The Boys Season 5 Finally Delivers Justice To One Of Its Worst Characters

This post contains spoilers for Season 5, Episode 1 of "The Boys."

For better or worse, Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) is the beating heart of "The Boys." Butcher's anti-hero status has only gotten more prominent over the seasons, but his presence is crucial to the show's premise. After all, Butcher is the one who brought the titular group together, and is the only person that Homelander (Antony Starr) holds twisted admiration for. Although Butcher's dubious actions should be criticized, some of his questionable traits stem from childhood abuse and the death of his brother, Lenny (Jack Fulton). The abuser in question is his father, Sam (John Noble), who was last seen in season 3.

Season 5, which will bring the violent saga of "The Boys" to an end, makes its first scene with Butcher count. We see Butcher visit Sam unannounced in London, casually walking up to the fridge to grab a beer. We learn that Butcher's mother is dead (presumably due to old age), and he laments the fact that his father is still "thriving" despite having cancer. Sam looks uncomfortable due to Butcher's "wanted" status and asks him why he is here. This is when Butcher notices one of Lenny's old trophies, reminiscing about his brother's happiness after he won at a magic convention. He points out that Sam had ruined everything by insulting Lenny, reminding him of his cruelty. For the first time, we see Sam look afraid, pleading with Butcher not to get angry in a placating voice.

Butcher acknowledges that he has grown up to become his father and bitterly thanks him for his abuse. Things take a dark turn from this point on, but it is a fitting end to a horrible, neglectful father who never repented for his sins.

Sam realizes that his time is up and appeals to Butcher by saying this won't change anything. "Who said I want to change?" Butcher quips before using his tentacles to kill his abusive father. This is a cathartic moment, given that we've witnessed how abusive Sam had been towards his children in season 3. He upheld the worst kind of toxic masculinity and often rewarded young Billy for his violent behavior. As Lenny experienced the brunt of Sam's abuse after Butcher left to join the Marines, Butcher blamed himself for his brother's death and has harbored guilt ever since.

Season 4's initial episodes highlighted a crucial change in Butcher's mindset, but this hope is squashed after Butcher kills Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) in the finale. This marks a point of no return, as Butcher knows that this path cannot lead to salvation or healing but chooses to pursue it anyway. "The Boys" has always been a cautionary tale about unchecked power, and Butcher's predicament highlights the heavy price he is willing to pay to stop Vought. It's a complex instinct. Butcher genuinely detests what supes stand for and is willing to annihilate them with the Supe Virus, which he is currently in possession of. This genocidal urge is as horrific as it is hypocritical, as Butcher has no qualms about using his current superpowers to achieve whatever he wants.

As grisly as it sounds, Sam's death seems to be the only good thing to come out of Butcher's rampage so far. Like Sam said, it doesn't change anything. But it provides some amount of emotional closure to a man who wants to go out with a bang and erase half of the world while he's at it.