Although wound up dying for real.
While that was shocking and heartbreaking, it also means that for his character, and what no one wants to see.
Want: More Backstory
Billy Butcher might be one of the lead characters of the series, but it really feels like viewers don't know a lot about his personal life or backstory before The Boys began.
Becca seems to be the sum total of his life before he met Hughie, but that obviously isn't the case. Fans got a glimpse into his family life this season, but it would be good to see even more of Billy pre-Boys.
Don't: Death
Granted, it seems incredibly unlikely that Billy would die in the next season of the show, however given how many writers seem to enjoy killing off their main characters before their time, it's not an impossibility.
Viewers really haven't gotten to know many of the other sides of Billy besides the snarky Billy, the Becca obsessed Billy, and the generally rude as hell Billy. It would be a shame to lose him before seeing more.
Want: Serious Damage To Vought
Given that he's one regular man, it's actually astonishing how much of a threat Billy has made himself to Vought, the Seven, and all supes.
But thus far it seems like he's lost more than he's gained, and it doesn't seem like the Vought juggernaut is stopping anytime soon. Clearly he can't demolish the company overnight, but it would be nice to see him take out a few more chinks in their armor.
Don't: Billy Isolating Himself
Billy Butcher isn't exactly a social butterfly, however it would be nice to actually see him fully engage with the characters around him a bit more. He's always laser focused on the mission, but the conclusion of season 2 really altered the mission for him.
Billy is also at his most interesting when he's developing new relationships with other characters, so it would be good to see him make more friends (or at least more non-enemies) next season.
Want: More Respect For The Boys
If the titular boys really are the Spice Girls, then unfortunately it seems like Billy is Ginger. Despite the fact that all of his friends will do anything to help him, more often than not it seems like Billy is leaving them in a lurch.
They're much stronger as a team when they're actually acting like a team, and Billy needs to actually acknowledge and respect how capable they are.
Don't: More Of An Evolution Into Homelander
Recently, Starlight made the unfortunately accurate point that Billy Butcher himself seems to be quite similar to the person that he hates most in the world.
Yes, Homelander is still more monstrous than Billy is, but Billy's mindless hate towards all supes and singularly focused obsession towards the world's favorite superhero has allowed him to tap into the worst sides of himself. It would be nice to see him pull himself back from becoming another Homelander.
Want: More Teamwork With Hughie
Hughie and Billy were the all too human duo that got The Boys off to such a great start. Their relationship has certainly evolved since they first met, and their initial team has become larger and includes Billy's old crew as well as Hughie's new girlfriend Starlight.
However, it's hard to ignore the fact that Billy has always treated Hughie like a kid. It would be awesome to actually see them work together as equals.
Don't: More Cruelty Towards His Friends
Hughie isn't the only one who has been subjected to some rough, infantilizing treatment at the hands of Butcher. Honestly, despite the fact that his team is ride or die for him, it doesn't seem like they can say the same about him.
Butcher used his desire to avenge and rescue Becca as an excuse to really treat his friends horribly, and now that she's gone he'd better shape up.
Want: Growth Beyond Becca
At first it seemed kind of sweet that underneath all of his snarky behavior, Billy was truly just a man who desperately loved his wife and would do anything to avenge her.
But when Becca actually came back, it seemed clearer that Billy's mission to destroy Homelander at any cost and to get Becca back in his life wasn't about Becca at all. His obsession with her made him lose sight of who she was as a person.
Don't: An Obsession With Vengeance
Becca was obviously correct in her assessment that even before she left, Billy was kind of a powder keg that was just waiting to go off.
That has been his standard operating procedure since the beginning of the series, but now that The Boys is two seasons in and Becca is truly gone for good, it would be nice to see Billy expand his behavioral repertoire a bit more.