'The Boys' Season 4 Episode 4 Recap: Homelander's Bloody Homecoming (2024)

Editor’s note: The below recap contains spoilers for The Boys Season 4, Episode 4.

The three-episode premiere of The Boys Season 4 seemed to allude to the fact that many characters are finally reaching their breaking points. Ryan (Cameron Crovetti) has begun to realize the truth about his biological father, Homelander (Antony Starr), and is becoming increasingly disillusioned by Vought preferring corporate BS rather than actually saving people. Homelander has also found a new ally in the world's smartest person, Sister Sage (Susan Heyward), who has replaced a distraught Ashley (Colby Minifie) as the CEO of Vought. After being called out by his own family, A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) is looking for his way out of the Seven and has begun aiding Mother's Milk (Laz Alonso) and Hughie (Jack Quaid).

Meanwhile, with his father (Simon Pegg) in a vegetative state, Hughie has had an emotional reunion with his estranged mother Daphne (Rosemarie DeWitt). Frenchie (Tomer Capone) is in the midst of an existential crisis when his former lover, Colin (Elliot Knight), re-enters his life and leads the Frenchman to be haunted by the fact that he killed Colin's family. Annie (Erin Moriarty) is in the middle of an all-out media war with the Alt-Right Supe Firecracker (Valorie Curry), who she used to bully as a teen. Lastly, with not much time left, Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) is torn between finally being a proper father figure to Ryan and aiding his old war-ally Kessler (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) in their war against the Supes. Episode 4 of Season 4, titled "Wisdom of the Ages," is not only one of the darkest episodes of the series, but it is also one of its very best.

Homelander Takes the Cake in 'The Boys' Season 4, Episode 4

The episode begins with Homelander arriving at "home," or what most people would call a grimy, underground research facility. In other words, it's not the kind of place that screams "happy childhood." Homelander, acting eerily cheery, presents the staff with a Fudgey the Whale cake, pointing out that Marty (Murray Furrow), one of the scientists who collected his stool samples as a youth, is now the assistant director. He then requests Marty to bring in Barbara (Nancy Lenehan), the head director.

Butcher, in the midst of another episode, collapses in the shower and is awakened by the imaginary version of his late wife Becca (Shantel VanSanten), who encourages him to get up, saying, "The world doesn't end just because your sh*tty life does." He's not the only character approaching death's door, as Hughie and Daphne are informed by a doctor that Hugh Sr. is now brain-dead and only has a few days left if they don't choose to euthanize him. This moment is interrupted by a broadcast advertising the Vought-run fan event "V52," a Tek Knight-hosted true-crime series covering the events that transpired in the Gen V finale, and lastly, a Vought News broadcast labeling President-Elect Robert Singer (Jim Beaver) a "deranged fascist hellbent on ruling the country." Singer is shown to be watching the broadcast and is put off by what he's watching. He is interrupted by Annie, who gives him notes on the "Supe Control Bill" and lays out the harsh truth: there is no way he'll be able to get the bill past Congress with his poor PR department. Annie promises that she'll lead protests across the country as Starlight, complete with the costume, for Congress to be forced to take action.

After waking up next to one another, Colin opens up to Frenchie about the night of his family's murder, still completely oblivious to the fact about who is truly responsible. He reveals that he was in the house while the murders were taking place, and only saw the perpetrator's scars, which leads Frenchie to cover himself up under the bedsheets. Sister Sage has orchestrated a plan that involves Firecracker's new series titled "The Truthbomb" to be filmed right outside the Starlight House. The Deep attempts to flirt with Sage, but she rejects him, much to his surprise, calling him "repulsive." As Annie evacuates the Starlight House, Mother's Milk informs her that he has allowed Butcher back onto the team, much to her annoyance. Back at the underground facility, Homelander forces Frank (Mark Cowling), one of the scientists, to get inside the facility's massive oven. He claims that when he was a child screaming and writhing in pain inside the oven, Frank merely lounged around and played wastepaper basketball. The scientists watch in horror as Frank burns alive while Homelander gleefully throws wadded-up paper into the wastebasket.

A-Train Helps Hughie and Ashley in 'The Boys' Season 4, Episode 4

Hughie and Kimiko (Karen f*ckuhara) arrive at a dockyard, which, unbeknownst to the latter, is for a meeting with A-Train. Hughie asks the reluctant speedster to steal a vial of Compound V from Homelander's penthouse. Having saved Hughie from Homelander in the previous episode, A-Train initially refuses until Hughie reveals that it's for his father, and that he wouldn't even be in this situation if it weren't for the speedster killing Robin at the very beginning of the series. Just as A-Train leaves, Kimiko and Hughie are ambushed by the remaining members of the Shining Light terrorist group.

As Firecracker and The Deep sing a duet on Truthbomb, Butcher and MM are sneaking backstage, where the former asks the latter to save Ryan. They approach Firecracker as she's entering her trailer, where Butcher begins to blackmail her. Butcher threatens to leak a tweet on social media that reveals that when the southern Supe was 28 and working as a counselor at a bible camp, she slept with a 15-year-old boy. Unphased and believing that she has nothing to lose, Firecracker posts the tweet herself and immediately walks back on stage to confess "her sins" on the live broadcast. As Annie's former youth pastor Ezekiel (Shaun Benson) stands next to her, Firecracker claims that this affair is what led her to become a born-again Christian. She then proceeds to tell the story of Annie's "first save," where she accidentally blinded a mother of three with her powers.

A-Train sneaks around Homelander's penthouse, taking a vial of Compound V, but is caught by Ashley, who has also been sneaking around, having vandalized his bathroom. The two agree not to tell on one another. Back at the underground facility, Homelander approaches Marty, and recalls to him a story from his childhood, where the scientist caught Homelander masturbating and proceeded to laugh at him, giving him the nickname "Squirt." Pleading for his life, Marty meekly apologizes, only for Homelander to force him to masturbat* in front of him and the entire staff. Homelander ruthlessly mocks Marty and laughs hysterically when he is unable to get himself erect. The petrified Marty gives up and in retaliation, Homelander lasers off his genitals. Barbara soon makes her entrance, ordering Homelander to put the writhing Marty out of his misery. Hughie and Kimiko fight their way out of a warehouse that is now overrun by members of Shining Light. Kimiko spares one of the members, who reminds her that she was forced to fight as a child and that she'll never stop hating her.

Annie Finally Snaps at Firecracker in 'The Boys' Season 4, Episode 4

While live on television, Firecracker reveals that Annie had an abortion six months prior, after she learned she was pregnant with Hughie's baby during a routine check-up. Enraged, Annie storms out of the Starlight House and proceeds to beat up Firecracker live on stage before being stopped by MM, who reminds her that she is being telecast. A recording of the beating then proceeds to go viral, painting Annie in an even worse light.

Frenchie and Butcher are caught by Ezekiel while breaking into Firecracker's trailer, who then begins attacking them. Butcher grabs hold of a fire extinguisher while Ezekiel is using his stretchy powers, and freezes his arm, shattering it. Butcher blacks out as Ezekiel is strangling him and wakes up to find the trailer a bloodied mess, with Ezekiel torn to shreds, presumably by him. At the facility, Barbara pulls Homelander aside, where she tells him that he could have easily broken out anytime he would have liked, but the only reason he didn't was because he was afraid that she would be disappointed in him. She also reveals that Vought hired a top psychologist to make Homelander more obedient, instilling his "human" need for love. Homelander rejects his humanity, claiming that he is more than human.

Colin begins treating Frenchie's wounds from his fight with Ezekiel, but Frenchie angrily pushes him away, finally confessing that he's the one responsible for killing Colin's family. In an act of rage, Colin nearly strangles Frenchie to death, before running away and threatening his life if he ever comes near him again. The Deep confronts Sage over her rejection earlier in the day before she stops him, asking him for a favor. Sage tells The Deep that she can temporarily deactivate her powers by giving herself a lobotomy, then asks The Deep to do it for her — which he does, and the two then begin having sex.

Back at The Boys' office, a devastated Hughie tries and fails to comfort Annie, where she reveals that she just wasn't ready to be a parent. Annie then receives a call from Singer, who tells her that the "Supe Control Act" would've passed with flying colors, but now won't be able to get past Congress because of her abortion and the video of her beating Firecracker. Annie apologizes, but Singer won't hear any of it and cuts all ties with her.

Later, Hughie meets up with A-Train in an alleyway, where he is given the vial of Compound V. The two finally come to a truce and shake hands. Right after A-Train runs away, Butcher walks out of the shadows, trying to convince Hughie not to use V on his father. He then reveals that he injected himself with V from Frenchie's desk in an attempt to cure himself — not only did he not get powers, but it also worsened his terminal illness. Hughie brings the vial to the hospital where he contemplates using it on his father, who, according to the doctors, "should go at any time now." Hughie leaves the room, only to come back to see that Daphne injected his father with Compound V. The mother and son watch as Hugh Sr.'s body convulses and his eyes snap open. The episode ends with Homelander leaving the underground facility drenched in blood and guts, having killed everyone except Barbara, who is left shaking and locked in a cell.

While The Boys usually has no problems jumping straight into the shock and grossness, Season 4 has felt like more of a steady build, and "Wisdom of the Ages" is where it feels like the season is truly beginning to flourish. Antony Starr has never failed to capture Homelander's mad depravity, but his performance in this episode is without a doubt his finest hour as the character. Starr alone is able to create a completely tense atmosphere, leaving us absolutely petrified about the carnage he's capable of and will inevitably inflict upon his latest victims. The final shot of the episode, showing the bloodied Homelander smirking to himself in the elevator, tells us just about everything you need to know about where this character is headed.

Starr isn't the only stand-out in this episode, however. Moriarty also finally gets to let loose even more as Annie has met her ultimate match in Curry's Firecracker. Alongside Hughie, Annie has always been at the heart of The Boys, and Moriarty believably portrays her character's vulnerability, resulting in a devastating conclusion for the episode. It's also worth mentioning that memorable lobotomy scene — while there isn't any blood on display, it is still one of the most disgusting moments that the series has ever pulled off, and it's something most viewers will never want to see the likes of again.

REVIEW

The Boys

Episode 4 of The Boys Season 4 is not only the strongest episode of the season yet, but it's one of the best episodes of the series as a whole.

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Pros

• Antony Starr has never been as terrifying as Homelander as he is in this episode.
• Erin Moriarty is just as great, as Annie January finally reaches her breaking point.
• The cliffhanger does an effective job of setting up the dire stakes for the remainder of the season.

The Boys Season 4 is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S., with new episodes premiering Thursdays weekly.

Watch on Prime Video