This article contains references to suicide, extreme violence, and parents abandoning children.
Season 4 ofThe Boysraised the stakes as the series races toward its final season, andthe show introduced a variety of new characters.SinceThe Boysarrived on Prime Video in 2019, the popular superhero series has redefined what superhero stories are. Based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, the show presents a world of powered people who begin to view themselves as above regular humans. Rather than protecting the weak, these supes live according to any whim they possess, regardless of who gets hurt.
The first three seasons of the show have established a clear line dividing corrupt heroes like The Seven, and humans that step up to protect those without powers, like The Boys. However, season 4 blurs those lines more than ever. With several new characters joining the cast, some fromThe Boysspin-off,Gen V, but most brand-new,The Boysseason 4 is setting the stage for the final outing, and the ultimate battle between good and evil, but where everyone falls within these lines is less clear.
8Ambrosius
Voiced By Tilda Swinton
Maybe it’s unfair to place the defenseless octopus, Ambrosius at the bottom of this list, but their role in the story ultimately adds up to some of the most disturbing scenes in the series. The Deep, aka Kevin Moskowitz, has an unusual sexual appetite, possibly stemming from his powers, where he becomes incredibly aroused by sea creatures.
Ambrosius is the latest sexual partner of The Deep’sand in season 4, the pair have a committed, but secret, relationship. Ambrosius actually appeared first in season 3, where Deep met her at the TNT Twins home during the events of the Herogasm.
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It was there that the pair sparked their relationship, but season 4 is the first time that Ambrosius is upgraded to a speaking role, voiced by guest star Tilda Swinton.Ambrosius is an OK character, but the disturbing fact of her connection with Deep, her short-lived role inThe Boysseason 4, and a lack of other development places her at the bottom of the list.
7Joe Kessler
Played By Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Another character whose interactions all only occur with one other character, Joe Kessler, is a mysterious new figure in season 4 for the first few episodes.Played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kessler is a former associate of Billy Butcher’s, and he appears to reconnect with Butcher inThe Boysseason 4.
Kessler may be imaginary, but he is an interesting character who gives a physical presence to Butcher’s darker side and a great addition inThe Boysseason 4.
However, his inclusion here is somewhat debatable because Kessler was not really present in season 4.Kessler was actually a figment of Butcher’s imagination, and a sort of devil on his shoulder throughout the season. The real Kessler was an old army friend of Butcher’s whom he left for dead during a battle.
Now, the imaginary Kessler is the voice in Butcher’s head attempting to persuade him to make the drastic and violent call. He often appears opposite Becca, Butcher’s wife, and the pair compete for Butcher’s attention. Kessler may be imaginary, but he is an interesting character whogives a physical presence to Butcher’s darker sideand a great addition inThe Boysseason 4.
6Firecracker
Played By Valorie Curry
Firecracker is an interesting new character who was brought in to fill one of the vacancies in The Seven. Despite not being the most powerful or impressive hero available to join the world’s preeminent hero team, Firecracker has a significant presence online. In many ways, she is the anti-starlight, who had a platform and voice that prompted people to spot the dark and corruption within Vought Industries and The Seven.
With Startlight and Homelander now being prominently opposed to one another,Starlight was cast out of The Seven, and Firecracker was brought in to try and change the narrative. While Firecracker appears to be a vapid and air-headed character who spouts tired nonsense over the airwaves, she is shown to be much more clever and cunning than she is initially given credit for.
Along with the new recruit, Sister Sage, also known as the world’s smartest person, Firecracker appears even less intelligent, butFirecracker’s ability to manipulate people like Homelanderand the crowds of adoring fans makes her incredibly dangerous. She may be a hot head, but she is also one of the most interesting new figures inThe Boys, and likely to play a significant role in the show’s final season.
5Cate Dunlap
Played By Maddie Phillips
Cate Dunlap has a very brief role inThe Boysseason 4, but her character has a much bigger and more complex introduction in the spin-off,Gen V.Cate has the power to manipulate peoples mindsand memories, forcing them to do as she instructs, or causing them to remember false memories, or forget things at will.
This power can be extremely useful for forcing others to act in accordance with whatever Cate dictates, but Cate rarely operates without oversight from someone who has a grander design. When Cate’s powers first manifested, she sent her brother far away, into a large woodland, and he was never seen again. As a result,her parents lived in fear of her, and she was locked in her room for lengthy periods until she was taken in by Indira Shetty, the dean at Godolkin University, and given a place in the school.
Since then, Cate has struggled to find her place, and followed the wrong people in hopes of belonging and using her gifts to enact their nefarious plans. Now,she is an asset to The Seven and Homelanderwho was used to capture members of The Boys and deliver mysterious instructions that likely won’t be revealed untilThe Boysseason 5.
4Sam Riordan
Played By Asa Germann
Also introduced inGen V, Sam Riordan is the brother of the most popular student at God U,Luke Riordan, aka, Golden Boy. Luke was set to join The Seven before he supposedly suffered from a mental breakdown and killed a teacher before blowing himself up with his powers. His brother, Sam, was kept a secret beneath the school in an area known as “the Woods.”
While there,Sam was experimented on, and treated cruellyin order to keep him from using his powers and hurting others. Sam initially sided with some students against Vought Industries due to their role in his imprisonment and cruel treatment. However,he became radicalizedafter attending a rally with other God U students where they cried out for supe rights to be upheld over non-supes.
Sam then began to side with those fighting against supes in an effort to have greater freedom. Now, as seen inThe Boysseason 4, he has joined with Cate as an asset for The Seven and Vought, and in the finale, he is sent to capture Kimiko and Frenchie.
3Daphne Campbell
Played By Rosemarie Dewitt
Hughie’s father has been a recurring guest appearance in the show, played by the legendary Simon Pegg, but season 4 was the first time thatThe Boysintroduced Hughie’s mother, Daphne Campbell. While the show has built her up to bean absentee mother who abandoned Hughieas a childand chose to stay away his whole life, Daphne provides a different side to the story.
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After giving birth to Hughie, she suffered severe postpartum depression, which led her to ultimately attempt to commit suicide when Hughie was 6. At that point, Daphne chose to leave as the situation had reached a point of being “life or death.” Hughie’s frustration with his mother stemmed from the fact that she never contacted him again after leaving, butDaphne reveals she did make contact, call, and try to reach out, but Hughie’s father would not allow her to communicate for fear of confusing Hughie.
Daphne’s inclusion inThe Boysseason 4provides a great deal of catharsis for Hughie, and helps to reveal another side to the story that was much needed. Her presence now provides some degree of reassurance and stability that means despite Hughie losing his father, he got his mother back.
2Sister Sage
Played By Susan Heyward
Sister Sage is the other new member of The Seven introduced inThe Boysseason 4. While she is initially passed over when the team is considering who to add to their roster, her super-intelligence, which makes her the smartest person in the world, is a valuable asset which The Seven, and especially Homelander, hope to use to gain public favor.
Firecracker’s loud voice makes steady waves in public opinion, butSage’s subtle approach completely altered public perceptionsand put Homelander back on top in the polls. The character is also shown to be a conflicted and nuanced individual who struggles with her extreme intelligence and sometimes wants to switch off the noise in her brain.
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Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men
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Over the course of season 4, she sparks a romantic relationship with Deep, and appears to let her whole team down, but as seen in the final episode, everything was a part of her master plan. Between her extraordinary intelligence and her ability to shape public and private opinions,Sage is potentially the most important new characterinThe Boysahead of the final season.
1Black Noir II
Played By Nathan Mitchell
For decades, The Seven has contained a mysterious member known as Black Noir, who never speaks, and never shows his face. However,in season 3, Homelander brutally murders the former Black Noiras revenge for his part in hiding secrets about Soldier Boy and the Homelander’s true parentage.
InThe Boysseason 4, there is anew supe in the Black Noir suit, providing continuity for the world as they are kept in the dark about the hero being replaced, and offering supposed continuity when multiple other members are replaced.The new Black Noir does his best to adjust to his new role, but, as a performer, he struggles to stick to all the rules surrounding his Black Noir character.
Black Noir II is ultimately an incredibly entertaining and important new addition, and one that will likely continue to have a significant presence inThe Boysseason 5.
For instance, the new Noir is incredibly talkative, while the former character never spoke. He also has the ability to fly, which was not something the previous Black Noir could do, and potentially risks giving away the change by using these additional powers. Black Noir II is ultimately an incredibly entertaining and important new addition,and one that will likely continue to have a significant presence inThe Boysseason 5.
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.
