In the latest episode of ‘The Boys‘ Season 4 titled “Assassination Run”, viewers witnessed Billy Butcher gain a new mysterious superpower. However, this new development for the character greatly differs from his portrayal in the original comic books the show is based on.
In the comic books, Butcher’s powers come from being injected with Compound V like other supes. This granted him enhanced speed, strength and durability. While not on the level of top tier heroes like Homelander, Butcher’s martial training allowed him to effectively take on most mid-level threats. He also gave his bulldog Terror a dose of Compound V to gain a super-powered attack dog. However, in the show Butcher’s newfound ability seems to have a much stranger origin.
Related: Does Billy Butcher Die In ‘The Boys’ Comic?
Butcher’s New Abilities Through Strange Symbiote On ‘The Boys’ Explained
In the episode, Butcher is seen taking on a strange new symbiote-like element he refers to as “Kessler”. This grants him massive tentacle-like appendages he can wield as weapons. It’s later implied his connection to Kessler also protects Butcher from the effects of his Compund V induced expiry.
It’s vastly different than the standard superhuman upgrades he gained from V in the comics. This symbiote gives him a much more bizarre externalized powerset. It will be interesting to see if the show provides any origin or explanation or where “Kessler” came from and how he bonded to it.
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More Dangerous Tactics Up Butcher’s Sleeves?
One thing that remains consistent is Billy using his new abilities ruthlessly in battle. In the comics, his greatest strength was always his tactical brilliance and willingness to utilize maximum lethal force. We see this on display as he mercilessly kills Victoria Neuman by ripping her in half with his tentacles. It will be chilling to watch how far he’s willing to take his violent methods going forward.
While keeping Butcher as an extremely dangerous foe, the show diverged creatively from the comics in how it granted him superhuman abilities. Introducing the “Kessler” symbiote provides a new spin to the show Butcher as compared to his comic counterpart. Fans will have to keep watching to get more answers about the strange new powers and how they will impact the last and final season of ‘The Boys‘, which is to come out in 2026.
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