In addition to having seen Patriot (Antony Starr) losing his mind in one of the most surprising scenes in the series so far, season 4 of The Boys has also shown Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) in a state of decay that is difficult not to empathize with.
In fact, perhaps the saddest plotline is Butcher's, who seems to be increasingly alone in a world that is crumbling around him. His time is running out, and driven by desperation to try to save Ryan from Patriot, he is beginning to hallucinate and even see his late wife Becca (Shantel VanSanten) in hallucinations.
The moments where we see Butcher talking to Becca not only break our hearts a little, but also show his vulnerability and the need to fix what he has done wrong. These scenes also serve to remind us that he is aware of his mistakes and although the series showrunner Eric Kripke has not wanted to talk much about them, the truth is that these hallucinations have a background, and there may be someone else suffering from them in the series.
The return of Becca
Billy Butcher and Becca in 'The Boys'
The fact that Becca reappears in The Boys has its explanation, and in fact, Kripke himself has explained in an interview with TVLine that he will work with VanSanten "every opportunity [that arises]" and that including her in Butcher's hallucinations is a way to "dramatize the promise" that Billy made to protect Ryan.
These hallucinations are, in a way, a way to show Butcher's humanity and encourage him to be better. It may be that, instead of simply being related to Compound V, they are a symptom of what is on his mind and his fear of dying without being able to fix things with Ryan.
The cause of the hallucinations
'The Boys'
Although this may be the explanation behind Butcher's delusions, the truth is that Kripke also talked about the creature we see crawling under Butcher's skin. Kripke affirmed that "Compound V is not done with him yet" and this worm may have something to do with the hallucinations.
It can be thought that the cause of these hallucinations is Compound V or that Billy himself generates them due to his critical condition. Whatever the origin, the truth is that he has to do something to prevent Ryan from becoming a weapon of mass destruction.
Another character with hallucinations
Hughie in 'The Boys'
Indeed, Butcher is not the only character experiencing delusions and strange visions this season. Hughie (Jack Quaid) could also be having hallucinations with his own mother, Daphne Campbell (Rosemarie DeWitt).
The most astute viewers have already begun to develop their own theories in this regard, and many think that Hughie's mother is not really with him and that Hughie may be talking to himself. Furthermore, he is the only character who has actually seen her.
One difference between Butcher's conversations with Becca and Hughie's with his mother is that Butcher knows that Becca is not real, while Hughie thinks he is actually fighting with his mother. Hughie may have taken a milder dose of the compound, and his hallucinations may not be as intense or harmful yet, but they may still be there.
On the other hand, the compound may be unleashing the guilt they feel and challenging them, in a way, to correct their mistakes and become stronger. Only time will tell what is really happening.