‘Absolutely terrifying’: The Boys season 4 viewers are shocked by Homelander’s ‘disjointed’ scenes in episode 4

Full spoilers follow for episodes three and four of season four of The Boys.

The boys Episode four of season four is now available on Prime Video – and, thanks to some “very disturbing” scenes involving everyone’s favorite big bad Homelander (Antony Starr), viewers are calling it the “best episode” of the season so far.

After getting off to an inauspicious start with its three-episode premiere last Thursday (June 13), The boys“The new season is out with its final chapter. Titled “The Wisdom of the Ages,” it’s easily one of the darkest episodes of the hit Amazon series, with the show’s various characters grappling with their traumatic stories and having to make heartbreaking decisions.

However, it’s the scenes involving Homelander that are dominating discussions online following the release of episode four. Indeed, fans have had a lot to say about what they just saw – and, thankfully, it’s all universally positive.

This is your final warning: major spoilers follow for The boys season four, episode four. Come back now if you’re not caught up.

What a bloody mess, John. (Image credit: Amazon MGM Studios)

“Wisdom of the Ages” sees Homelander return to his roots, aka the laboratory (read: prison) where he was raised (read: experimented on). We already knew he was returning to confront his past as well, with the end of episode three of season four revealing that The boysThe most powerful Supe had to “go back to the beginning” and face his fears in order to move forward with his plans for world domination.

Fans of one of the best Prime Video shows around, however, knew that this wasn’t going to be a happy family reunion. Of course, Homelander lulls the lab scientists into a false sense of security with the chocolate fondant whale cake he brings as a gift, as well as with his seemingly chipper attitude. But what begins as a seemingly light-hearted visit from Homelander turns into a gruesome and evil quest for retaliation as the autocratic leader of the Seven murders every member of the lab’s staff. Well, everyone except the lab’s former head scientist, Barbara, whom he leaves – traumatized, might I add – trapped in a cell, surrounded by the mutilated corpses of her fellow boffins.

I have never been so afraid of a villain in a TV show or movie. Antony Starr was born to play Homelander. Every scene of hers in today’s episode is disturbing and scary to watch pic.twitter.com/zh5R4P3tY1June 20, 2024

As distressing as this scene is, the episode’s most grisly and shocking deaths are reserved for two particular characters who inflicted physical and emotional/mental damage on Homelander as a child.

Frank, who tested Homelander’s – known as John as a child – resistance to fire and heat in a giant oven, is cooked alive in said incinerator by Homelander. Later, Marty, who cruelly gave John the nickname “Squirt” when he caught him masturbating one day, loses his own manhood when Homelander uses his laser eyes to blast a hole in his nether regions by Marty. Homelander also stomps on Marty’s head to put the dying scientist out of his misery when Barbara scolds Homelander for letting Marty bleed out.

What are fans saying about The Boys season four episode four?

Homelander is really mean and petty #theboys pic.twitter.com/T47AfKZMnrJune 20, 2024

Naturally, the brutality of these scenes, as well as Starr’s stellar performance – at once unhinged, evil and sympathy-inducing – saw fans flock to message boards and X/Twitter to voice their opinions on the episode the most impactful of season four so far. On ResetEra, user JEH wrote “what an episode”, before adding: “(It’s) really refreshing to go back to being a scary Homelander and have the violence be more personal and not played for laughs.”

Many also agreed with JEH’s sentiments on Reddit. ICrashedStockMarket said that “Wisdom of the Ages” was “one of the few episodes where I was truly terrified of Homelander”, while CartoonAcademic opined that “every scene with Homelander…is one of the shows tensest TV shows I’ve ever seen.”

ZealousIdealTable1 also praised the series, saying it “might be one of the most unbalanced episodes in television history”, before adding “Homelander scares viewers literally every minute”. It was Iwillragequit99 who perhaps summed it up best when writing: “Every time the episode replayed to any point in the lab, my stomach would drop and I would feel sick. What a crazy episode.”

Comment from r/TheBoys

Episode four’s lab scenes wouldn’t have carried the same weight if Starr’s electrifying display hadn’t anchored them, mind you. So it won’t be surprising to learn that viewers are delighted with the actor’s performance.

Redditor QuantavioustheWise said that “Starr better get some accolades for his role this season,” while pikameta added, “Starr is killing it in this episode. The immediate change in his behavior is a first-rate acting.” He agreed, writing “if Antony Starr doesn’t get an Emmy, then something is definitely rigged,” before WillyTrillEra shared a similar opinion, saying, “Antony Starr deserves an Emmy for this episode. He’s CREEPY.”

In my review of The boys In the first three episodes of season four, I expressed my concern that the wildly popular Prime Video series was starting to lose its supercharged edge. I also wrote, however, that “perhaps the remaining episodes of season four will prove me wrong and show that The boys is still the crown jewel of Amazon TV shows.” Based on the jaw-dropping moments of episode four, featuring Homelander, I think this might just do that. Pass me the humble pie , someone.