Only ‘The Boys’ could turn a speech about the Spice Girls into one of the most emotionally important moments of its final season. As Homelander is seemingly unstoppable since his acquisition of V-One, season 5 has brought the group to its absolute breaking point.
Hope was waning by episode 7. Hughie was down, Frenchie died, the team was worn out, and the aura surrounding the episode was undeniable: perhaps they can’t win this time.
Billy Butcher’s Weirdest Speech Yet May Be His Most Important One
It’s so stupid on paper, but somehow it fits. Billy Butcher begins a weird motivational talk on how Posh Spice is still famous and successful despite being “without any discernible talent whatsoever.” The message, however, is quite sincere, but hidden behind the dark humor.
Related: ‘The Boys’ Finally Explains Soldier Boy’s Psyche And It’s Worse Than We Thought
Butcher reminds the team that persistence is key even when the odds seem insurmountable. Most importantly, the scene subtly brings Butcher back to his former self. Butcher’s fans were quick to pick up on the moment as a nod to season 1, when he was trying to defuse a situation between Frenchie and MM by comparing the duo to the Spice Girls.
At the time, Butcher’s basic advice was that none of them on their own could hold back the likes of Homelander. However, as a team, they had a chance. Seven years later, the same idea rears its head at the moment the team needs it.
That was key to making the callback feel like a genuine joke. ‘The Boys’ has always been able to mix the outrageous with character work, and episode 7 could be one of the most successful examples of that. It’s also kind of a heartwarming thing to know that Butcher still relies on humor to keep the team together despite all of his transformation.
Is The Show Trying To Save Butcher’s Humanity?
Season 5 has been a long time coming to remind viewers that there is still a person under anger and brutality with Butcher. Following his darker arc in season 4, many fans had hoped that the character would be unsavable by the end of the season. But the show continues to give him little but powerful moments of sympathy.
In case you missed it: ‘The Boys’ Finally Makes Soldier Boy Feel Like More Than A Walking Punchline
Butcher is more emotionally exposed than he’s been in years, whether it’s the care he’s giving Terror, or the restraint he’s applying to Hughie, or his attempts to rally the group one last time.
But the ending is much more unpredictable, isn’t it? Now, the big question isn’t whether the boys will stop Homelander, it’s whether Butcher can keep the last shreds of his humanity alive before the war comes to an end.
You might like to read: ‘The Boys’ Season 5 Is Taking Bigger Risks Than Most Series Finales Dare to Take
