The Boys Season 5 concluded the long-running story of Billy Butcher‘s crusade against the world’s strongest supe, Homelander. As the final season, it also featured several major deaths while incorporating some significant changes from the comic book storyline created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson.
Here is how Homelander and Billy Butcher died in the comic books.
Is Homelander’s comic book death different than The Boys?
Yes, Homelander’s death in the comic book series is completely different from the version depicted in the television adaptation. In the comics, Homelander is killed by Black Noir. In a major twist, it is revealed that Noir was actually a clone of Homelander and had been instructed to kill him if he ever stepped out of line.
Homelander rarely committed acts severe enough to justify his elimination. As a result, Noir began framing him for multiple crimes.
Eventually, Homelander crossed the line when he launched a coup and killed the president. During the Oval Office standoff, which was also adapted in the television series, Noir killed Homelander.
The television series did not follow that storyline. Noir was not Homelander’s clone in the adaptation, and Homelander remained the primary antagonist throughout the series.
Is Billy Butcher’s comic book death different than The Boys?
As for Billy Butcher, some elements of his comic book death are similar to those depicted in the television series. For instance, he is killed by Hughie Campbell while planning to release the supe-killing virus. However, there are still major differences in the way the comic book version of Butcher dies.
In the comics, Butcher completely loses control at the end and systematically murders his teammates before attempting to carry out a genocide against supes. Butcher is confronted by Hughie atop the Empire State Building, where the pair engage in a brutal fight.
The confrontation ends with Butcher breaking his neck and becoming paralyzed. Hughie is also injured but survives. Realizing that he was paralyzed and about to be arrested, Butcher manipulates Hughie into killing him. He does this by falsely claiming that he had killed Hughie’s parents.
Hughie grabs a broken metal spike and stabs Butcher in the chest.
The television series gave Butcher a more emotional death and a softer ending.
The Boys Season 5 is now streaming on Prime Video.
