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“Well, That’s A Dark Way To Look At It!": The Boys Season 4’s Controversial Hughie Storyline Addressed By Eric Kripke
This article contains spoilers forThe Boysseason 4, episode 6, “Dirty Business.”
Summary
Eric Kripke and Jeffrey Dean Morgan break downThe Boysseason 4, episode 6’s twist, addressing the true nature of Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and Joe Kessler’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) relationship. Kessler was a newcomer to season 4 of the Prime Video series, as Butcher’s former comrade “acted” as a CIA case officer for the vigilante. However, “Dirty Business” saw Kessler lash out at the hallucination of Butcher’s deceased love Becca (Shantel VanSanten), revealingThe Boysseason 4 characterto be a manifestation of his darker side.
After Kessler revealed his true nature in the latest episode ofThe Boys, Kripke and Morgan broke down the character’s true nature toVariety. Kripke describedKessler as a brutally honest devil on Butcher’s shoulderwhile explaining how he set out to make the reveal different from past imaginary character twists. On the other hand, Morgan discussed working with Urban and his enjoyment of their chemistry. Check out the pair’s response below:
Eric Kripke:“We were always going to reveal it in Episode 6 — we didn’t want to save it for the end of the movie. Because now Kessler has this new role to be literally the devil on his shoulder, and really be twisting the knife and saying really cruel things to Butcher that all happen to be totally true — which is always great when your villain can be a real truth-teller.
I think every time that someone turns out to be imaginary, the first draft is always like another character walks into the room and says, ‘Who are you talking to?' So I’m sure that was our first draft when it was originally up on the board, Hughie walks in and he’s like, ‘Who are you talking to?’ But we said, ‘Well, everyone’s done that, so can we do something different?’ And Becca is this imaginary character. So what if the two imaginary characters just start yelling at each other? And that would be a new way to do that kind of reveal.”
Jeffrey Dean Morgan:“But really, him and I were so locked into each other, it didn’t fcking matter who else or whatever was going on in the scene. We were having so much fun. There’s very few times that you walk on a set and you immediately bond with somebody. In romance, it would be your soulmate, and Karl was like my fcking soulmate. And immediately we knew that we had something really fun and special here and let’s just have fun and play and enjoy it.”
Kessler’s Twist Has BeenThe BoysSeason 4’s Open Secret
It’s Also Different From The Kessler InThe BoysComics.
Even with the build-up that previous episodes established, not only did Becca and Kessler’s exchange add a new spin on the story beat, but instantly clued viewers into just what these two figures represent for Butcher going forward.
WhileThe Boysviewers were accustomed to Butcher’s Becca visions, Kessler’s sudden snap at her confirmed what many had predicted. While inspired by the character of Howard Kessler from the original comic book, the television version of Kessler is a drastically different, more serious character with a greater role when compared to his comic counterpart, who is often the subject of vulgar punchlines. With a broader backstory tied into Butcher’s military career, it was clear that a mystery surrounding the character was being set up.
Why MM Has A Panic Attack In The Boys Season 4, Episode 6
MM has a panic attack during The Boys season 4, episode 6, and there are several reasons he reacts this way to his confrontation with Sister Sage.
As Kessler revealed in episode 6,Butcher’s real comrade died long ago after being abandoned by him in Afghanistan, leading to his Temp-V-mutated brain tumor manifesting as not only a reminder of one of his darkest moments but also urging him to indulge in his darker nature. Representing his darker ideals, Kessler’s advice is steeped in the cold pragmatism that Butcher had when serving with Kessler and in the early days ofThe Boys. As such, with the world hurtling towards a war between supes and humans, Kessler and Becca represent how Butcher can fight these battles.
The creative team was careful thatKessler’s identity inThe Boyswouldn’t be easily guessed by avoiding preexisting tropes, and the execution undoubtedly paid off. Even with the build-up that previous episodes established, not only did Becca and Kessler’s exchange add a new spin on the story beat, but instantly clued viewers into just what these two figures represent for Butcher going forward. As such, with Kessler now revealed to be Butcher’s darker side, his actions inThe Boysseason 4 may alter how viewers see Urban’s anti-supe vigilante.
The Boys
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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.
