Billy Butcher becomes a superhero in The Boys season 4, and his abilities in the Amazon series are very similar to those in Netflix’s anti-superhero series.

These days, subversive superhero shows are all the rage; The Boys is just one example of a show that subverts the cherished genre. The Boys is among the darkest superhero shows that subvert popular storylines and cliches, though there are many others. The Amazon series approaches the idea of superpowers with a negative outlook, envisioning how they will be manipulated to further dark political and corporate agendas.

Even if some of the superheroes in The Boys are obviously parodies of characters from Marvel and DC comics, it goes without saying that they are nothing like the superheroes we know from those series. A lot of The Boys’ superheroes are bad guys, and in season four, one of the heroes who gains superpowers has a nasty side. In The Boys’ season 4 finale, Butcher, with his quite hideous tumorous tentacles, sows devastation. Butcher’s strength contributes to The Boys’ bleak portrayal of superheroes. Additionally, it reminds me of a different character’s ability from a completely different anti-superhero program.

Butcher’s Powers In The Boys Are A Lot Like Ben’s From The Umbrella Academy

Both Characters Have Tentacles That Emerge From Their Bodies

Butcher’s tentacles in The Boys season 4 remind me of Ben’s powers in The Umbrella Academy. Like The Boys, the Netflix series takes a more realistic approach to the standard superhero narrative, showing how being raised with powers deeply traumatizes the Hargreeves siblings. And one of the Hargreeves has a similar ability to Butcher’s. Ben’s powers see tentacles emerging from his body, and he’s able to use them offensively, just like Butcher does at the ending of The Boys season 4.

“Ben’s powers see tentacles emerging from his body, and he’s able to use them offensively, just like Butcher does at the ending of The Boys season 4.”

Ben’s tentacles are slightly less disturbing in The Umbrella Academy, likely because they’re not obtained from a cancerous drug like Temp V. In general, The Umbrella Academy is less dark and explicit than The Boys, but it does offer insight into what Butcher might be able to do. His ability seems to function similarly to Ben’s, and it’s interesting that two spiritually similar series have characters with nearly identical powers.

The Boys & The Umbrella Academy Were Both Spiritually Similar Shows

Both Series Deconstruct The Superhero Genre

The Umbrella Academy may not have the same dark tone and violent nature as The Boys, but the two series feel spiritually similar to one another. Both streaming shows set out to deconstruct superhero narratives, exploring what these extraordinary beings would be like with real human shortcomings. The Umbrella Academy and The Boys refuse to idealize superheroes, positing that they’d be just as flawed as everyone else — perhaps even more so. They also both debuted in 2019, so Butcher’s power is just the latest thing The Boys has in common with the Netflix series.

Butcher’s Powers In The Boys Remind Me A Lot Of Netflix’s Own Anti-Superhero Show