This article contains spoilers from The Boys season 4, episode 6, “Dirty Business.”
Summary
The Boysshowrunner Eric Kripke addresses the Batman and Alfred Pennyworth parody in season 4, episode 6, and its consequences. The series has parodied DC superheroes from the beginning, with Homelander asThe Boys' twisted version of Superman, Queen Maeve as Wonder Woman, the Deep as Aquaman, and A-Train as the Flash.Tek Knight, who made his onscreen debut inGen V, parodies Batman, emphasized in the latest episode by his exorbitant wealth, a butler who has raised him since he was a young orphan, and a secret lair known as the Tek Cave.
While speaking withTV Insider, Kripke explained how the Batman parody went in a new direction during the events of “Dirty Business.” Kripke discussed how he and the writers used preconceived notions about"a real famous superhero"to subvert expectations, withTek Knight’s butler being the one to murder him. He also hinted at how Vought will handle Tek Knight’s death and why this was a satisfying ending for the character. Check out Kripke’s comments below:
At this moment at least they’re keeping Tek Knight’s death kind of on the down low. But he’s so awful. He just deserves a unique spot in hell. And we were just so taken with the idea that you are a wealthy orphan-turned-vigilante who has a butler take care of you. And the Butler is finally so sick of your s**t that he murders you. Such a delightful play on a real famous superhero that we just couldn’t avoid it.
Season 4 Has Featured Some Of The Boys' Best Superhero Parodies Yet
Tek Knight, The V52 Expo, And Webweaver Have All Been Highlights Of Season 4
Essentially having Alfred kill Batman is only one of several effective superhero parodies inThe Boysseason 4. One of the best examples was in the previous episode, “Beware the Jabberwock, My Son,” in which phases 7-19 were unveiled for theVought Cinematic Universe, providing enough movies and television series to last for decades,a clear jab at Marvel’s announcements of phases for years to come. The parody was made even better with titles includingG-Men: Days Past from the FutureandA-Train: Into the Multiverse, a clear play onX-Men: Days of Future PastandSpider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
G2: G-Men,The Tek Knight,andTek Knight: Night Lightwere among the other titles featured at the V52 Expo.
“Dirty Business” thenintroduced Webweaver,The Boys' take on Spider-Man. Webweaver was mentioned earlier in season 4 when Billy Butcher gave him a heroin enema in exchange for incriminating information about Firecracker, but he wasn’t seen until the new episode. The Boys took his costume to infiltrate Tek Knight’s exclusive party in the hopes of learning what Tek Knight and Sister Sage have been planning. In typicalBoys' fashion, Webweaver’s web-shooting abilities had nothing to do with saving people, and entered far cruder territory.
Between the projects announced at the V52 Expo, the introduction of Webweaver, and how everything unfolded with Tek Knight in the Tek Cave,The Boyscontinues to find new and hilarious ways to parody superhero media. With superhero parody, specificallyof DC and Marvel, being a vital piece of what distinguishedThe Boysin the first place, it’s good to see the series returning to its roots. Tek Knight may be dead, but Homelander, the Deep, A-Train, Webweaver, and other characters leave plenty of room for superhero satire.
The Boys
Cast
The Boys is a gritty and subversive take on the superhero genre, focusing on a group of vigilantes who confront powerful superheroes abusing their abilities, exploring themes of corruption and moral ambiguity in a world where heroes are not always what they seem.
