r/TheBoys • u/MrSluagh • Jul 22 '24

Butcher was right. Season 4

Hughie had it backwards. It's the desensitization that made him sympathize with Victoria Neumann. Someone who has murder victims at least in the double digits, very conservatively counting only on-screen killings. And most of those were cold-blooded and for Machiavellian reasons. She had an understandable point of view, and deserves more sympathy than Homelander, who deserves more than none. Sure, she was manipulated, but there was no sign she wouldn't kill more innocent people given a reason. There isn't room in the world for a bulletproof blood-Magneto, unless maybe she's been conditioned from childhood to abhor all violence and devoted her life to medicine. If you had a good opportunity to kill Victoria Neumann, that would be the ethical thing to do.

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u/Ducky181 Jul 23 '24 edited Jul 23 '24

The famous military strategist known as Sun Tzu also indicated that “ an attack on the enemy should begin only after the enemy has no opportunity to either defend or counterattack”. An event that Butcher utilised perfectly.

In reality, Neuman had plenty of times to surrender, and avoid her countless killings. She wanted to stop fighting as she in essence lost. This is not someone who developed a different mindset. She would have continued her same ruthless behaviour if she was winning, it’s just her circumstances changed. While for A-train his entire mindset changed.

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u/hillswalker87 Jul 23 '24

this is an excellent point. A-train could have turned on the boys at any point, and ingratiated himself to HL. he chose not only to not do that but even went so far as to help them, which had a high probability of getting him killed.

he went good with the option to selfishly not to. that's a legit redemption.

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u/Ducky181 Jul 23 '24

Exactly. In particular when A-train circumstances really did not change. He could have easily still been an important and vital member of the seven like he has been for the previous decade.

Instead he choose to give the leak to Hughie, he choose to tell the Boys about the meeting, he choose to save Hughie, and mothers milk, and choose to directly intervene when the Depp, and black noir attacked the boys. Everyone of these actions placed his reputation, and his own life in danger.

In contrast, Neuman never showed any signs of changing her behaviour, beliefs and mindset. Only when her circumstances changed that led to her being politically trapped did she offer to assist the boys in return for security, not out of desire to seek amends.

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u/WebAlone3224 Jul 23 '24

That one typo made me imagine that whole fight with Johnny Depp instead of the Deep

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u/OneFierceBeerCoaster Jul 23 '24

Butcher and Depp as Jack Sparrow posturing in a room together exchanging, "Oi,"s.