Billy Butcher’s warpath against Homelander is hitting a rough patch. Feeling powerless? Fear not, fellow Supes-slayers! A juicy theory emerges, positing a surprise cameo that could be Butcher’s secret weapon. 

Antony Starr
Antony Starr as Homelander in The Boys | Amazon MGM Studios

This isn’t your average celebrity drop-in, alright? We’re talking a game-changer, a trump card that could tilt the fight for good. Buckle up, The Boys fans, as things are about to get explosive (and maybe a little cameo-filled!)

Can a Blast From the Past Save Billy Butcher? A “Boys” Cameo Theory

Karl Urban speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for "Thor: Ragnarok", at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California.
Karl Urban speaking at the 2017 San Diego Comic Con International, for “Thor: Ragnarok”, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California | Wikimedia/Gage Skidmore

Remember the legendary Winchester brothers, who hunted demons? Jensen Ackles, star of the infamous Supernatural series, shocked fans by signing on for The Boys Season 3. But do you think this was just a random cameo? 

Unlike its predecessor, The Boys did not often experiment with guest appearances. So, why now? It seems like there might be a reason. The purposeful presence of Ackles could start a discourse (and, who knows, fix one of Billy Butcher’s biggest problems?)

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Butcher, played by Karl Urban, has a huge problem at hand to conquer: Homelander (Antony Starr). This tyrannical Supe is (literally) undefeatable. But hold on! There’s Ackles’ character, Soldier Boy. The Boys deftly change him from the Soviet era of the source material to a modern, military-style hero, paying homage to Chris Evans’ portrayal in the MCU.

The series’ makers attempted to take down Homelander in Season 3 but failed. Thought to be dead, Soldier Boy reappeared and began looking for his killer gun (spoiler alert: there wasn’t one). His whereabouts, however, remained a mystery at the season’s end, but the writers (and fans) have made it pretty clear they want him back (per DiscussingFilm).

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Here’s where things get super juicy and the hypothesis starts to take shape. It’s official that Ackles will return to the role of Soldier Boy in the next live-action spin-off, Gen V. Though the focus of this program is on a newer generation of Supes, is it possible that Soldier Boy’s path may someday intersect Butcher’s again?

Just imagine: an all-powerful Homelander confronting a weaker and desperate Butcher. Out of nowhere, Soldier Boy makes a surprise reappearance. He’s a relic from the past who harbors animosity toward Vought, the company that made Supes, including Homelander. 

With Soldier Boy’s enormous might providing the crucial trump card that Butcher sorely needs, an odd partnership is formed. This appearance might be crucial to permanently dethroning Homelander, rather than only being fan service.

Billy Butcher’s Time is Ticking: The Boys’ Showrunner Spills the Beans

Karl Urban speaking at the 2015 Phoenix Comicon at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
Karl Urban speaking at the 2015 Phoenix Comicon at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona | Wikimedia/Gage Skidmore

As The Boys Season 4 gets underway, one pressing question remains unanswered: Will Billy Butcher make it? In an exclusive recent interview with Screenrant, showrunner Eric Kripke provided some cryptic hints.

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Butcher is facing a terminal diagnosis and is a ticking time bomb. As the season progresses, Kripke provides more information about Butcher’s fate and his friends’ plans for his inevitable demise. He alludes to a nuanced emotional terrain. “They sympathize,” he continues, “but Butcher’s a walking baggage claim.” 

Though the new leader, M.M., has sympathy for Butcher, he’ll not allow emotion to influence his decision-making. But Hughie is in a tight spot. Kripke asserts, “He loves Butcher, and despite Butcher’s awfulness, Hughie sees the good in him, a trait some lack.”

Karl Urban in Gen V
Kal Urban as Billy Butcher in Gen V | Amazon MGM Studios

The showrunner discusses the strange relationship between Butcher and Homelander. Homelander’s “humanity” is explored in depth in Season 4, and his mortality will be a subject, but it will be approached differently from Butcher’s. Kripke announced, 

We wanted Homelander to face his own aging. Both Butcher and Homelander are in a race against time, fighting for a legacy they’ll leave behind – and control over Ryan.

Homelander’s existential crisis and Butcher’s running out of time imply that season 4 will be an explosive investigation of allegiance, death, and the fight for a perverse sort of redemption. Watch the series The Boys only on Amazon Prime Video!

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