The following contains spoilers for The Boys season 4, episode 5, “Beware The Jabberwock, My Son,” now streaming on Prime Video
Summary
The Boysdirectly comments on one of the biggest criticisms of season 4, and underscores the flaw with that complaint.The Boyshas been a grisly hit for Prime Video, with the fourth season earning rave reviews. The strength ofThe Boysseason 4highlights the potential of the franchise, which has expanded to spin-offs likeGen Vwhile heading towards a conclusion with season 5. However, the show has also increasingly been targeted by some portions of the fanbase, who believe the series has become too overt in its themes and commentary.
On the surface,The Boysis a bloody remix of the superhero genre, playing many of the costumed crimefighters as flawed at best and outright monstrous at worst.The Boys' true villainsare grim reflections of society’s worst impulses, filtered through capes and costumes. However, the show has used this set up to become an increasingly pointed satire about media and politics, and it seems firmly aware that some fans are resisting that aspect of the series.
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The Deep’s “Go Woke” Line In The Boys Season 4 Is A Direct Response To The Backlash
Vought Is Trying To Turn “Woke” Into Another Thing They Can Profit Off Of
The Deep’s reference to Vought going woke highlights howThe Boysanticipated the negative criticismof some fansto the show’s politics. During a fan expo to announce new shows and movies starring Vought’s stable of superheroes, the Deep takes part in announcing “Black At It,” an initiative focusing on BIPOC characters like Sister Sage and A-Train. The Deep comments that while some may say that you “get woke, go broke,” Vought believes that if “get woke, get yoked.”
This moment highlights how Vought is more than willing to appropriate the phrase as part of their business initiative, trying to appeal to a larger audience in obvious and tone-deaf ways.The Deep’s reference to going woke is also a direct comment towards the negative receptionThe Boyshas increasingly received from a portion of the show’s audience. Some conservative fans of the show have claimed the show has “gone woke” in season 4, largely due to the inclusion of a queer romance, more overt political commentary, and clear criticism of the Far-Right.
The Deep’s Line Proves The Boys Anticipated Season 4’s Divisive Reaction
The BoysSaw The Right-Wing Critics Coming
The fact that a character inThe Boysis commenting on the reaction the show has been receiving highlights how the show’s producers and creatives expected a portion of the audience to react.Season 4 ofThe Boyshas been review-bombedon sites like Rotten Tomatoes and IMDB. Many claim the show has become too “woke” and overt in anti-Donald Trump rhetoric. The show has made no secret about its content or the intent behind it, with much of the political satire baked into the show that shines a spotlight on capitalism, war-profiteering, and the whitewashing of history by media.
Season 4 has only amplified those elements of the show, drawing clear attention to the political ambitions of Victoria Neuman and the rising conspiracy to install the show’s ultimate strongman Homelander as the leader of the free world. The Deep making a joke about companies stealing and profiting off of ideologies like “wokeness” for their own benefit highlights how the show expected to be called “woke” for its narrative choices.
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Why The Loudest Criticism Of The Boys Season 4 Makes No Sense
The BoysHas Never Been Subtle With Its Satire
People angrily commenting onThe Boysgoing “woke” have been missing the point of the show all along. The first season ofThe Boysincorporated political themes front and center, especially in regards to Starlight’s #MeToo inspired storyline with the Deep and attempts by Vought to bring Supes to the military. Season 2 directly confronted many supremacist views held by members of the Alt-Right with Stormfront, an openly discriminatory “super hero” who is eventually discovered to be an actual Nazi. Season 3’s Soldier Boy storyline underscored dated ideals, while drawing attention to Homelander as a dangerous megalomaniac.
The Boyshas always been political, withmuch of its criticism of society hidden just under the surfaceof the more overt superhero parodies. That helps makeThe Boyscompelling and complex, and gives it the necessary depth to balance out the more gross-out humor and bombastic action beats. The Deep bringing up the comment in-universe highlights how the creatives have gotten used to audiences misinterpreting their intention.The Boyshas never been afraid to poke fun at that portion of the fan base, and is becoming more overt with it in season 4.
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.
