-V in a desperate attempt to revive him. Hugh wakes up, but he gains powers that he can’t control. The first victim of his accidental killing-spree is a nurse who’s only seen in a bloody heap on the floor as Hugh holds her heart in his hands. Later, he kills someone in an even more shocking way, phasing halfway through their body.

7Homelander Puts Frank In The Oven

Marty Isn’t Homelander’s First Victim At The Laboratory

Before shooting a laser through Marty’s groin, Homelander decides to settle the score with another employee at the laboratory. Frank’s death is somehow even more brutal and upsetting, as Homelander forces him to walk into a large incinerator before cranking up the heat.The Boys,naturally, doesn’t flinch at this moment, and it shows Frank’s skin peeling and catching fire in excruciating detail. Homelander’s revenge isn’t just about killing those who contributed to his suffering as a child. It’s also about making them suffer as much as possible.