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The Boys Season 4: What Are Butcher's Hallucinations About? Creator Erik Kripke Explains
Erick Kripke explains that Butcher's hallucinations of Becca set up his inner conflict and the promise he made about Ryan.
Eric Kripke, creator and showrunner of The Boys, explains why Billy Butcher is experiencing hallucinations in season 4. With only six months left, Butcher is ousted from the Boys by their new leader, Mother's Milk. He struggles to keep his promise to his wife, Becca, and his son Ryan safe. As Butcher grapples with these challenges, he is visited by hallucinations of Becca.
Butcher's hullucinations in The Boys season 4
In an interview with TVLine, Eric Kripke explained the creative decision behind Butcher's hallucinations and bringing Becca back to the series. Becca's death in The Boys season 2 finale left her absence in season 3, and her loss and promise made by Butcher loomed over the entire season.
Kripke said, "One, I love Shantel, and I’ll work with her every chance I get. We really wanted to present a Butcher at war with himself this season. He’s only got six months to live."
He further added, "He needs to decide, is he going to fulfill his promise to Becca, or is he going to give into all of his worst impulses? So we thought to really dramatize that promise that he made, to sort of bring her back as sort of the angel on his shoulder that he’s conflicted by, was a good way to show his inner turmoil."
In season 4, Butcher's hallucinations have prevented him from impulsively following his worst impulses. Becca's influence and promise helped him avoid betraying Hughie Campbell, his only true friend, and drugging Ryan. Despite his lowest point, Butcher is making better choices than in previous seasons, largely due to his conversations with Becca.
While she is the angel on his shoulder, Butcher's old friend Kessler is already becoming the devil on his other shoulder. Giving Butcher fentanyl to drug Ryan is only the beginning of his negative influence.
Kessler has no moral qualms about what it will take to defeat Homelander and other Supes before it's too late for humanity to fight back. This is the same mindset Butcher has had in the past, and the longer Ryan remains at Homelander's side, the more desperate Butcher will become.
Becca's presence and hallucinations serve as a constant reminder of her and her promise to Butcher. Kessler, one of the few living people willing to talk to Butcher, believes that if he convinces Butcher to take horrific action to protect Ryan, even Becca may be unable to save Butcher from himself as The Boys season 4 continues.
Becca is Butcher's conscience
Bucher, filled with guilt and regret, sees Becca as his conscience in The Boys season 4, pushing him to do the right thing and be a better person before his death. The old Butcher has grown over the first three seasons, and his failures with Ryan are front of mind as he approaches his death, recalling Becca as a reminder of his promise to her.
Becca guides Butcher's behavior during their marriage and after her disappearance, so it's no surprise she's still influencing it on the heels of her season 2 death. She's always been Butcher's moral compass, and it appears she'll maintain this role in his life until the very end. It's a smart way to keep VanSanten's character around post-mortem. Of course, there's also another explanation for why Butcher is seeing and hearing his conscience in season 4.
In The Boys, Butcher's brain tumor, caused by his overuse of Temp V, is the reason he sees and hears Becca in the fourth season. This is due to his guilt and the potential for hallucinations, as the tumor can cause people to see and hear things that aren't there. As a result, Becca is the obvious person for Butcher to fabricate in The Boys season 4.
ALSO READ: The Boys Season 4 Brings Back a Character From The Dead; Here's How
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