Warning: This article contains spoilers from The Boys season 4, episodes 1-3.
Summary
The Boysshowrunner Eric Kripke explains the significance of Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s character in season 4. Kripke and Morgan worked together previously on the CW’sSupernatural.Morgan now makes his series debut inThe Boysseason 4 as a CIA agent named Joe Kesslerwho shares history with Billy Butcher (Karl Urban). With only months left to live, and the Boys taking a different approach underthe leadership of Mother’s Milk(Laz Alonso), Butcher finds himself drawn to working with Kessler.
In an interview withVariety, Kripke shares whyKessler is an important addition to the story and to Butcher’s arc, along with why Morgan is the perfect actor to play the series newcomer. He also acknowledges that while there is a character named Kessler inThe Boyscomics, the character in the show is quite different, with the name being more of a nod than a direct adaptation. Read Kripke’s comments below:
It’s more of a nod and feeling like we’re still in love with the comics and when we can have tie-ins, we’ll take them. The notion came up reasonably early to have a CIA agent who was very much like a Butcher. Almost everyone in Butcher’s life is trying to pull him back and say, “Don’t do that, Butcher!” And we said, well, what if there was someone in his life who was like, “No, you definitely have to do that. And go further, and go harder.”
So in effect, you need another Butcher. And it’s not easy to find someone who can go toe to toe with Karl, in terms of screen presence and charisma and danger. And luckily, that was the same time that Jeffrey Dean had let me know he might be available for that season. And I’m like, “Oh, thank God, because that’s perfect.” You have somebody who’s got Karl’s weight and stature. And since he was a CIA guy, I said, well, we should call them Kessler and just do our version of Kessler.
What Kessler Means For Butcher’s Future
Butcher Is Stuck Between Good And Evil
AmongThe Boys' many storylines,the battle for Butcher’s soul has always been at the heart of the series. Hughie Campbell (Jack Quaid) and Becca Butcher (Shantel VanSanten) are among those who have pushed Butcher to be better and refused to give up on him at vital points. However, Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles), the return of Butcher’s abusive father (John Noble), the powers granted by Temporary V, and other factors have caused Butcher to regress into the worst version of himself.
The Boys Season 4 Cast & Character Guide: Every New & Returning Character
From the supes to those trying to take them down, The Boys season 4 cast brings back the show’s popular characters as well as new faces.
Kessler is now the devil on Butcher’s shoulder, tempting and enabling the worst parts of him. Butcher hasn’t given in yet, including his refusal to follow through with Kessler’s plan to sabotage and control Ryan (Cameron Crovetti). In seasons 2 and 3, Butcher ultimately chose to honor Becca’s wishes and protect Ryan, even in season 3 when he had his best shot yet to kill Homelander (Antony Starr) once and for all. Given this history and his current refusal to betray those he loves, Butcher will likely make the right choice when it counts most inThe Boysseason 4.
Nevertheless, all members of the Boys, save for Hughie, have given up on Butcher, and Hughie is currently occupied with confronting his own family trauma. This, along with the ticking clock of his looming demise, leaves Butcher more isolated than he’s ever been in this series. With only Kessler to turn to, who is not wrong about the dangerous precipice the world stands on,season 4 may see Butcher ultimately making the wrong choice, setting up the final battle for his soul inThe Boys' fifth and final season.
The Boys
Cast
The Boys is a gritty and subversive take on the superhero genre, focusing on a group of vigilantes who confront powerful superheroes abusing their abilities, exploring themes of corruption and moral ambiguity in a world where heroes are not always what they seem.
