The Boys Season 4 Finale Racks Up A Shocking Body Count

This article contains spoilers for the season 4 finale of "The Boys."

No one has ever been safe on "The Boys." Over the show's four seasons, there have been several shocking deaths that have contributed to unpredictable snowball effects. For instance, Becca's (Shantel VanSanten) accidental death helped shape Ryan (Cameron Crovetti) and Butcher's (Karl Urban) dynamic, while Golden Boy's (‎Patrick Schwarzenegger) shocking suicide in "Gen V" set everything in motion. With "The Boys" set to end in its fifth and final season, the season 4 finale was bound to up the stakes by introducing a point of no return for the titular group and those opposing them. While the episode throws a couple of necessary curveballs our way, the dual deaths of Grace Mallory (Laila Robins) and Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) leave behind a void like no other, injecting a sense of bleak desperation into an already unsalvageable situation.

There's also a lot to unpack after the credits roll: Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) is still alive, almost everyone in The Boys gets apprehended by Vought except for Butcher and Starlight (Erin Moriarty), and a single dose of the airborne virus is still out there. As wild as these developments are, raising questions about the show's future trajectory, the fact that we lost Mallory and Neuman thoroughly puts The Boys at a disadvantage, as their eventual escape from Vought's clutches will bring them back to square one. With a new Vought-favored president at the helm — which comes with Supes taking over defense and administrative roles in the country — the picture painted is not a pretty one. It would also be unwise to pin our hopes on Butcher, as he has the virus on his person, and his genocidal urges culminating in phantom Joe Kessler (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) make matters worse.

It cannot be overstated how crucial Mallory was for The Boys, as her presence and pull within the CIA made every mission possible so far. Apart from funding them, she always emerged as a begrudging deus-ex-machina, acting as a grounded influence for Butcher even when they didn't see eye to eye. Even within the confines of the latest season, Mallory was the one who provided release certificates for Stan Edgar (Giancarlo Esposito) and Frenchie (Tomer Capone) while also providing the group with the necessary tools to set up operations amid the most impossible circumstances. More importantly, she was the last safe haven for Ryan, who's currently evolved into a morally-void Supe with fleeting hints of compassion, molded by Homelander's (Antony Starr) caustic notions of power and masculinity. The fact that Ryan was the one to kill Mallory is devastating on many levels as it solidifies his unsalvageable morality, especially when he leaves the hospital without a shred of remorse.

The direct consequence of Ryan's misguided wrath and Mallory's tragic death is Butcher's surefire transformation into a literal monster. This is a man who had just begun grappling with his guilt and was attempting to do better, but the death of someone he cared for deeply shatters any hopes for salvation. This sense of loss is also entwined with the realization that Ryan is now too far gone — even after learning that Homelander sexually assaulted Becca, he doesn't budge and throws away everything his mother stood for in an impulsive fit of rage. Understandably, Ryan does not want to be controlled and views Mallory's earnest pleas as emotional trappings, but it is tragic that his time spent at Vought Tower has rendered him incapable of discerning between shallow concern and genuine affection.

With Mallory gone, Butcher snaps and gives into his most monstrous impulses, allowing Kessler (who symbolizes the festering tumor inside him) to take over. Neuman's tentative alliance with the rest of The Boys could have been fruitful had Butcher not intervened: she was the only Vought-favored Supe who could've granted them key info and protection, helping turn the tide in their favor during this time of political upheaval. Moreover, Neuman has always been one of the most intriguing characters in the show, constantly flitting between agendas, holding on close to those she wants to protect, while never flinching from popping heads, "Scanners" style. This is the kind of wild card that the show needs now, more than ever, and her grisly death is not only shocking but also robs the series of its most powerful contender against Homelander.

From a narrative perspective, her absence complicates things for Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclar), as their meet-up in "Gen V" paved the path for a potentially interesting storyline that has now been squandered for good. Moreau's realization that her powers are not uncool or inferior, coupled with the uneasy alliance with Neuman (which led to misplaced trust) added layers to the show's themes of self-acceptance, the fragility of trust, and the complicated morality that Supes embrace in a Vought-powered world. Her death is also a major blow to Hughie (Jack Quaid), who has been unjustifiably traumatized throughout this season. Despite all the schemes and secrets, she was his friend and akin to family.

The consequences of these dual deaths are dire. It leaves few avenues for The Boys, who are currently cornered and separated, most likely prepped to be turned into a national spectacle. Exactly what kind of future are we looking forward to here?

Although season 4 boasts many highs, including the brilliant addition of Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) and Firecracker (Valorie Curry), and the shenanigans that revolve around them, the rest have felt like trauma-framing for the sake of evoking a strong reaction, as opposed to storylines that do justice to the characters. "The Boys" has never been a proponent for silver linings: if anything, the messed-up nature of this world offers little respite to those who dare to fight or hope. However, season 4 takes it a little too far by treating serious issues like punchlines. Hugh Sr.'s (Simon Pegg) unbearably hollow death, Hughie's relentless trauma without respite, and Starlight's repeated humiliation are just some examples of storylines devoid of tact or depth. As for the dual deaths in the finale, while Mallory's demise feels like a genuine gut punch, Neuman's feels like a misfire, a mistake that will come with a heavy price for not just the characters, but the show itself.

As both deaths directly affect Butcher — one robbing him of hope and the other cementing his toxicity — it seems the character has lost any hope of salvation. Of course, Butcher isn't Butcher without his signature Machiavellian menace, and these traits inform and enrich his character, but his intent to use the virus to erase half of the populace crosses every moral line with unspeakable consequences. With no compassion or restraint to balance things out, Butcher loses his appeal as a morally-grey protagonist, and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to stop himself in time, or will be stopped by The Boys. In the case of the latter, there is nothing but grisly ends in store for the characters we've grown to care and root for.

"The Boys" will return for its fifth and final season at a yet-to-be-announced date.