The Boys: Billy Butcher Comic & Show Differences

Highlights

Butcher’s complex character in both the comic and show adds depth to his brutal war with Supes.
Butcher’s ethical differences between versions impact decisions regarding Supe genocide and morality.
Billy Butcher‘s character differences, from his wardrobe to connections with Love Sausage, show his evolution.

As a huge fan of The Boys, I’ve been captivated by Billy Butcher’s complex and tragic backstory. His life has been filled with pain, loss, and a desire for justice that often led him down dark paths.

As a dedicated gamer, I can’t help but be drawn to the captivating character of Billy Butcher from “The Boys.” This tough-as-nails Brit isn’t afraid to roll up his sleeves and break the rules to achieve his goals in his relentless war against Supes. Whether it’s Karl Urban’s portrayal on screen or the intricately written version in the comics, Billy Butcher is a character that leaves us pondering the complexities of morality and power.

During the course of the comic series, Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson developed the enigmatic and intriguing character of Billy Butcher. Known for his grudge against Superman and meticulously planned revenge on each member of the team, it appears that the portrayals of Butcher in both versions are taking distinct paths.

Spoiler warning for Amazon Prime Video’s The Boys

12 Butcher’s Head Is Screwed On

Butcher Doesn’t See Familiar Faces As His Morality

The Boys: Billy Butcher Comic & Show Differences

I’ve worked in the butcher shop next to Butcher for years now, and let me tell you, he doesn’t require any angel or devil whispering in his ear to make decisions. His choices are starkly clear – often leading to actions that can only be described as cruel. Yet, he seems to wear these actions like a badge of honor, finding justification in the belief that it’s what his late wife would have wanted.

As a devoted fan, I’d express it this way: In the captivating series, I see Butcher grappling with a mysterious tumor that brings back his late wife Becky and an old friend named Kessler. These two characters serve as his guardian angel and devil, influencing him in conflicting ways. The fact that V bestowed him with this tumor, leading to such vivid delusions, presents a Butcher unlike any we’ve encountered before.

11 Committing Supe Genocide

Butcher’s Ultimate Plan Involves Killing Anyone With Compound V

Billy Butcher harbors a deep-seated desire: it’s not only Homelander he aims to eliminate, but every individual with Compound V in their system. Butcher’s scientific prowess leads him to create a lethal virus. However, his plan faces a significant challenge – traces of Compound V appear to be ubiquitous in food products. Consequently, Butcher’s supposed act of terrorism could morph into an unintended genocide, potentially claiming the lives of millions of blameless people just to eradicate a select few harmful Supes.

In Season 4, Butcher is presented with a dilemma: he abducts Sameer Shah, the creator of the V-Virus, and orders him to enhance the virus to kill Homelander. However, the resulting virus becomes dangerously potent and spreads through the air. Butcher, contrasting his comic book counterpart, refrains from giving in to this risky proposition.

10 A Clean Shaven Brit

Butcher Doesn’t Sport Facial Hair

Supporters of Amazon Prime Video’s TV series may straightaway observe distinct variations between Billy Butcher portrayed by Karl Urban contrasting to his comic book counterpart. While Urban’s Butcher sports disheveled, styled hair and a beard, comic book Butcher appears clean-shaven with short locks. The absence of a beard in the comic version intensifies the chilling grin during Butcher’s confrontations with Supes.

In comic books, Butcher’s attire is consistently the same – a black jacket and t-shirt being his daily uniform. This is unlike the Butcher portrayed in the show who boasts a more diverse clothing collection.

9 Discharged From The Royal Marines

Frequent Bar Brawls Would Cost Butcher His Job

In the world of “The Boys” comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, Butcher’s personal history and secrets were largely unexplored even after the series concluded. To satisfy the curiosity of many fans, Ennis and Robertson collaborated once again in 2011, producing “The Boys: Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker” as a prequel, revealing the background and backstory of this enigmatic and violent British character.

Butcher had served in the Royal Marines but was dismissed due to several physical altercations with his comrades. His aggressive actions were self-inflicted, and despite Billy’s esteemed reputation as a Marine, even earning the colonel’s support during his court-martial hearing, Butcher declined this assistance and chose to leave that chapter of his life behind.

8 Butcher Is A Supe

Butcher Has Compound V In His Veins

Since the beginning of “The Boys,” Billy Butcher’s character has been portrayed as edgy and intense. However, the show introduced this aspect more prominently in Season 3, with significant consequences. Despite being overconfident, Butcher can confront superheroes like Homelander without any noticeable increase in his heart rate due to Compound V in his system.

Having closely followed the intriguing world of “The Boys” and its super-powered inhabitants, I can’t help but be utterly captivated by the extraordinary abilities that some characters possess. Among them is the power to withstand immense physical harm – falls from great heights, punishing blows, and powerful kicks. This gift is both awe-inspiring and terrifying in equal measure.

7 Friends With Love Sausage

Butcher’s Russian Supe Friend

As a dedicated gamer, I can’t help but be excited about the intriguing characters that grace the pages of The Boys comic series. One such character who leaves a lasting impression is none other than the infamous Russian Supe, affectionately known as The Love Sausage.

In a strange turn of events, this former superhero, now a Moscow bar owner, is known for his unusual preference: brake fluid. Love Sausage, as he’s called, has an intriguing quirk – he loses his ability to walk in a straight line when excited, adding to the eccentricity of the world of “The Boys.” Despite this oddity, he maintains friendly relations with The Boys and collaborates with them to thwart certain super-villains.

6 Butcher Meets Becky On The Subway

Becky Laughs At His Injuries And They Fall In Love Instantly

As an avid fan of “The Boys” in both its comic book and television adaptations, I can’t stress enough how significantly Becky Butcher, a cherished character, impacts Billy’s life. She is more than just his lover; she is the world to him. Amongst the chaos that surrounds them, Becky is the rare humanizing element for Butcher.

Becky and Billy first met on the subway, where Billy was sitting next to her beaten and bloodied. Becky found his state amusing and said he looked like a panda with his black eyes. It was love at first sight, and Billy laughed at her jokes and listened to her. As they got to know each other in a bar, Billy got up to get into a bar fight, but Becky’s gentle touch on his hand calmed him.

5 Terror The Dog’s Fate Determines A Scorched Earth

If Terror The Dog Dies, Butcher Has Nothing Left To Lose

As a devoted fan, I’ve noticed that Terror, the menacing character in the Amazon Prime Video show, doesn’t make an appearance as frequently as he does in the comics. However, Butcher’s canine companion sets himself apart from other dogs in a unique way. Instead of learning common commands like “sit” or “stay,” Terror is given a crude command that triggers him to attack whatever or whoever is specified.

Instead of viewing Terror as merely Butcher’s violent pet, he is considered more like a trusted companion. Butcher harbors deep affection for Terror. In the comics, when Jack from Jupiter eliminates Terror, Butcher retaliates by exposing damning evidence against Homelander, igniting a potential global conflict among all superheroes.

4 Killed The Baby That Killed Becky

Butcher Fights The Newborn That Was Created From Homelander’s Assault

As a gamer, I can’t help but feel a pang of sadness when recalling Butcher’s story. Things took a turn for the worse when I returned to London. My wife, Becky, started acting strangely towards me, often avoiding my gaze and keeping a distance. I couldn’t fathom what I had done to deserve such treatment. But then, three months passed, and one fateful night, I was jolted awake by an inexplicable sensation. To my horror, Becky’s body was convulsing, giving birth to a grotesque super-powered fetus that slashed its way out of her.

Billy suddenly came to life with shocking speed, taking the newborn’s life with his bare hands and a lamp from a desk. The infant’s immense power left Butcher in no doubt – this heinous deed could only have been committed by one person: Homelander, an malevolent being bearing similarities to Superman in our world.

3 Veteran Of The Falklands War

Butcher Was The Sole Survivor Of His Platoon

During the Falklands War in 1982, as a member of the Royal Marines, Billy took part and experienced the exhilaration of taking a life for the first time during the battle on Mount Kent. This conflict demonstrated to him that he was capable of serving an essential role in the world, despite its morally ambiguous nature.

When when all members of Butcher’s squad were tragically lost, he found himself the sole survivor. With a heavy heart, it was now his mission to avenge his comrades-in-arms by taking down the enemy. In a hidden foxhole, Butcher ruthlessly eliminated an entire Argentinian unit, claiming the lives of each soldier.

2 Butcher Kills The Boys

Butcher Kills His Friends So They Can’t Stop His Ultimate Plan

After what I, as a devoted fan, thought was the peak of the comic’s storyline with Homelander’s rule coming to an end following his ill-fated coup of the supposedly idiotic heroes, the world seemed to return to normalcy. The Boys had achieved their goal, or so we believed. However, things couldn’t be that straightforward.

Butcher shortly embarked on a ruthless mission to eliminate those carrying Compound V in their system, affecting not only the powered individuals but also the vast population who unknowingly consumed it. This marked the climax of Butcher’s scheme, a desperate act he would undertake following the tragic betrayal and elimination of his dearest companions.

1 Died Saving Hughie

Butcher Is Paralyzed And Manipulates Hughie Into Killing Him

Despite playing the antagonist role in the narrative, Butcher’s connection with Hughie reached a moving resolution. When Hughie challenged Butcher atop the Empire State Building, enraged, he tried to tackle him but instead plunged through the glass, seemingly to his demise. However, unexpectedly, Butcher grabbed him in mid-air, and they both tumbled down together.

Butcher and Hughie engage in a deep conversation, sharing reasons behind Butcher’s past actions. Billy offers compassionate guidance for Hughie’s relationship with Starlight. Injured, Butcher implores Hughie to end his life rather than face a future of paralysis and prison. Despite his initial refusal, Hughie eventually complies after being provoked by Butcher’s insensitive remarks – remarks that did not involve the harm of Hughie’s parents.

2024-07-15 22:55