Warning! This article contains major spoilers for The Boys.

Summary

• The Boys season 5 will be the final season, hinting at potentially fatal consequences for Butcher.
• Butcher's brain tumor diagnosis in season 4 sets up his inevitable death by the end of the series.
• The adaptation may lead to Butcher's transformation into a villain, mirroring the shocking comic book ending.

When series creator Eric Kripke announced The Boys season 5 would be the adaptation's final season, it initiated a countdown revolving around the fates of the remaining characters. So far, the main group of The Boys season 5 will close out the series does make at least one character's death readily apparent, however, especially if The Boys follows the narrative established by the comics.

The Boys comic books, created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, were developed with a definitive, tragic, and bittersweet ending in mind. Since the adaptation's inception, the Prime Video series has greatly steered away from the source material. Still, The Boys includes characters and moments taken from or inspired by the original story, which might be the case in season 5. As The Boys season 4 puzzles together how the penultimate installment will set up the last season, audiences can expect game-changing, inevitable, and violent surprises.

The Boys Ending With Season 5 Makes Butcher's Death Inevitable

Billy Butcher has roughly six months to live when season 4 begins

At the end of season 3, Billy Butcher was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumor due to his use of Temp V and given roughly 12-18 months to live. Some time ed between then and The Boys season 4 premiere, where Homelander surmises Butcher has six months, possibly less. With the clock running down and the end of the series on the horizon, Butcher's death appears inescapable. Furthermore, the existence of a fatal Supe virus, Butcher's hallucinations in The Boys season 4, and remarkably dangerous threats looming are all hinting at Billy Butcher dying by the end of the series.

Butcher's Death In The Boys Season 5 Would Honor The Original Comic Ending

The final season will likely lead to a devastating confrontation

The Boys' shocking comic book ending sees Butcher change from a morally questionable anti-hero into the story's final villain. Homelander's death — along with other high-profile super-powered beings — and the dismantling of the Seven in the source material is not enough to satiate Billy Butcher's rage and bloodlust. He believes all Supes and anyone who has even a trace of Compound V in their veins must be eradicated. Butcher plans to release a virus that is deadly to Supes, effectively plotting a genocide that will potentially kill millions of people.

With the introduction of the deadly Supe virus in Gen V season 1 and Butcher's awareness of the weapon ... it's easy to infer how a version of the comic's ending is being devised.

Butcher murders M.M., the Female (Kimiko), and Frenchie as they oppose his diabolical plans. This leads to a confrontation between Hughie and Butcher, who are both injured in the fight. Hughie intends to let Butcher be captured by the authorities, but Butcher manipulates Hughie into killing him by lying about murdering Hughie's parents. With the introduction of the deadly Supe virus in Gen V season 1 and Butcher's awareness of the weapon, along with The Boys coming to an end after season 5, it's easy to infer how a version of the comic's ending is being conceived.