The Boys season 4 teases Billy Butcher as a Supe, and episode 5 may reveal a horrifying detail about the power he gained by ingesting Compound V. Butcher tells Hughie that after being diagnosed with cancer, he injected himself with Vought’s medicine, which he believes did not work.

Of course, his interaction with Ezekiel in The Boys season 4, episode 4 proves him wrong. There’s no way he could shred a Supe apart without some kind of ability. Butcher’s blackout makes it difficult to determine how much power the drug gave him.

Butcher’s powers in The Boys comics contain all of the typical Supe characteristics: super strength, speed, and endurance. He does not, however, exhibit any of these characteristics in The Boys season 4, except when he faces up against Ezekiel. Even then, desperation drives him to destroy the Supe. Because the Amazon show differs greatly from the source material, Butcher may possess other abilities that allow him to deal this level of damage. From vein control to power cloning, the possibilities are limitless — but episode 5 may reveal what’s going on with Butcher.

The Boys Season 4’s Dead Rabbit Could Foreshadow Butcher’s Secret Superpower

There Must Be Meaning Behind Their Interactions.

In The Boys season 4, episode 5, Butcher and The Boys come across a number of animals injected with Compound V, but he pays special attention to one that has been administered Temp V, which could have a deeper meaning. When The Boys uncover Neuman’s lab in “Beware the Jabberwock, My Son,” Butcher frees a rabbit that has been trapped in a cage after being overloaded with Temp V. It doesn’t exhibit the same violent behavior as the other superpowered creatures, and The Boys quickly discovers why.

Butcher sees the rabbit again later, and it is dying. Tentacles protrude from its midsection, indicating that Temp V provided it an ability — despite the fact that its body is clearly incapable of handling this new capacity. Butcher is also dying as a result of Temp V, therefore the rabbit appears to be a foreboding depiction of his fate. However, it could also be a reference to Butcher’s superhuman abilities. After all, prior episodes depicted something sinister creeping through Butcher’s flesh. Although it appears to be his veins at first, subsequent scenes indicate that it is something more sinister.

Perhaps Butcher’s Temp V use will produce a similar tangible manifestation of power. This is bad news for him since, like the rabbit in episode 5, he could still die. However, if Butcher later takes actual Compound V, he may be able to use this power without dying instantaneously. This talent would explain what happens to Ezekiel when he almost 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁s Butcher. The Boys’ erstwhile leader may be suffering the physical affects of Temp V while also exhibiting concealed Supe abilities. And episode 5 includes more clue to back this up.

An MM line in The Boys Season 4 could be another hint of Butcher’s abilities.

Episode 5 implies Butcher has a more monstrous ability.

In The Boys season 4, episode 5, Butcher’s Supe powers are hinted to by more than just the rabbit. Even though it appears to be a throwaway line, MM alluded to this potential. While the group debates whether to use the final dose of the Supe virus to 𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 the animals outdoors, Butcher proposes saving it for Homelander and “leg it.” He is ready to put the lives of people at jeopardy to exact his retribution, and Starlight refers to him as “a monster.” MM then attempts to appeal to Butcher’s humanity, informing him that he is not a monster.

“This line suggests that, if Butcher is a Supe, his ability won’t be something flashy like laser vision or super speed.”

The remarks of Starlight and MM do not appear to be omens at first glance, but the language utilized during this exchange is interesting. Given what Butcher does to Ezekiel, it’s plausible that something horrific lives inside him. This line implies that if Butcher is a superhero, his s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 will not be spectacular like laser vision or super speed. It’s more likely to be hideous, much like what happened to the rabbit. This adds to the suspicion that Butcher is harboring something inside him that is threatening to emerge. It’s unclear whether they have tentacles or another hideous ability.

Hopefully, the final three episodes of The Boys season 4 will reveal what’s going on with Butcher, including whether it’s tied to the Compound V he stole from Frenchie. If he does have superpowers, it will be interesting to see if the show foreshadows them in previous episodes. Such a breakthrough might possibly alter Butcher’s fate ahead of The Boys season 5 and tilt the tide in the battle against Homelander.