With Prime Video’s The Boys S4 just around the corner, here are five things fans can’t wait to see

MUMBAI: Prime Video’s popular satirical superhero series, The Boys etched a special place in the hearts of viewers worldwide with its dark humour, brutal action set pieces, and unapologetic social commentary. Based on the eponymous comic book series, the show is a fun and wacky take on what happens when superheroes—who are as popular as celebrities, as influential as politicians, and as revered as gods—abuse their superpowers rather than use them for good. With the intent of stopping the corrupt superheroes, The Boys, a group of vigilantes, embark on a heroic quest to expose the truth about The Seven and Vought—the multibillion-dollar conglomerate that manages the superheroes and covers up their dirty secrets. With season 3's explosive finale, fans are bursting with excitement for season 4. Here's what's got them super-hyped:

The Rise of Soldier Boy
Season 3 gained a powerful new player: Payback's edgy leader, Soldier Boy (played by Jensen Ackles). He tore through his former teammates with Butcher and Hughie by his side, only to set his sights on the ultimate supe - Homelander. Their epic brawl at Vought Tower ended with Maeve taking Soldier Boy down and putting him back in cryostasis. Though they spared his life, the season left the door open for his return in season 4. But what does that mean? Soldier Boy probably isn't thrilled about another nap, and revenge might be on his mind. Could this lead to a much-anticipated re-match between Soldier Boy, Butcher, and Homelander? Well, only time will tell.

The Fallout of Butcher's Berserk Mode
Last season, Hughie finally gave Butcher that Compound V temp-V.  While it landed them a major win, the effects are yet unknown. Will Butcher retain his newfound power? or will it come at a terrible cost? The Boys can't afford a volatile Butcher, but a superpowered one could be a game-changer. In an interview, showrunner Eric Kripke had shared, “What we find fascinating about the question we’re asking about Butcher is, is he self-aware enough to realize that he’s causing his own misfortune? Is he self-aware enough to actually see if he can change? Those are some of the interesting conversations we’re starting to have for Season 4.”

Starlight's Leadership
Maeve's sacrifice left a power vacuum in The Seven. Starlight, once the wide-eyed rookie, is now a seasoned hero with a platform. Will she take charge and reshape The Seven from within? or will Homelander tighten his grip and crush any dissent? Erin Moriarty, who plays the role of Starlight, shared, “Every season, we go a little bit deeper with each character. The characters… that you thought would be villains, you start to learn a little bit more about them that perhaps makes you feel, not that they’re good guys, but that there are always gonna be details that you can never anticipate, that prevent you from putting that character in a box.”

Black Noir Reboot
The mysterious backstory of Black Noir has finally been revealed, and it's a tragic one. Harboring aspirations of rising to the ranks of stardom, Noir sought to become a comedic actor, only for his dreams to be dashed by Soldier Boy and his frail ego. Noir would then go on to be nothing more than Vought's silent assassin until Homelander finally ends his pain. But that's not the end for the character, it seems. In an interview, showrunner Eric Kripke revealed that "it's an easily re-castable role," as the audience never sees Noir's face. So they can just put another supe behind the mask. What will that look like? Well, Kripke teases that this new character will be "much sillier and hilarious."

The Seven’s Revenge or a New Dawn?
By the end of Season 3, The Boys left The Seven in shambles. The Seven really isn't the Seven anymore. With Noir dead, Maeve in hiding, and Annie joining The Boys, all that's left are Homelander, A-Train, and the Deep. Not exactly an awe-inspiring team. With Homelander in charge and his son by his side, he will likely build a team in his image, with no input from Stan Edgar. But who will join this new Seven? After all, Homelander will need people he can trust to build his "new family" and, more likely than not, ones who are terrified of him and will do whatever he says: this is proving to be an unsettling prospect for  The Boys.

These are just a few things that have left The Boys fanbase on the edge of their seats. With the creative team's penchant for pushing boundaries, season 4 promises to be even crazier, bloodier, and more thought-provoking than ever before. The Boys is based on The New York Times best-selling comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, who also serve as executive producers, and developed by executive producer and showrunner Eric Kripke. The series, from Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios, is all set to return with the upcoming season on June 13, 2024, in English with dubs in Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam only  on Prime Video.