Eric Kripke, the showrunner for The Boys, discusses the Batman and Alfred Pennyworth spoof in season 4, episode 6, and its implications.
The sitcom has always ridiculed DC superheroes, with Homelander as The Boys’ twisted version of Superman, Queen Maeve as Wonder Woman, the Deep as Aquaman, and A-Train as the Flash. Tek Knight, who first appeared onscreen in Generation V, is a parody of Batman, as seen by his extravagant wealth, a butler who has reared him since he was a young orphan, and a secret hideout known as the Tek Cave.
While speaking with TV Insider, Kripke highlighted how the Batman parody took a new turn during the events of “Dirty Business.” Kripke discussed how he and the writers exploited preconceived beliefs about “a real famous superhero” to confound expectations, with Tek Knight’s butler đđžđđing him. He also hinted at how Vought will deal with Tek Knight’s death and why this was a satisfying conclusion for the character. Check out Kripke’s thoughts below.
At this moment at least theyâre keeping Tek Knightâs death kind of on the down low. But heâs so awful. He just deserves a unique spot in hell. And we were just so taken with the idea that you are a wealthy orphan-turned-vigilante who has a butler take care of you. And the Butler is finally so sick of your s**t that he murders you. Such a delightful play on a real famous superhero that we just couldnât avoid it.
Season 4 Has Featured Some Of The Boys’ Best Superhero Parodies Yet
Tek Knight, The V52 Expo, And Webweaver Have All Been Highlights Of Season 4
Having Alfred đđžđđ Batman is just one of several effective superhero parodies in The Boys season 4. One of the clearest examples came in the previous episode, “Beware the Jabberwock, My Son,” when stages 7-19 of the Vought Cinematic Universe were revealed, offering enough movies and television programs to last for decades, a blatant swipe at Marvel’s phase announcements for years to come. The satire was heightened by names such as G-Men: Days Past from the Future and A-Train: Into the Multiverse, which were direct references to X-Men: Days of Future Past and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, respectively.
“Dirty Business” thenintroduced Webweaver, The Boys‘ take on Spider-Man. Webweaver was mentioned earlier in season 4 when Billy Butcher gave him a heroin enema in exchange for incriminating information about Firecracker, but he wasn’t seen until the new episode. The Boys took his costume to infiltrate Tek Knight’s exclusive party in the hopes of learning what Tek Knight and Sister Sage have been planning. In typical Boys‘ fashion, Webweaver’s web-shooting abilities had nothing to do with saving people, and entered far cruder territory.
Between the initiatives unveiled at the V52 Expo, the launch of Webweaver, and the events surrounding Tek Knight in the Tek Cave, The Boys continue to find fresh and amusing ways to parody superhero media. With superhero parody, particularly of DC and Marvel, being a key component of what set The Boys apart in the first place, it’s encouraging to see the series return to its roots. Tek Knight may be gone, but Homelander, the Deep, A-Train, Webweaver, and other characters provide plenty of fodder for superhero mockery.
