Greetings and welcome to yet another amazing video. The top 12 worst actions taken by William Butcher in the world of “The Boys” will be discussed today.
In the Amazon series “The Boys,” one of the main characters is Billy Butcher, who is portrayed by Karl Urban. After Homelander raped his wife and caused her to commit suicide, he is a man who is very resentful of superheroes (at least, that is what Billy knows).
It is understandable why Billy has a vengeance against superheroes, but the more Billy pursues it, the more his moral compass seems to be off. Despite his steadfast belief that he is operating honourably, it is obvious that he uses certain questionable strategies to achieve his ultimate goal of controlling superheroes.
He horrifies us repeatedly throughout the story, such as when he disregards Starlight’s advice to avoid giving Hughie and himself too many doses of the Temp V. However, in today’s video, we will take a look at much worse actions taken by Butcher in both the programme and the comics.
Because we do not rank evilness, we are not ranking them, so the order is quite arbitrary. Additionally, Spoiler Warning for the delicate…
Manipulating And Using Hughie
One of Butcher’s eclectic band of misfits known as The Boys, Hughie Campbell, is possibly the most innocent member of the gang. However, from his induction to the daily agony he experiences, he is the one who undergoes the worst punishment at Butcher’s hands.
In order to gain revenge on A-Train for killing his lover, Butcher recruits Hughie. Hughie serves as a tool for the obsessive Butcher, who is only interested in achieving his own objectives. Despite the fact that he plainly cares for him, he treats him badly all the time, and Hughie has never been a fan of him.
Billy Butcher meets Hughie after his fiancée Robin is killed in the first episode of the show and introduces himself as an FBI agent, saying he has heard Hughie’s testimony and that they should talk about it. Billy asserts that the Supes lose hundreds of people each year, but that no one cares because the public supports the Supes.
Billy takes Hughie to an underground Supe pub, claiming that it is the only location where Supes may be themselves. Hughie is persuaded to join Billy after seeing CCTV footage showing A-Train at the pub joking over Robin’s death. Billy delivers Hughie the police record from Robin’s death night, which shows no bank alarms, implying that A-Train is hiding something. Billy instructs Hughie to contact Vought and inform them that he will sign the NDA only if A-Train is there. Billy’s actual intention was to place a bug in Seven Tower, but Hughie refuses.
Hughie meets with Billy again and declares his participation in the arrangement. Hughie calls up Vought and agrees to accept the deal provided A-Train apologises in person.
Billy shows Hughie how to place the bug at Seven Tower. Even though Hughie is wary and terrified, he manages to slip past the security at Seven Tower and meet A-Train. Hughie follows Billy’s directions but is unaware that Translucent saw him drop the bug on the toilet floor. He did plant the bug after signing the NDA. Billy leaves Hughie off at work and informs him that he has completed his current tasks.
Translucent confronts Hughie at Bryman Audio about the bug he placed in the Seven Tower, and he is assaulted and threatened. Billy, however, crashes through the shop and runs over Translucent with a vehicle. Hughie electrocutes Translucent during a fight between Billy and Translucent.
In the comics, it was a bit different. Billy comes across a devastated Hughie in a park (After Robin’s death). Butcher inquires as to his wellbeing. Hughie initially says “no,” but then adds that he isn’t OK. Butcher apologies for disturbing him and gets up from the bench to depart after asking if he lost anybody. Hughie, who is weeping, hears a “yip yip” sound out of the blue and wonders in frustration what it is. It turns out to be a male Shih Tzu dog, and while its elderly owner praises it, the dog takes a dump on the ground. Hughie is asked if he wants to see something amusing, and Butcher tells his pet bulldog, Terror, to “fuck it.”
After taking a note in his brain that the dog incident made Hughie laugh, Butcher gets right to work and says he wants to talk to Hughie about the event, since he knows who he is and what happened to him. Hughie inquires how he came to know and why he wants to speak with him. Hughie also wants to know his identity. Butcher offers to take a stroll before summoning Terror back, since Hughie is perplexed.
After introducing himself, Butcher states that he was sad to hear what happened to Robin and that he is aware of some individuals visiting him immediately after and forcing him to sign documents despite him being distraught and unable to think rationally. A surprised Hughie inquires about how Butcher knows such details about him. Butcher reveals that he formerly worked on a team whose job was to avoid incidents like the one that killed Robin or, if they couldn’t, to ensure that the offender wouldn’t be in a position to repeat it.
Although it is quite fair that he needed support for his cause, but he took advantage of Hughie, who was mourning and in a precarious position.
Murdered Becca’s Newborn Baby
Butcher’s character in the Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson comic book series The Boys is just as sinister as, if not more so, the one that Karl Urban portrayed in the Amazon streaming series. In the show, Butcher thinks his wife passed away while giving birth to a Supe after being sexually molested and impregnated by Homelander. However, it is soon discovered that she is still alive and hiding. In contrast, Becky indeed passes away while giving birth in the comic, but the scenario is more garbled than it was in the show’s adaptation.
Although the son of Homelander would live in the television show, Billy really murdered him in the comics. The fourth issue of the miniseries opens with Butcher waking up in the middle of the night to see blood all over the walls. When he looks around, a baby with red laser eyes is hovering in the air with the umbilical cord still connected. It attempts to strike Butcher with its laser, but Billy grabs a lamp and gives the foetus the worst hit he could. Billy beats the infant to death with the lamp as it cries and fires crimson rays from its eyes.
The TV show has wisely refrained from depicting infant deaths horribly or brutally. The Boys continues to tell the story of Butcher’s transformation into a monster, although luckily, this incident remained contained to the comic books.
Destroys Becca’s Tombstone
In the first season’s fifth episode, Butcher vandalises his wife Becca’s tombstone and gravesite.
Billy is noticeably agitated as he travels to see Rachel, his wife’s sister. He is enraged that they have ordered a headstone for Rebecca even though her corpse has never been recovered. On the other hand, Rachel confesses that her mother wants a place to speak to her daughter. With this revelation, Billy visibly grows angrier, and he goes to the gravesite with a sledgehammer and destroys it.
Although it can be argued that his acts might be his refusal to accept Becca’s death, but they appear to be careless nonetheless. Because neither the audience nor Butcher knew Becca was alive at the time, this act of vandalism seemed insulting to Becca’s memory.
Kills Mesmer
Billy Butcher may be incredibly cruel and brutal at times, as seen by his murder of Mesmer.
Mother’s Milk approached Mesmer during an event in an episode titled “The Innocents” from the first season. Mesmer consented to a “reading session” with The Female in return for Cleo’s visiting time. Mesmer recognized The Female as a forced member of the terrorist group The Shining Light Liberation Army after some early struggles with her. She was kidnapped, taken to America, and given Compound V. This made it possible for The Boys to conclude that Vought was developing super terrorists so they would have supervillains to battle. So, the military would have a justification for enlisting Supes.
Mesmer met Homelander on a rooftop to strike a bargain at the conclusion of the “The Innocents” episode. Mesmer provided him with images of The Boys, enabling The Seven and Vought to recognise its members and attack them and their families. Mesmer then demanded a position at Vought, but Homelander left without making any commitments. This ultimately led to his demise when Butcher pursued Mesmer’s failed escape attempt at a subway station in the episode “The Self-Preservation Society.”
Butcher trapped Mesmer in a restroom, disclosed that he had installed a tracker on him even before his treachery, in case he ever turned on them, and proceeded to beat him. Mesmer looked into Butcher’s memories with each hit. Butcher’s final moments with his wife Becca, Butcher’s discovery of her abduction, and potentially Butcher’s recruitment by Grace Mallory or, more likely, Butcher’s determination to murder him. Mesmer used this information to persuade Butcher to let him live, claiming that he can assist Butcher in finding his lost wife. Butcher seized Mesmer and slammed his face into a sink six times till he died, notwithstanding his protests.
Despite his treachery, Mesmer did not appear to be as evil as the other superheroes. Furthermore, he offered Butcher assistance in finding his wife and pleaded for his life by claiming to have a daughter. Butcher, on the other hand, didn’t seem to care and banged Mesmer’s skull on a sink until the latter’s death.
Kills Gunpowder Using Temporary Compound V on Himself
Gunpowder was a retired superhero, a gun aficionado, and a former member of the Payback superhero team. He also served as Soldier Boy’s sidekick.
In the episode “The Only Man In The Sky,” from season 3, Butcher breaks into a gun show where Gunpowder seems to incite attendees to enact their own laws. Butcher meets Gunpowder in the restroom after his speech and questions him about Soldier Boy.
Gunpowder claims to be unaware of Soldier Boy’s life before his faked death and rejects any mistreatment he could have experienced from his former colleague. He succeeds in hurting Butcher’s face and leg during his subsequent attempt to murder him in the parking lot. Butcher shoots a number of automobiles before he can corner him, using their alarms to conceal his flight.
Later, loaded with Compound V, Butcher faces Gunpowder a second time. Butcher is dropped to the ground after being shot thrice in the chest by Gunpowder. Butcher soon recovers and starts beating Gunpowder until he divulges information regarding Soldier Boy. Gunpowder clarifies that Soldier Boy’s death at the nuclear power plant was faked and downplays his treatment as unchecked “abuse.” He also states that he is unaware of all the specifics but yet asks Butcher to interrogate Mallory because the CIA was in command when the incident occurred, and she might be able to provide information.
Although Gunpowder begs for mercy, Butcher doesn’t listen and repeatedly hits him in the face as Gunpowder goes unconscious. Butcher continues until the latter’s head, and the car behind him, is split in half by his heat-vision.
He later uses this as a reason to make Super Soldier side with him in killing Homelander.
Shoots Starlight
As Billy Butcher maintains an extreme dislike of superheroes in both the comics and the television series, he rejects Hughie’s efforts to persuade him that Starlight is not as wicked as the other members of the Seven due to his intense anger.
Hughie meets with Starlight in the park at the end of Season 1’s episode “The Self Preservation Society,” with Starlight doubting whether Hughie killed Translucent and whether he used her to get back at A-Train. She tries to stop Hughie and turn him into the police.
Hughie is terrified of being killed. However, Starlight concedes that Vought would want to extend the trial. When Hughie announces the existence of Compound V, Starlight is startled and perplexed. Billy comes at this juncture, shooting Starlight in the chest twice with a sniper rifle, and allows Hughie to flee.
Though his reason for shooting Starlight may appear acceptable in terms of Butcher’s perverted sense of justice, yet the act itself is horrible. It leaves us wondering whether Billy is on the side of good or evil.
Kidnapped Translucent
Billy kidnaps Translucent and keeps him in a cage while attempting to discover a means to breach his skin as one of the first things he does throughout the whole series. Even if Billy lacks evidence that Translucent is evil and was injured directly by Homelander, he still acts dreadfully and brutally. Nevertheless, he persists obstinately in trying to figure out how to murder him and appears unconcerned about taking away any of his civil rights.
Translucent, one of The Seven’s superheroes, who is impenetrable and invisible, is accomplished by his carbon nanocomposite skin. He can sneak anywhere and startle nasty people since he is a master of disguise. But he abuses his powers while not battling crime and saving the day. Translucent loves using his invisibility to loiter in inappropriate locations, such as sorority house showers and women’s locker rooms.
After Hughie is apprehended placing a bug at the Seven Tower, Translucent approaches Hughie at work, but Billy Butcher attacks him and, with Hughie’s help, knocks him out. They ask Frenchie for help after locking Translucent inside Butcher’s vehicle. Hughie soon confronts Translucent, who is looking for information about his girlfriend’s passing while he was incarcerated. Hughie kills Translucent because of the way Translucent made fun of him.
While being held captive by The Boys, Butcher and Frenchie discuss a plan to kill Translucent. Frenchie quickly realises that while Translucent’s surface is indestructible, his insides are as vulnerable as an average human’s. This realisation comes despite failing to pierce Translucent’s skin with a bullet composed of similar material. Then, after electrocuting Translucent to render him unconscious, he installs an explosive material in his rectum that may detonate remotely or when removed.
Hughie and Frenchie start to worry that if they detonate the bomb in Translucent, Homelander will hear it and hunt them down after searching the area around them using Translucent’s tracker sign. While he and Butcher distract Homelander from the prominent spot, Frenchie gives Cherie the order to provide a distraction by detonating his former headquarters. Translucent attempts to escape the cage by going around it, but Hughie captures him and orders him to return to the cell.
Hughie warns him that if he doesn’t, he’ll undoubtedly die, despite Translucent’s pleas for him not to send him back inside. Translucent warns Hughie that if he uses the detonator, there will be no turning back; he will spend the rest of his life as an outlaw who must continuously keep an eye out for an enemy who will never stop hunting for him.
Then Translucent asks Hughie to let him leave so that he may put everything behind him and go back to living his everyday life. Hughie first shows hesitation, which Translucent interprets as an unwillingness to use it. Hughie becomes furious and turns to the exit, hitting the trigger that blows up the bomb and kills Translucent as he tries to leave through the exit door.
I agree that Translucent deserved it, but Billy had no moral objections about treating someone like that without any evidence.
Blew Up Stillwell’s House With The Baby In It
Stillwell collaborated closely with all of Vought International’s Supes, especially The Seven, as one of the company’s most significant members. Homelander seemed incredibly close to Stillwell since she was the only one at Vought who could manage him.
At the conclusion of season one, the two’s connection deepened when Homelander questioned Vought about its use of Compound V. He is incensed to learn that Stillwell misled him on Becca Butcher and her child’s whereabouts.
In the episode, Billy is waiting for Stilwell when she gets home. Madelyn queries Butcher’s motivations while he questions Homelander’s frailty. She denies any, but Billy informs her that Homelander’s vulnerability is Stillwell, which surprises her.
When Homelander enters, Butcher has a slew of C4 bombs strapped to Stilwell. Homelander brings Teddy, trusting that Butcher will not endanger the youngster. Homelander pushes Butcher while bragging about his sex with Becca. Billy explains that he only wants to hurt Homelander when Homelander doubts his objective. Billy goes quiet after being asked by Homelander if he had any proof that he murdered his wife.
Homelander claims that there were some discrepancies in Vogelbaum and Stillwell’s tales, so he went back to Vogelbaum and got the actual truth out of him: Vought had Becca and her kid under witness protection for the last eight years. Stillwell reveals to Homelander that she is afraid of him, which he respects before kissing her one final time and blasting his laser vision through her eyes and skull. Butcher chooses to pull the trigger, causing the explosives to detonate. Her kid ends up safe and sound 17 miles away from home.
Abandoned The Boys
Within the first two seasons, Billy had earned a special place of enmity among certain of the fan base. Billy Butcher’s abandonment of the Boys at the end of Season 1 makes everyone despise him, leaving them to cope with Kimiko’s kidnappers on their own.
In the last episode of Season 8, Commandos ambush Frenchie, The Female, and Mother’s Milk in their hotel room. The Female fights back and attempts to flee but is tranquilized by one of the attackers. They all get kidnapped.
Billy and Hughie drive by the motel room, and Billy reveals that The Boys have been abducted by a black-ops outfit working on behalf of Vought. Hughie begs Billy to return and save The Boys, but Billy points out that Frenchie and M.M. would rather that they finish the job. Hughie learns that all Billy cares about is Homelander, and he agrees with Grace regarding Billy. Billy leaves Hughie behind as well.
Although The Boys managed pretty well to get out of that sinking ship, it’s an absolute betrayal of Billy, was shocking and led to everyone not trusting him 100% ever again.
Blackmailed Popclaw And Let Her Landlord Die
As Popclaw is A-Train’s girlfriend, Billy had no problem bugging her apartment, watching her kill a man (and allowing it to happen for footage), and then blackmailing her with the resulting video.
Translucent leads The Boys to investigate Popclaw, and they approach her residential building from the outside. Hughie and Mother’s Milk hijack the cameras while posing as technicians in her place. The Boys first learn about Compound V in this location when they see Popclaw administer the medicine to herself. They subsequently watch her inadvertently kill her landlord and use that information to threaten her into disclosing where the Compound V supply for A-Train is kept.
Popclaw initially has a covert affair with A-Train. She disagrees with A-Train’s usage of Compound V to outperform Shockwave. Still, she herself is a recreational user of the chemical and inadvertently murders her landlord while high on it. Popclaw desires to make their relationship public, but A-Train refuses to ask Madelyn Stillwell’s consent.
Her connection with A-Train gets strained as she is coerced into giving information about him and Compound V by The Boys. A-Train constantly questions who she shared information about the V with, but she refuses to acknowledge telling anybody. She eventually gives information about The Boys to A-Train after revealing that Stillwell consented to let the two go public. A-Train murders Popclaw via heroin overdose since he did not want to take any chances. You bet Billy felt nothing about her death.
Kills Mother’s Milk in Comics
In the third season, we saw Billy betraying MM by injecting him with a sedative as he made a deal with Super Soldier in Killing Homelander. But did you know in the Comics, Billy kills MM?
Billy sets out on a mission to kill everyone with Compound V in their bodies, including his buddies, when Homelander is killed.
In Issue 68, we see Mother’s Milk completed a meeting with The Boys to prevent Butcher from utilising a weaponized version of the “V” substance on the remaining supes and innocents impacted. Butcher meets Mother’s Milk, asking why he wasn’t attempting to resolve his difficulties with his daughter, believing that doing so would permanently remove him from the picture. MM wonders if Butcher is serious about carrying out the plan. Butcher replies in the affirmative. Butcher gives him the option to go, but he declines.
They begin to fistfight. Despite his wrath, Mother’s Milk remarked that he never intended it to end this way. Butcher responds that he understands, that he was the finest friend he could ever have, and that he didn’t deserve to know him. Butcher draws out a grenade and stuffs it into Mother’s Milk’s mouth as it explodes.
As MM lied down there, critical and struggling to breathe, Butcher suffocates him to put him out of his misery, stating he has no mates.
Will the show also have a similar ending to MM? We have to wait and find out.
Kills Frenchie and Kimiko in the Comics
In the Boys comic book series, Butcher loses all moral integrity, especially in the final phase. As previously revealed, Butcher intends to kill additional Supes after killing Homelander by using chemical weapons to blast many areas around the country, which would specifically target anybody with Compound V in their system. Butcher kills Mother’s Milk first since the boys are against the entire plan. Frenchie and Kimiko tragically die in the blast while looking for the explosives at their hideout.
So, the only survivor, Hughie, who he drew into this whole mess at the beginning of the comic book, was the only one who could stop him from carrying out his sick scheme.
In order to prevent Butcher from carrying out his plot to murder innocent people, Hughie ultimately had to kill him. Because of a personal conflict with the supes, the guy who had first refused to participate in Butcher’s plans was forced to take matters into his own hands by stabbing the person who had taken him under his wing.
As a result, the conclusion of The Boys comic book is identical to the conclusion of Game of Thrones, allowing us to observe Daenerys’ transformation from protagonist to antagonist as the drama neared its conclusion. But in this case, it was evident from the beginning that Butcher was headed towards self-destruction. On the other hand, Daenerys didn’t become an opponent until the very end of the series, which was a pretty abrupt change that some viewers didn’t particularly appreciate.
Butcher had to die in the end, not just because of his evil scheme but also because his behaviour throughout the narrative had consistently foreshadowed that he would. There was no happy ending for a man who had to use extreme means to triumph in his own personal war against the supes.
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