The Boys Season 4 Ending, Explained

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Boys Season 4, Episode 8.

The Boys just wrapped up its fourth season, and it’s a suitably momentous affair. To help you keep track of it all, we’ve explained all the major developments from The Boys Season 4’s ending below.

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What Was Sister Sage’s Plan for Homelander’s Victory?

One of The Boy Season 4 finale’s big reveals is that Sister Sage’s masterplan is not only still on the rails, but ultimately succeeds. So, what exactly was Sage up to? As the super-genius Supe explains to Homelander late in the finale, her ultimate goal was to install him as the power behind the US President, which she does. By framing President-elect Robert Singer for Victoria Neuman’s murder, she puts Speaker of the House Calhoun – a Homelander loyalist – in the White House. It’s all very chilling, especially since Sage is already planning “Phase 2”!

Is Victoria Neuman Dead?

Yep, unlike Episode 6’s fake-out, Victoria Neuman dies for real as part of The Boys Season 4’s ending. Neuman’s demise is as gruesome as you’d expect, too. She’s ripped in half by Billy Butcher’s Compound V-fueled parasite tumor tentacles. Butcher’s not done killing yet, either. Before he leaves, he warns his ex-teammates that he’s going to unleash the Supe-killing virus. This plot point will presumably carry over to The Boys Season 5, as we later see Butcher with vials containing the virus.

Why Does Ryan Kill Grace Mallory?

Ryan kills Grace Mallory because he feels betrayed by her and Billy Butcher. And in fairness to the kid, Mallory in particular does a lot to stoke his suspicions. Setting up the meeting between her, Ryan, and Butcher in a Supe-proof vault disguised as a hospital room is a definite red flag! Further compounding matters, Mallory drops the truth about Homelander’s true nature on Ryan, before revealing she and Butcher want him to kill his old man. That’s a lot for anyone to take in, so it’s hardly surprising Ryan overreacts when Mallory tries flooding the vault with knock-out gas.

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Is Butcher Still Dying When Season 4 Ends?

The finale gives no indication that Butcher’s terminal Compound V poisoning has gone away, so he’s presumably still dying when the credits roll on Episode 8. There are, however, two differences in his condition. The first is that Butcher now has full, conscious control of the tentacled tumor entity inside his body. The second is that he seemingly isn’t having hallucinations of Becca anymore. The Boys finale doesn’t explicitly address the latter on screen, although it’s likely because Butcher has given in to the darker side of his nature that “Kessler” represents.

Is Ashley Barrett a Supe Now?

It sure looks that way. Ashley Barrett injects herself with Compound V after Homelander dispatches the Seven to bump off all Vought employees with dirt on him and the team. It remains unclear what powers Ashley received, but the Vought CEO undergoes a painful, physically disfiguring transformation. We’ll just have to wait until The Boys Season 5 arrives to see the supercharged Ashley in action!

Where Does Vought Take Zoe Neuman?

Victoria Neuman’s death in The Boys Season 4’s final episodes leaves her Supe daughter, Zoe, without a legal guardian. As a result, Vought bundles Zoe off to the Red River Group Home: an orphanage for Supe kids. It previously appeared in The Boys Season 3, Episode 2; The Boys Presents: The Boys Presents: Diabolical Season 1, Episode 4; and Gen V Season 1, Episode 1. What’s more, Gen V protagonist Marie Moreau spent her formative years at Red River Group Home.

Related: The Boys: Why Is Billy Butcher Hallucinating Joe Kessler?

What Do the Gen V Characters Do to the Boys?

The Boys try going into hiding during Season 4’s closing montage, however, several Gen V characters have other ideas. Acting on Homelander’s orders, Cate Dunlap and Sam Riordan capture Frenchie and Kimiko, while Gen V‘s unnamed bald Supe character attacks Hughie Campbell and Starlight with her telekinesis. Hughie ends up in handcuffs, but Starlight – her powers restored now that she’s resolved her inner turmoil – flies away (with her boyfriend’s blessing). Oh, and MM is also apprehended by The Boys Season 3’s Love Sausage, who’s not a Gen V character. Where are the Boys headed? Tek Knight’s repurposed prison internment camps, most likely!

Why Can Kimiko Talk Now?

The Boys Season 4’s closing montage also contains another major development: Kimiko speaks properly for the first time (excluding Season 3’s daydream sequence). As a mind-controlled Frenchie surrenders into US Government custody, Kimiko screams “No” repeatedly. So, how come her mutism is suddenly gone? This is yet another character beat not spelled out on screen, but it’s probably tied to Kimiko finally processing her trauma and self-loathing earlier in the episode. The fact she’s now seemingly coupled up with Frenchie probably doesn’t hurt, either.

Does The Boys Season 4 Finale Have a Post-Credits Scene?

Yep, and it supplies some pretty important set-up for The Boys Season 5. The Boys Season 4’s post-credits scene sees Homelander discover Soldier Boy, still held in stasis in a government facility like at the end of Season 3. Homelander doesn’t reveal his plans for Soldier Boy, although his facial expression suggests he’ll give his father a second chance.

All eight episodes of The Boys Season 4 are currently streaming on Prime Video.