Fan Theories on The Worm Under Billy Butcher's Skin in The Boys

Theory 1: It’s The Boys’ version of Venom

Image Credit: Prime Video

One fan theorized that, rather than killing Butcher, it’ll transform into a supe similar to Marvel’s anti-hero, Venom. “Homelander even pointed it out and referred to it as a black mass wrapping around Butcher’s brain. I’m theorizing that Butcher isn’t actually dying. He’s being affected by The Boys‘ version of Venom. It’s a black lifeform of some sort, moving around inside Butcher’s body, and now Butcher is hallucinating,” they wrote.

“My theory is that ‘Becca’ is actually the parasite manipulating Butcher, and Butcher will eventually embrace the creature, and become a version of Venom. Also, I bring this up, as we just got in episode three of season four, the confirmation of a Boys version of Spider-Man, called Web-Weaver. Now I don’t think Butcher’s gonna be swinging around the city, but I do feel there is more to his tumor than they’re saying. I feel it’s alive [sic].”
Theory 2: He develops anti-supe powers

Image Credit: Jasper Savage / ©Amazon / Courtesy Everett Collection

Another fan theorized about Butcher’s powers, but instead of becoming a Venom-like supe, he turns into a supe-killing hero. “Buther gains a decaying v powers that allows him to kill others that have a V in their blood, so my theory is that he can control other’s V by making the V in them explode,” they wrote. “That way he truly becomes what he wanted to be since the beginning, a c—t thats expert on killing only sups, plus the show kept making sure to show how OP blood manipulation is, from head popping to life saving and even weapons [sic].”

Another fan had a similar theory on a different subreddit. “My theory is that he is mutating from the Temp V, and will ultimately become some sort of Supe. He has to stay alive till the last season, so they can’t kill him off this season,” they wrote. “All of this makes me a firm believer that something is mutating and changing him, whether it be for better or worse. He might be able to talk to ghosts(?) and we just think they are hallucinations [sic].”
Theory 3: It’s keeping Butcher alive

Image Credit: Jan Thijs / ©Amazon / Courtesy Everett Collection

One fan speculated that the Temp V could have, somehow, absorbed the cancer and the worm is actually keeping Butcher alive. “To me the cancer took the compound V instead of butcher and its becoming a symbiote and its conjuring hallucinations to keep butcher going [sic].”

This echoes a similar theory from another fan. “I think it’s his cancer cells that were affected by the V he took. I’m pretty sure there was a similar plot in one of the boys: diabolical episodes (which was confirmed as canon),” they wrote. Another agreed: “The Temp V gave him cancer, and the real Compound V gave the cancer superpowers and sentience.”
Theory 4: It’s a mutated tapeworm

Image Credit: Prime Video

This one’s a bit grosser than the previous fan theories, but it includes speculation as to how Butcher was able to kill Ezekiel in season 4, episode 4. “I know I might be reaching a bit but I think when Butcher took the compound V, he had a tapeworm inside him. The worm was exposed to the V and it became a supeworm,” wrote one fan.

“Now tapeworms are parasitic creatures and have a symbiotic relationship with the host. It needs the host to survive so if the host becomes threatened, it would react in order to save the host which would explain why the wrom came out of Butcher and killed the guy who was tryna strangle him [sic].”

The Best The Boys‘ Theories on the Worm Inside Billy Butcher’s Head

Sophie Hanson

Theory 1: It’s The Boys’ version of Venom

Theory 2: He develops anti-supe powers

Theory 3: It’s keeping Butcher alive

Theory 4: It’s a mutated tapeworm

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