Episode four of Amazon Prime Video’s Original Series The Boys, starts with Laz Alonso’s Mother’s Milk watching an old video of Jensen Ackles’s Solder Boy. Where the viewer sees Mother’s Milk deal with his mental health issues. With some past childhood trauma at the hands of Solider Boy, Mother’s Milk character seems to have shape the remaining parts of his life around his current mental health state due to witnessing his family’s death. Perhaps, his obsessive-compulsive disorder derives from the event he witnessed? It could be implied that; he believes that in some sort of way he is responsible for what happened. Upon further examination, Mother’s Milk has more than just obsessive-compulsive disorder that he must deal with. The viewer sees that he deals with survivors’ guilt, as well as post-traumatic stress disorder. Whenever someone brings up Soldier Boy, he immediately reacts by lashing out, tapping something, or fixing something. These are clear signs that a person needs help dealing with the problem.
The next time we see Karl Urban’s Billy Butcher he’s dealing with Katia Winter’s Little Nina. Where the viewer is treated to a fantastic interaction between the two. Butcher is a brutal man that gets results. His need for inflicting pain gives him an edge when dealing with normal people. However, Little Nina is equally good at inflicting pain as well as getting results. When these two come face to face, they know intimidating has no sway with the other. It’s almost as if they are playing a game of chess just by how they speak.
Further into the episode, the viewer sees Jessie Usher’s A-Train trying to do something good for the black community. This is where the show juxtaposes A-Train’s narrative with how some real-world corporations deal with racial politics in their everyday practices. In everyday life they always talk about how racial profiling, is the worst thing to happen to anyone. Also, they take to social media to express how they stand with the victims of said profiling. They even go as far as to join in on the posting of black squares on social media. While in the show Colby Minifie’s Ashley Barrett a CEO mentions that she and Vought supports Black Lives Matter. Expressing how she posts black squares on her social media all the time. The interesting thing is her and Vought never actually do anything to show support. They only get involved if it’s profitable. This shows that corporations say they support the Black Lives Matter movement. Unfortunately, it’s just all talk to make them establish trust between the company and the consumer. The show does a wonderful job at peeling away the layers of corporate greed in that regard.
When the viewer sees Dominique McElligott’s Queen Maeve she’s training with hopes of dying. Giving her involvement in the plane crash who could blame her if she wants to die. Maeve is yet another interesting character. She is an alcoholic that dabbles in debauchery to deal with her problems. The viewer can tell she hasn’t stopped feeling guilty ever since the failed plane rescue. It can even be inferred that she drinks to forget her part in the incident. She is a classic case of self-punishment. She doesn’t want to live because she believes she doesn’t have that right. Maeve could very well be the only person in the seven besides Erin Moriarty’s Annie that has a conscience. Dying in the attempt to kill Antony Starr’s Homelander for her is her redemption. Only Annie, maybe the only one who can convince her that forgiving herself is the true way to redemption.
The episode ends on a high note, with the crew questioning everything they have done. For the longest time they have fought to keep the superheroes in line. Unfortunately, when Butcher decides to use temporary compound v the entire foundation of what they are crumbles. Going forward, the show will get more interesting with Butcher’s secret now out into the light. As the viewer sees Butcher take delight as he uses his powers to kill his enemies. It begs the question is Butcher really any different from Homelander? Or did the powers reveal just what type of monster Butcher truly is? All in all, the episode was great it’s just that the viewer doesn’t really get too much time with Little Nina. Her interactions with Butcher were great to watch since they love dealing out pain. It’s as if Butcher is talking to a female version of himself.
Rating: 7.5/10