Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Gen V episode 8!

Summary

• The ongoing feud between Butcher and Homelander in The Boys may become even more significant in season 4, as Butcher's extreme methods may be the only way to stop Homelander's growing unhinged behavior.
• The ending of Gen V season 1 teases the idea of Homelander leading a supe takeover, making Butcher and Homelander perfect enemies. Both characters are willing to go to extreme lengths for their respective goals, and their similar mindsets make them two sides of the same coin.
• Neither Homelander nor Butcher should find redemption in the series. Butcher is a necessary evil who may ultimately get closure on his mission, while Homelander is the true reflection of evil and is too far gone for any form of vindication. Their conclusion should result in a scorched Earth rather than redemption.

Billy Butcher and Homelander's ongoing feud in Gen V finale. The Boys season 3 already showed Butcher and Homelander physically fighting after Butcher took Temp V. While the fight had other factors involved, it was a taste of what could be the series' future as both men continue to resent one another. Butcher's hatred for Homelander has been clear since season 1, yet the more he has caused problems to Vought International and The Seven, the more Homelander has begun to dislike Butcher, whom he sees as inferior.

Despite this, Homelander has never managed to kill Butcher, even if it should be easy. While it may not be his priority, this feud could become even more significant after Gen V's conclusion. The Boys season 4 will follow the events of Gen V, and as Homelander grows more unhinged, Butcher's more extreme methods may be the only way to stop him. He has already been exposed for murdering an innocent civilian while Vought's Compound V's secrets have all come to light. Despite this, Homelander only looks stronger and more dangerous, especially after Gen V's finale, making Butcher's desperation to stop him even more urgent.

Homelander Leading A Supe Takeover Proves He & Billy Butcher Are Perfect Enemies

The ending of Gen V season 1 teased the idea of Homelander leading a supe takeover, further emphasizing that he and Billy Butcher are the perfect enemies. After Cate and Sam freed the captive supes from the Woods, they started killing humans to get revenge and simultaneously prove that supes are superior to humans. While the show's main heroes stopped them, Homelander appeared, only to condemn Marie for hurting her own people when she prevented Cate from continuing her plan. This teased the idea that Homelander could lead a supe takeover, especially having seen his mindset that he is superior to everyone else.

This would only continue to make Butcher and Homelander perfect enemies, as Butcher has been essentially trying to stop supes the whole series. Butcher's views have always been slightly extreme, originally adopting the idea that all supes were bad. This mindset is obviously shortsighted and changes through Kimiko and Starlight, but his hatred toward them is somewhat justified by the idea of Homelander leading a war between supes and humans. With the Gen V finale setting up a potential Boys season 4 story involving this battle, it proves that Butcher and Homelander are the perfect enemies, sharing the same mindset from opposite sides.

All three seasons of The Boys and season 1 of Gen V are available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.

Gen V Proves Butcher & Homelander Are Two Sides Of The Same Coin

Gen V's tease of Homelander's supe revolution proves he and Butcher are two sides of the same coin. Both characters are willing to go to the extreme for their own goals, which are amplified by the anti-human or anti-supe views. Butcher orchestrated killing Translucent in the first season and has gone on to be involved with killing many supes, all to try and take down Homelander. While Homelander has less tangible goals, he has murdered many innocent people either because they opposed him or simply for his own amusement. Homelander is an objectively worse person, but The Boys' main villain might be Billy Butcher, evidenced by his more ruthless antics.

He has used his own friends on numerous occasions and discarded them when they opposed his goals or methods. While Butcher does care about The Boys, he has shown at times they are less important than his ultimate goal and will leave them behind or go solo to try and kill Homelander. This isn't all too dissimilar to his rival. Homelander doesn't have any true friends, but his allies will be sacrificed at a moment's notice if it will help his cause or if they aren't falling in line. Even if Butcher has more care for those around him, his hate-fueled motivations cause him to draw several parallels to his sworn enemy.

Why The Boys Should End With Neither Character Finding Redemption

Redemption arcs are popular in TV shows, but in this instance, neither Homelander nor Billy Butcher should find redemption. Both characters are crucial to the plot and storyline of The Boys, yet neither deserves a happy ending. Butcher is a hugely popular character that despite his flaws is easy to like. His unfiltered humor makes him a fan favorite, but he is the necessary evil required to defeat Homelander even if it becomes his undoing. Whether he actually gets to kill Homelander or dies trying, that should be the end of his story, finding closure on his mission one way or another without it being overly fulfilling.

Likewise, Homelander shouldn't find any form of a happy ending. Characters like Hughie, Starlight, Frenchie, and more are deserving of a hopeful end to their stories, but not Homelander. The Boys season 4 teases a controversial Homelander redemption story, however, this shouldn't happen. He is the true reflection of evil in the show and while even he may have his more grounded moments, he is too far gone to find any form of vindication. Gen V has further put the two on a collision course and their conclusion should end with a scorched Earth rather than redemption for either character.