‘The Boys’ Season 4 Finale Nearly Pulled After Trump Shooting

The last episode of The Boys Season 4 nearly didn’t broadcast after the attempt on President Donald Trump’s life in July 2024.

The fourth season of the show ends with Homelander plotting to kill the newly elected President, Robert Singer. His goal is to replace him with Vice President Victoria Neuman, whom he manipulates through threats against her daughter. If he succeeds, Homelander would effectively take control of the U.S. government, creating a Vought-controlled administration where people with superpowers would rule the country.

The fourth season concluded on Amazon Prime Video on July 18, 2024, simply titled “Season Four Finale.” However, recent events nearly prevented its release.

The new episode was set to launch on Prime Video just days after the July 13, 2024, shooting attempt on then-candidate Donald Trump. While giving a campaign speech in Pennsylvania, Trump was shot near his ear by a gunman later identified as Thomas Crooks.

Eric Kripke, the showrunner, told Polygon that directing the Season 4 finale caused a lot of stress for the production team.

I was seriously worried about whether the show would even come out! I had so much invested in it, and apparently, there was a real chance it was going to be delayed. It even went all the way to Andy Jassy, the CEO of Amazon, for a decision, but thankfully, he gave the green light!

Fortunately for the creators of The Boys and Saul Kripke, Amazon’s CEO allowed the episode to air, but with a single condition.

Kripke said the only feedback he received was, ‘Just change the title. It’s a bit much, but it’s different enough, and we’ll support it.’ He was very relieved they approved it, adding that the stressful 24 hours he’d had felt minor compared to everything else happening in the world.

The last season of the TV show The Boys, which is based on the comic book series, will start streaming on Prime Video on April 8th with the first two episodes. New episodes will be released each week, with the final episode arriving on May 20th.

The Most Evil TV Villains of the Last 25 Years

Homelander (The Boys)

We expect superheroes to keep us safe, but Homelander, the villain from The Boys, is terrifying because he’s the opposite of that. He’s dangerously unstable, incredibly strong, and completely lacks empathy. Even knowing his difficult past doesn’t make his actions excusable. He cruelly manipulates and harms others – he’s responsible for a girl’s death, forces a horrifying act of loyalty, and brutally injures a superpowered individual. He even endangers hundreds of innocent people just to avoid a little effort. Essentially, he’s a Superman-like figure with the morals of a sociopathic Nazi, making him one of the most frightening villains on television today. (And his strange obsession with milk is just unsettling.)

Joffrey Baratheon (Game of Thrones)

Joffrey Baratheon was a cruel and terrible person, and while his difficult childhood – being the product of incest and raised by Cersei Lannister – doesn’t justify his actions, it helps explain them. As the illegitimate son of Cersei and Jaime Lannister, and a false heir to the throne, he was incredibly spoiled and entitled. Joffrey was sadistic, cowardly, and full of himself, delighting in the suffering of others. He famously humiliated and abused Sansa Stark, and even tortured people for fun. His lack of honor and betrayal of Ned Stark – promising mercy then ordering his execution – was a particularly petty act that ultimately led to a devastating war and the eventual destruction of King’s Landing.

Cartman (South Park)

It might seem surprising to see a seemingly spoiled 10-year-old cartoon character on a list of the most evil TV villains, but we’re talking about Eric Cartman. He consistently bullies his friends, particularly with hateful and prejudiced behavior – he even intentionally gives one friend HIV. Cartman’s extreme behavior includes dressing as Hitler and pretending to want to harm Jewish people after watching a movie, tormenting kids with red hair, and faking a disability to win a competition. He’s a master manipulator, once tricking a friend into thinking the world had ended just so he could go to a party. Perhaps most disturbingly, he coerced another child into eating his deceased parents during a chili cook-off over a mere $16. Cartman is bigoted, cruel, and shows no regret for his actions, making him one of the worst villains in television history.

Kilgrave (Jessica Jones)

Kilgrave, or the Purple Man, is the central antagonist in the first season of Netflix’s Jessica Jones. However, the harm he inflicts on Jessica goes far beyond what viewers see on screen. Kilgrave gained the ability to control others through spoken commands, and he deeply traumatizes Jessica by manipulating her into committing terrible acts. He completely takes away her agency, forcing her into a harmful and unwanted sexual relationship and continuing to torment her even after she escapes his control. The trauma he causes Jessica continues to affect her life long after he is defeated.

Aku (Samurai Jack)

Aku, a being of pure evil born from a cosmic darkness, is the main villain in Cartoon Network’s Samurai Jack. He doesn’t simply conquer the world; he dominates it harshly, turning much of the Earth into a desolate wasteland. Aku is incredibly cunning and spiteful, and he especially enjoys tormenting Jack. He cruelly traps Jack in the future, preventing him from stopping Aku’s rule and cutting him off from his family and friends, essentially condemning Jack to a miserable existence for decades.

The Governor (The Walking Dead)

In The Walking Dead, the walkers aren’t the biggest danger – other people often are. The Governor, a major villain in seasons 3 and 4, perfectly illustrates this. He led a fortified town through fear and control, hiding his ruthlessness behind a charming facade. He was incredibly dangerous, experimenting on walkers, torturing people, and even carrying out mass executions to stay in power, and threatened sexual assault as well.

Ramsay Bolton (Game of Thrones)

While characters like Cersei and Joffrey might be more famous villains in Game of Thrones, Ramsay Bolton is arguably the most purely sadistic. Unlike Joffrey, whose cruelty stemmed from his upbringing and power, Ramsay seems simply unhinged. He’s a cold-blooded sociopath who doesn’t just inflict physical pain, but deliberately breaks people psychologically, stripping them of their spirit – as seen in his horrific treatment of Theon Greyjoy. He brutally abuses Sansa Stark, both physically and emotionally after marrying her against her will, and callously orders the burning of Winterfell, killing innocent people. Beyond that, he cruelly murders Rickon Stark in front of his brother, hunts people for sport, and even feeds victims to his dogs.

Bill Cipher (Gravity Falls)

Despite his goofy name and playful appearance with a top hat, Bill Cipher from Disney’s Gravity Falls is a truly terrifying villain. He’s a powerful demon from another dimension who wants to tear open a gateway to a horrifying realm called the Nightmare Realm, unleashing chaos and suffering in an event known as “Weirdmageddon.” Bill is unpredictable and manipulative, and he can subject people to fates worse than death. He’s responsible for an unimaginable number of deaths throughout history, including the destruction of entire galaxies and even his own species – he didn’t even spare his parents. It’s a truly chilling backstory.

Ralph Cifaretto (The Sopranos)

The Sopranos is full of terrible people—including, arguably, Tony Soprano himself. But when it comes to pure villainy, Ralph Cifaretto stands out. He’s deeply sadistic, appears to be a psychopath, and is incredibly unstable. Ralph seems to enjoy causing pain, even when there’s no personal gain. He’s constantly belittling others, is a serial cheater, and is responsible for multiple murders. Most shockingly, he even kills a horse for the insurance money. However, his worst act is the brutal murder of a young, pregnant stripper after she disrespects him. He shows absolutely no regret for this horrific crime.

Ed Peletier (The Walking Dead)

Ed Peletier doesn’t stay on The Walking Dead for long, appearing in just a handful of episodes in the first season. However, he’s a memorable character because of how disturbingly believable his cruel and violent behavior is. As the husband of Carol Peletier, he’s an abusive and pathetic man who frightens his wife and daughter, Sophia. He’s incredibly selfish and tries to control Carol, wanting to keep her away from other people so he can have complete power over her. Fortunately, he ultimately faces the consequences of his actions.

2026-04-07 21:57