'The Boys' Season 4 Episode 6: The Butcher-Kessler twist has always been right under our noses
Contains spoilers for 'The Boys'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In 'The Boys' Season 4, Joe Kessler, Billy Butcher's old military buddy, makes a surprising debut in the premiere. Their reunion hints at a deep history, with Butcher having once saved Kessler's life during their time in service.
Throughout the season, Kessler appears, urging Butcher to pursue revenge against Homelander, even at the cost of his morals. He portrays Butcher as a necessary force, pushing him towards drastic actions, such as targeting Ryan.
Despite encouraging Butcher's harsh methods and criticizing The Boys' effectiveness, Kessler's true motives gradually unfold, revealing a complex character with hidden intentions.
Billy Butcher was imagining Joe Kessler this whole time
In a surprising twist in 'The Boys' Season 4, Episode 6, Joe Kessler is revealed to be a figment of Billy Butcher's imagination. Throughout the season, Butcher hallucinates Kessler, believing he's urging him to take action.
However, Kessler doesn't exist outside of Butcher's mind and isn't influencing his actions.
Butcher's visions of Kessler parallel his hallucinations of Becca in Season 4. Becca represents Butcher's empathy and morals, while Kessler embodies his darker impulses.
Kessler serves as Butcher's inner voice, encouraging his violent tendencies and justifying extreme actions.
Meanwhile, Becca serves as a conscience, challenging Butcher's anger and aggression. These hallucinations illustrate Butcher's internal struggle between revenge and his humanity, shaping his decisions throughout the Prime Video series' latest episodes.
Why did Joe Kessler call himself Butcher's 'Devil'?
It's clear why Becca serves as the moral compass for Butcher in 'The Boys'. However, viewers might question why Butcher's inner demon manifests as Joe Kessler. There are two plausible reasons behind this choice.
First, Kessler shares Butcher's intense hatred for Supes. While the real Kessler remains unseen, Butcher imagines him based on their mutual animosity towards Supes, symbolizing their toxic influence on each other.
Secondly, Kessler represents Butcher's guilt. Butcher blames himself for Kessler's death and wrestles with conflicting desires—to eradicate all Supes and to remain loyal to his team.
Kessler embodies Butcher's remorse and self-blame, serving as a constant reminder of his inner turmoil in 'The Boys'.
The hints that Joe Kessler was imaginary were all right there
In 'The Boys' Season 4, the twist about Kessler is hinted at before his reveal in Episode 6. The series drops clues that Kessler isn't real by showing that he only interacts with Butcher.
In the premiere, Kessler approaches Butcher when MM and the CIA are occupied elsewhere, and he predominantly appears when Butcher is alone, such as at his apartment or in the park.
During Butcher's scenes with Sameer in Season 4, Kessler is present, but Sameer never acknowledges him. Kessler even threatens Sameer without any reaction from the scientist.
These moments make it clear that Butcher is the only one who can see Kessler, a fact confirmed later in 'The Boys'.
Was it Joe Kessler who killed Ezekiel?
In 'The Boys' Season 4, Episode 6, the truth about Joe Kessler is revealed, alongside hints about Butcher's involvement in Ezekiel's death.
Butcher faces Ezekiel in a dangerous encounter where he nearly dies, but he wakes up to find Ezekiel dead in Firecracker's trailer, torn apart.
Kessler's cryptic words to Butcher, "I killed Ezekiel for you," and his claim of being 'inside' Butcher, imply a deeper connection.
These statements suggest that Butcher's abilities, possibly linked to his altered state from Compound V, are tied to his perception of Kessler.
It's hinted that Butcher may tap into these powers only when he embraces his darker impulses, despite being unaware of his changed nature.
What does the Butcher-Kessler twist signify for 'The Boys'?
The Kessler twist in 'The Boys' Season 4, Episode 6 is a significant reveal that could shape the future of the show.
In Season 4 of 'The Boys', facing imminent death, Butcher is unexpectedly saved by Kessler, sparking speculation about Butcher's survival into Season 5.
Given Butcher's crucial role, it's unlikely the show would end without him, suggesting that Kessler's role might ensure his continued presence.
The idea that Kessler is linked to Butcher's Supe abilities, representing his darker side, hints at a potential alignment with the character's arc in the comics. In the source material, Butcher evolves into a villain intent on eradicating all Supes.
Season 4 moves him closer to this path, with Kessler showing enthusiasm for using a virus against Supes, a plan Butcher initially opposes but could potentially adopt as the series progresses.
'The Boys' trailer
6 episodes of 'The Boys' are available to stream on Prime Video.