The Boys Deaths We May Never Recover From

"The Boys" is one of the most violent, disturbing, and shocking television shows out there. Although the series has no shortage of creative death sequences, the most disturbing aspects of the show are often the ways that it mirrors our current reality. Between government corruption, the rise of fascism, media propaganda, and sexism within the entertainment industry, it's almost terrifying how many real-world issues "The Boys" has been able to address.

Even if you take your children or younger relatives to go see new installments in the Marvel and DC superhero movie franchises, you'll want to keep the kids as far away from the television as possible if you're catching up on "The Boys." The show is a searing indictment of modern popular culture's obsession with caped crusaders. It takes place in a world where many superheroes work for a powerful conglomerate called Vought International. The corporation controls a ruthless group of superheroes known as The Seven. With "The Boys" Season 4 already confirmed, here are some of the wildest and most shocking deaths from the series (so far) that fans may never recover from.

While some television shows take a while to find their footing, "The Boys" knew exactly what type of show it wanted to be from the very beginning. Even in the first few episodes of the series, it was clear that "The Boys" was unafraid to include extreme violent and sexual content. Even though there have been R-rated comic book movies before, the series has a habit of pushing the viewers' comfort level. The first few episodes of the show served as a perfect warning for potentially sensitive viewers: If you think what you've seen so far is too much, just wait until you see what's coming.

In the third episode, "Get Some," Hughie works with Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) to spy on the super-powered celebrity and former Teenage Kix member Popclaw (Brittany Allen). Like her boyfriend, A-Train (Jessie T. Usher), Popclaw is addicted to drugs and has little control over her superpowers. She's approached by her landlord, Aleksy Lutz (Christian Bako), who asks for her rent payment. Popclaw seduces him, and they begin engaging with each other intimately which leads to Popclaw accidentally crushing Aleksy's head. This was a case in which the viewers were able to react to the shocking moment at the same time that the characters did as Hughie, Butcher, and their allies watch from a video monitor. Frenchie (Tomer Capone) and Mother's Milk aka M.M. (Laz Alonso) later use the video to blackmail Popclaw.

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

"The Boys" forces characters to make unlikely partnerships in order to defeat their enemies. While Butcher has no love for the government, he reluctantly works with CIA Deputy Director Susan Raynor (Jennifer Esposito). Butcher asks for Susan's help, as he knows that she has the resources to protect M.M. and Hughie's families. Susan agrees to help Butcher but tells him the CIA cannot bring Homelander (Antony Starr) to justice. Homelander is too powerful and well-respected to be defeated. She fears that going after him will put everybody at risk. 

In the Season 2 episode "The Big Ride," Susan reassures Butcher, Hughie, Frenchie, and M.M. that their families are still safe. However, she says that a series of mysterious deaths are linked to an enigmatic new super-powered terrorist that she is close to tracking down. Before Susan can reveal any more critical information, her head suddenly explodes and splatters the other characters with blood. Susan's death has remained one of the most unexpected moments in the series so far. Although "The Boys" often kills off major characters, Susan had been part of the story since the first season. It was surprising to see her get killed off so early in the second season by a mysterious Supe who would strike again.

In many television shows, the most shocking moments of any given season are saved for the last episode. Although "The Boys" Season 2 finale, "What I Know," certainly had no shortage of surprises, the biggest twist of the season actually occurred at the end of the penultimate episode, "Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker." Throughout the season, Hughie, Butcher, and Annie have been trying to expose Vought Industries' corrupt actions to the public. They plan to reveal Vought's connections to Compound V to the media.

Hughie finds a potential ally in Congresswoman Victoria Neuman (Claudia Doumit). In "Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker," Victoria presides over a Congressional hearing where retired Vought scientist Jonah Vogelbaum (John Doman) is scheduled to testify against Vought. However, the hearing is thrown into chaos by an unexpected attack. Just as Jonah prepares to give his testimony, his head suddenly explodes. He's not the only victim of the attack, as several other attendees' heads also shockingly explode. Initially, Victoria is a sympathetic victim in this crisis. However, "What I Know" reveals an even more shocking twist: Victoria actually has superpowers that she is hiding from the public. She is the "head-popper." 

"The Boys" doesn't just satirize superheroes. In Season 2, the series added commentary on cult-like religious extremists through the development of the enigmatic The Church of the Collective. The principles and beliefs of The Church of the Collective are vague, but they are very influential within "The Boys" universe. In the second season, The Deep (Chace Crawford) falls under The Church of the Collective's influence.

The Collective's chairman, Alastair Adana (Goran Visnjic), aims to improve The Deep's public reputation. The Deep appears in several commercials supporting The Collective. In many amusing moments, The Deep acts in commercials, where he talks about how his newfound faith has changed his life. It's only after A-Train is brought into the organization that The Deep starts to question his new associates. However, Alastair is ultimately the victim of his own corruption. After calling Victoria Neuman to congratulate her on the creation of the Federal Bureau of Superhuman Affairs, Alastair's head detonates.

"The Boys" does a great job at bringing back former movie stars and giving them amusing roles. Haley Joel Osment was one of the biggest child stars of the 1990s, co-starring in hits like "Forrest Gump," "The Sixth Sense," "Pay It Forward," "A.I. Artificial Intelligence," and "Secondhand Lions." Osment appears in a funny extended role on "The Boys" as the character Charles, who is also known as the celebrity superhero "Mesmer," or "The Mesmerizer."

Mesmer frequently appears at fan conventions and signs autographs. He agrees to help Butcher and offers him knowledge about Homelander. Mesmer hopes that he will be able to exchange the information in order to reunite with his daughter, Cleo (Zoe Ambrose). However, Mesmer's alliance with Butcher is short-lived. After betraying The Boys and informing Homelander, including supplying the dangerous Supe with photos of the group, Mesmer and Butcher get into a vicious brawl. Butcher brutally smashes Mesmer's head into a sink over and over and kills him.

After The Deep's failed attempt to rescue the bottlenose dolphin in the first season, he once again accidentally brings one of his aquatic friends into harm's way. In the Season 2 episode "Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men," The Deep is still trying to prove that he is a hero. Butcher, Hughie, and their friends pilot a speedboat, fleeing from The Seven and aiming to escape through a tunnel. The Deep imagines himself standing defiantly against them, riding a giant whale in a moment of triumph.

Unfortunately for him, Butcher is not threatened by The Deep's giant new animal ally. He drives the speedboat directly into the whale, impaling the creature through the belly. The whale (which The Deep names "Lucy") is instantly killed. Although this is only a brief moment in the episode, it actually required some of the show's most complex VFX work. It took the "The Boys" production crew about five months to complete.

Butcher goes through an emotional reckoning in the Season 1 episode "Good for the Soul." He meets with his sister-in-law, Rachel (Brit Morgan), and discusses the presumed death of his wife, Becca (Shantel VanSanten). Butcher is angry when he finds out Rachel bought a headstone for Becca, even though her body was never found. Butcher does not learn about his wife's survival until the end of the first season, so his heightened emotional state is understandable. It was important to show Butcher at his most vulnerable.

Butcher and M.M. continue their investigation into Compound V by breaking into a Vought lab. They discover that Vought has been injecting infants with Compound V to give them superpowers. They are barely given time to process this realization when guards immediately show up to capture them. As they elude their pursuers, Butcher uses one of the infants as a weapon by unleashing the child's laser eyes, cutting down the guards. 

Despite ruthlessly dispatching Naqib's henchmen at the beginning of the season, Black Noir had one of the most tragic deaths on "The Boys" thus far.  After spending the previous two years shrouded in mystery, season 3 allowed viewers to finally sympathize with Black Noir, who deals with his long-simmering trauma in a disturbing animated sequence. During it, we learn that, when Noir first joined the superhero team known as Payback, he fought alongside Soldier Boy, who bullied him throughout their time together.

Black Noir ultimately betrayed Soldier Boy and handed him over to the Russians at the behest of Stan Edgar. Later, Noir became Homelander's closest ally and advisor, and teams up with him in season 3 to bring Soldier Boy down. However, their alliance is not destined to last. Homelander learns that he was made from Soldier Boy's DNA; in a sense, Soldier Boy is his father. Black Noir knew this, and hid it from Homelander for his entire life. 

Even though Black Noir was trying to protect his friend from a potentially abusive parent, Homelander needed a father during his childhood, and is distraught to the point of tears. And so, he rips out Black Noir's internal organs and leaves him to die. Homelander isn't averse to killing members of the Seven, of course, but Black Noir was his one real friend. "The Boys" has had more brutal deaths, but seeing Homelander's blind rage unleashed on his most trusted companion is truly unnerving.