Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Boys season 4, episode 5.
Summary
The Boysseason 4, episode 5 is brutal in multiple ways — but whileHughie killing his own fatherwill make it difficult for most viewers to watch,Disney and Warner Bros. will find it tough to dig into for a totally different reason.The Boysseason 4isn’t pulling its punches, and that’s led to a lot of backlash when it comes to the show’s politics. Comically enough, the latest episode of theAmazon series directly addresses these criticisms. The series mocks the notion of being “woke” by having Vought try to make a buck by appropriating its BIPOC Supes.
This isn’t the only jab inThe Boysseason 4, episode 5, asVought’s V52 expo serves as a merciless takedown of Hollywood. Intended as a parody of Disney’s D23 Expo and other Comic-Con-esque events, the exhibition sees Vought announcing its media plans for the future. AndThe Boysgoes especially hard on Marvel and DC, doubling down on its parodies of the Disney- and WB-owned superhero franchises in clever but obvious ways.
This New The Boys Character Is The Secret MVP Of Season 4
The Boys season 4 introduces several new characters, and one of them is a particular highlight, stealing every single scene that they’re in.
The Boys Season 4, Episode 5 Goes Extra-Hard On Marvel & DC
The V52 Expo Isn’t Subtle About Its Superhero Jabs
DuringThe Boysseason 4, episode 5’s V52 Expo, Vought announces its future plans for movies and shows — andthe company’smultiphase lineup is a clear reference to Marvel. Most Marvel fans will recognize the studio’s bracketed schedule of future projects, andThe Boysuses a similar image to showcase Vought’s upcoming media slate. Depicting four separate phases, the image features everything from the filmTraining A-Trainteased earlier in season 4 toFirecracker’s A Christmas Wish.
Many of the films listed also play on Marvel and DC titles, likeG-Men: Days Past from the Future(referencingX-Men: Days of Future Past)andThe Seven Forever(an allusion toBatman Forever). During the expo, there’s mention of a movie calledThe Tek-Knight,which promises to feature Nirvana songs. Given that Tek-Knight isThe Boys’Batman parody, there’s little doubt this is poking fun atThe Batman.Vought also mentions “reshoots of the reshoots,” which is a jab at how often studios like Marvel and DC reshoot their films. Episode 5 goes all in on both franchises, and it’s hilarious.
The Boys Just Proved Its Superhero Parody Hasn’t Lost Its Edge After 4 Seasons
It Still Brings Its A-Game To These Humorous Moments
The Boysseason 4’s opening episodesget off to a slower start, butmoments like the V52 Expo prove that the series is still effective as a superhero parody. Despite continuing for four seasons, the show still delivers its humor with pinpoint accuracy and plenty of heart. It doesn’t hesitate to punch up — whether it’s aiming at politicians, massive media companies, or the superhero genre in general. And even withThe Boysseason 4 getting darker and more serious as the show approaches its end, it makes time to return to its roots: parodying beloved superhero stories.
Even withThe Boysseason 4 getting darker and more serious as the show approaches its end, it makes time to return to its roots: parodying beloved superhero stories.
With the characters becoming more and more fleshed out over the course ofThe Boys,it’s easy to forget that Supes like Homelander and A-Train are meant to be riffs on popular heroes like Superman and The Flash. Bringing new Supes into the fold allowsThe Boysto get silly with its superhero parodies again. And the V52 Expo showcases another way it can do this. It certainly isn’t subtle, butit does touch on some valid critiques of Marvel and DC— namely that they have way too many sequels, spinoffs, and reboots.
The Boys Season 4’s Marvel & DC Parody Has 1 Glaring Problem
The Amazon Series Is Following In Their Footsteps
The Boysdoes a hilarious job of parodying Marvel and DC in season 4, episode 5. However,there’s one glaring problem with the Amazon show’s spoof: it’s following in the footsteps of those superhero franchises.The Boyswill always be darker and grittier than Marvel and DC, but it’s still taking advantage of the opportunity to expand into a grander franchise. The show already has two spinoffs —Gen VandThe Boys Presents: Diabolical— and a third is on the way withThe Boys: Mexico.
Needless to say,The Boysis doing exactly what it’s making fun of Marvel and DC for, just on a much smaller scale. And if Amazon continues to see success with these projects,The Boyscould blow up into something as large and unwieldy as other superhero IPs. The fact thatThe Boysseason 5 will endthe show is a relief on this front, but it’s possible viewers will see overlap and team-ups in future spinoffs. If that happens,The Boysdoesn’t have much business making fun of the MCU or DCU, even if it is pretty funny.
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.
