Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Boys season 4, episode 6, “Dirty Business.”
Summary
The Boysseason 4, episode 6 features a diabolical twist, butunfortunately, this revelation makes a great spinoff idea impossible.The Boysseason 4 is approaching its last few episodes, and its major storylines are starting to come together ahead of the show’s fifth and final season. Tensions between Vought and the titular team are rising, especially asHomelander and Sister Sage’s plansmove closer to becoming a reality. Butcher is doing everything he can to take down The Seven’s leader, even kidnapping Vought scientist Sameer Shah in the hopes of making more ofthe deadly Supe virus.
Initially, it seems like Butcher’s friend, Joe Kessler, is helping him achieve this end — butThe Boysseason 4, episode 6drops a bombshell revelation when it comes toJeffrey Dean Morgan’s character. Even after plenty of clues teasing this turn of events,The Boysseason 4’s Kessler twistis one of its most brilliant. It raises questions about whether Butcher should be leading the charge against Homelander, and it suggests his comic ending could still happen. However,there is one downside to this reveal: it renders oneThe Boysspinoff impossible.
I’m Very Worried About Ryan’s Story After The Boys Season 4, Episode 5
The Boys season 4, episode 5 shows more of Ryan at Vought, and I’m concerned about where his story is headed if he stays with Homelander.
The Boys Season 4’s Joe Kessler Twist Makes A Spinoff Impossible
It’d Be Hard To Make A Spinoff About Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Character Work
The Boysseason 4, episode 6’s ending twist reveals thatKessler is another one of Butcher’s hallucinations, similar to thevisions he’s been having of Becca. Morgan’s character is no longer alive inThe Boysuniverse, so viewers aren’t likely to see Butcher’s friend outside the images he conjures up in his mind. This means a Joe Kessler spinoff is probably off the table, even though showrunner Eric Kripke and Morgan both seem on board. Speaking toDeadline, Kripke asked “who wouldn’t want to Jeffrey Dean Boys spinoff?” And the actor replied onTwitter, saying, “You know I’m in.”
This means a Joe Kessler spinoff is probably off the table, even though showrunner Eric Kripke and Morgan both seem on board.
Given the excitement surrounding Morgan’s introduction inThe Boys— and how entertaining his character has been throughout season 4 —a Kessler series would have done well. But knowing what really befalls the character during the war, it’d be difficult to make such a spinoff work. And it’s not like Amazon could follow Kessler during or after the events ofThe Boys,as he’s only present in Butcher’s mind.
It Would Be Bleak & Not Have Much Of A Point
Those eager to see a Joe Kessler spinoff might be interested in a prequel about him and Butcher. However,a Joe Kessler spinoff series set beforeThe Boysis probably a bad idea. Although it’d be interesting to see how Kessler and Butcher met, viewers already know how their story ends — and they have a general idea of what happens in between. This means a spinoff focused on their time overseas would likely just see them killing Supes. Then it would end with Kessler’s tragic demise, showing one of the many losses Butcher faces before the main show.
It would be a bleak series with few surprises, and it wouldn’t add much to the characterization of either Kessler or Butcher.
Of course,The Boysfans already know how loss and guilt shape Butcher’s quest for revenge. They also see his hatred of Supes firsthand, and they get to know this side of Kessler through Butcher’s hallucinations.The Boysalready shows all this, so a spinoff would serve little purpose. It would be a bleak series with few surprises, and it wouldn’t add much to the characterization of either Kessler or Butcher. People would still watch it to see more of Karl Urban and Morgan, but there are better ways for Amazon to expand its superhero franchise.
The Boys Has Plenty Of Great Spinoff Possibilities Without Kessler
Amazon Has More Interesting Prequels To Work With
A Kessler prequel wouldn’t add much toThe Boysuniverse, butAmazon has plenty of other backstories it can dig into.The Boyssets up a fascinating history of Supes and their adversaries over its four seasons, and there are a few key characters who could take viewers back in time. Queen Maeve’s backstory would make for a compelling narrative, as would the formation of The Seven. Jensen Ackles' Soldier Boy is also a fan-favorite character, and focusing a spinoff on Payback would allow viewers to explore similar dynamics toThe Boysduring a much earlier time period.
A Butcher prequel could still work as well, but it would need to focus on him meeting Grace Mallory and forming The Boys. That’s an untapped area of his backstory, and it would showcase how he grows as the team’s leader. If Amazon goes this route, it could still bring Kessler back in flashbacks. A show focused primarily on him wouldn’t work now, but he could be worked into Butcher’s story. PerhapsThe Boysfranchise will deliver on that in the future — though right now, most viewers are focused on season 5 andGen V.
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.
