Butcher takes Temp V in The Boys season 3 in order to “level the playing field” and gain powers. In an interview Karl Urban confesses his true motivations behind this decision.
In The Boys season 3, Billy Butcher, played by Karl Urban, gains superpowers when he takes something called Temp V. What exactly are his motivations behind doing this? Mama’s Geeky asked Karl Urban exactly this during an exclusive interview because fans know how much he is against Supes.
Urban says that for him, Butchers main motivation to take it is the fact that he could feel that the noose is tightening around the security of Ryan, and it was only a matter of time before Homelander would find him. Even though Ryan is not his son, he is his wife’s son, and Butcher has a love for him. “That’s the justification that Butcher used in his mind.”
That said, Urban feels there is more to Butcher’s true motivations for taking Temp V. “Butcher was frustrated with the status quo and the fact that there was no traction in the war to bring down The Seven.” He wants to destroy Homelander and so it is a combination between the two of those things that allows him to justify taking the drug.
Is Butcher A Villian?
Something else that was touched on during this interview was the question, is Butcher a villain. Creator and Head Writer Eric Kripke thinks everybody is the hero of their own story. “One of the core rules of the show, even with Homelander, is that no one wakes up and looks in the mirror and says, I’m going to be evil today.” All of the characters in The Boys fervently believes they’re doing the right thing.
“I wouldn’t know how to write Butcher if Butcher really thought he was being bad on purpose. He’s just a very angry man. He has a lot of issues.” Kripke then jokes that even though it would be a far less interesting show, Butcher should probably just be in therapy. “Even though he does terrible things, there’s a spark in him that’s really good and wants to do the right thing.”
Karl Urban chimes in that one of the wonderful aspects about the writing of The Boys is that all of these characters, no matter how heinous their actions at times, all of these characters are imbued with these wonderful flaws. This is what humanizes them. “An audience can watch the show and while not condone the character’s actions, can actually empathize. It’s not just black and white. It’s whole shades of grey.”
Be sure to check out Billy Butcher in action with his new superpowers when The Boys debuts episodes one, two, and three on Prime Video June 3rd.
Related: Antony Starr Admits Homelander Is The Weakest Member Of The Seven
About The Boys Season 3
It’s been a year of calm. Homelander’s subdued. Butcher works for the government, supervised by Hughie of all people. But both men itch to turn this peace and quiet into blood and bone. So when The Boys learn of a mysterious Anti-Supe weapon, it sends them crashing into the Seven, starting a war, and chasing the legend of the first Superhero: Soldier Boy.
The Boys is a fun and irreverent 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. Intent on stopping the corrupt superheroes, The Boys, a group of vigilantes, continue their 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. It’s the seemingly powerless against the super powerful.
Season Three of The Boys stars Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Dominique McElligott, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Nathan Mitchell, Colby Minifie, Claudia Doumit, and Jensen Ackles.
The Boys Season 3 will premiere on Prime Video with the first three episodes on Friday, June 3, and new episodes available each Friday following, culminating in an epic season finale on July 8.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.