Top Line
The latest episode of “The Boys,” a popular Amazon Prime Video series that satirizes right-wing politics and is seen as a critique of former President Donald Trump, was originally going to be titled “Assassination Attempt,” but is now being titled “Season 4 Finale” in the wake of the assassination attempt on President Trump.
The latest episode of “The Boys” was originally titled “The Assassination Mission.” (Photo: Michael … [+]
Key Facts
The episode, which premiered on Prime Video on Thursday, also includes a warning to viewers at the beginning, stating that “any similarities to recent events are purely coincidental and unintentional.”
Prime Video posted a statement on Instagram on Thursday morning, warning viewers that the episode contains scenes of “fictional political violence” and condemning real-world political violence.
The statement noted that in light of the assassination attempt on President Trump, some viewers may find the episode’s content disturbing.
According to Prime Video, the episode was filmed in 2023.
The final few episodes of The Boys see several characters plotting to assassinate President-elect Robert Singer, played by Jim Beaver, while other characters, including Jack Quaid’s Hughie Campbell, try to thwart it.
Main Background
The Boys is set in a world where superheroes exist as powerful and corrupting figures in society, and has drawn many comparisons to real-world politics, particularly to Trump and other right-wing politicians. Series creator Eric Kripke said the series, first conceived in 2016, was conceived as “a story about the intersection of celebrity and authoritarianism, and how social media and entertainment are being used to sell fascism,” noting that the Trump campaign influenced the themes of the series. Some viewers have also drawn parallels between the antagonist superhero character Homelander and Trump. Kripke said in 2022 that the character “was always an analogue for me of Trump,” noting his “explosive mix of utter vulnerability and insecurity and terrifying power and ambition.”
Amazing facts
Some viewers of “The Boys” have been mocked on social media for not realizing the show’s critique of right-wing politics. “It took some people 4 seasons to realize The Boys was making fun of them all along,” one user tweeted, garnering more than 400,000 likes. The tweet cited a scene in which a character gives a bizarre speech claiming that kids are being forced to be transgender and promoting the QAnon-related adrenochrome conspiracy theory. Kripke expressed surprise that some viewers perceive the villain Homelander as a hero, saying, “What do you think about that? There are many elements to this show. Subtlety isn’t one of them.”
tangent
The Boys season 4 finale aired just five days after Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump was shot just after 6pm on July 13, leaving him with a wound in his right ear and a bloodied face. The suspect, later identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, shot Trump before being killed by Secret Service agents. Trump made his first public appearance since the shooting, appearing with a bandaged ear at the Republican National Convention this week, where he was nominated as the Republican presidential candidate.
References
The Boys’ anti-‘woke’ critics mocked on social media, creators say the series was always meant to be a satirical right-wing critique (Forbes)
Suspected Trump gunman posts cryptic online message with date of rally shooting: What we know about Thomas Matthew Crooks (Forbes)
Yes, The Boys’ Homelander was supposed to be Donald Trump (Rolling Stone)