“The Boys” Season 4, Episode 6: Hughie’s Unexpected Encounter

In Episode 6 of The Boys Season 4, titled “Dirty Business,” Hughie Campbell (Jack Quaid) finds himself entangled in a distressingly peculiar scenario reminiscent of Fifty Shades of Grey. Following the traumatic events of Episode 5, where he had to euthanize his father, Hugh Sr. (Simon Pegg), after his Compound V infusion went terribly wrong, Hughie is thrust into another disturbing situation. He is tasked with going undercover at a Federalist Society event hosted at Tek Knight’s (Matthew Edison) opulent estate, which serves as an homage to Homelander (Antony Starr). Disguised as Webweaver, The Boys’ informant, Hughie infiltrates the gathering to uncover sinister plots involving Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) and Tek Knight. His plan is to lure Tek away from the event to interrogate him, but instead, he is drawn into Tek’s “Tek Cave”—a BDSM dungeon—where he encounters Tek’s S&M partner, Ashley Barrett (Colby Minifie). The situation quickly devolves into a chaotic and unsettling predicament.

In the episode “Dirty Business,” the story unfolds with Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and Joe Kessler (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) holding Vought scientist Sameer (Omid Abtahi) captive, having amputated his leg to immobilize him. Butcher coerces Sameer into producing a virus intended to kill Homelander. Butcher later faces a spectral visit from Becca (Shantel VanSanten), who challenges his actions and motivations, questioning whether killing Homelander will merely lead to the rise of another superpowered villain. As Butcher grapples with this moral dilemma, he learns from Sameer that the virus would not only eliminate Homelander but also endanger allies like Annie (Erin Moriarty), Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara), and Becca’s son Ryan (Cameron Crovetti). While Butcher considers the implications of committing global genocide, Joe’s sudden conversation with Becca’s apparition leads to a significant revelation about Butcher’s own terminal illness.

Meanwhile, Hughie and Daphne (Rosemarie DeWitt) hold a memorial for Hugh Sr. in New York City, honoring his wishes by spreading his ashes at the filming location of Maid in Manhattan. They are joined by Annie, Kimiko, and Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso). Kimiko attempts to visit Frenchie (Tomer Capone) in jail, but he refuses to see her following his confession of past crimes. At the Vought News Network, Firecracker (Valorie Curry) steps in as interim anchor after Cameron Coleman’s (Matthew Edison) departure—he was executed by The Seven in Episode 5 for leaking incriminating video data. This data had cleared two Starlighters of charges related to Home Teamers’ deaths.

A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) alerts Mother’s Milk about the Federalist Society event and Homelander’s plan to amass an army of Supes. At the same time, Black Noir II (Nathan Mitchell) expresses his dissatisfaction over not being invited to the gathering while drinking sake with The Deep (Chace Crawford). A-Train rescues Mother’s Milk from a suspected heart attack while trying to save Hughie from Tek’s dungeon. As he takes Mother’s Milk to the hospital, a young boy’s awe at witnessing a superhero in action brings a rare moment of satisfaction to A-Train. Kimiko and Annie manage to rescue Hughie, and they punish Tek Knight by making large donations to social justice organizations from his bank account. Tek reveals that Homelander and Sister Sage plan to imprison their “dissidents” in his private jails across the country.

In a surprising twist, Firecracker reveals she’s been taking lactation pills, positioning herself as Homelander’s new wet nurse—a role reminiscent of Madelyn Stillwell (Elisabeth Shue) from earlier seasons. This development appears aimed at controlling Homelander, echoing Stillwell’s previous influence over him. Episode 6 of The Boys Season 4, while featuring its characteristic bizarre and uncomfortable moments, demonstrates strong storytelling. Creator Eric Kripke skillfully weaves political satire into the narrative, integrating it into the plot without coming across as overly preachy. The Federalist Society event serves as a vehicle for Sister Sage’s scheme to convince powerful politicians to invoke the 25th Amendment, positioning Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit) as president, thus advancing the season’s central storyline.

Kripke also addresses contemporary political issues through the characters, notably in a scene involving Senator Calhoun (David Andrews) and Victoria Neuman, which ends in a dramatic fantasy sequence. This scene adds depth to Victoria’s character and reinforces her involvement in the coup plot. While Episode 5’s over-the-top gore was humorously excessive, the BDSM-themed scenes in Tek Knight’s dungeon bring a new level of disturbing absurdity to the show. These scenes are more revolting and unsettling than even the most outrageous moments from Fifty Shades of Grey. Additionally, Homelander’s ongoing obsession with breast milk continues to be one of the series’ most peculiar and bizarre storylines. Despite its uneven tone, Episode 6 contributes to the season’s progression with compelling plot twists, particularly regarding Butcher’s dilemma and Homelander’s plans. Though not the best episode of the season, it stands out for its creative storytelling and pivotal developments. New episodes of The Boys Season 4 premiere every Thursday on Prime Video.