The Butcher Quotes From The Boys That Make Us Love Him More

The Boys is many things: a scathing deconstruction of modern superhero storytelling, an intimate look at the consequences of events larger than any one person, an uber-violent action-adventure tale ... the list goes on. In between its gruesome moments and serious themes, however, The Boys leaves plenty of spare room for levity. It's a welcome reprieve — a breath of fresh air, in a world where characters never know what (or who) is going to fly around the next corner.

Of course, not every character is prone to cracking off one-liners. Starlight (Erin Moriarty), for instance, isn't someone viewers expect to take on stand-up comedy any time soon. Not that she's never made a joke, but she's more an earnest viewpoint character, than anything. Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), on the other hand, nabs every opportunity he can to sass his way through or out of a situation — a classic and well-done case of masking personal tragedy with comedy. 

Here are a few quotes of his that make him all the more endearing, no matter what atrocities he's capable of as the leader of the titular Boys.

Some spoilers for The Boys ahead!

Hughie's (Jack Quaid) initial reluctance in joining the Boys' war against the destruction and corruption sewn by "Supes" (their term for any superpowered person) is completely understandable. Yes, his girlfriend Robin (Jess Salgueiro) is a fatal victim of a Supe's collateral damage, but no matter how Butcher tries tempting him, he has no experience with that level of danger and risk. Eventually, however, circumstances catch up to Hughie, and he and Butcher end up in a brutal melee with a Supe.

This particular Supe, Translucent (Alex Hassell), has the power to alter the meta-material his skin is made of to seem invisible to the naked eye. In the midst of their fisticuffs, Butcher can't help but comment on the Supe's name choice: "Translucent doesn't even mean invisible, it means semi-transparent." And ... his killer combination of irony and sarcasm is absolutely correct. Translucent may as well call himself Wax Paper, or Frosted Glass, or something to that effect.

After claiming a narrow victory in the fight with Translucent, Butcher and Hughie flee the scene with the unconscious Supe in their trunk so as not to be implicated with the blood and property damage they leave behind. Capturing a Supe is a success, in and of itself, but — in living up to his surname — Butcher isn't in the business of letting selfish super-beings off the hook that easily. Indeed, this is just the beginning for Translucent, and for Hughie, a greenhorn's greenhorn.

Back at a temporary base, Butcher and Frenchie (Tomer Kapon) try out different methods in their quest to kill the nigh-invincible Translucent, one of which is to pump him full of volts. It doesn't work, and Hughie — still unaware of the full picture — is thankful the Supe is still alive. A sighing Butcher fills the young man in: "We didn't bring him here for a f***ing Happy Meal." It takes a minute for Hughie to understand, but Butcher's darkly funny sarcasm soon clicks. No drive-thrus for this guy.

Butcher's leadership tactics are unique, to put it nicely, but his charisma and skills are both undeniable. Every member of The Boys clashes with him on multiple occasions, yet they ultimately put their stock in him. They'd teeter on the edge of directionlessness without Butcher — which is basically what happens to them when he is separated from the group near the end of season one, courtesy of Homelander (Antony Starr).

Summoned back into the fold by Frenchie, Butcher finds the Boys laying low, out of sight from the seemingly all-seeing eye of Vought International, the company behind Supes' fame and fortune. Despite the ridiculous-looking tracksuit he's wearing, he walks up to Hughie and makes it clear who's in charge: "Don't you worry. Daddy's home." It's as demeaning to Hughie as it is hilarious to the viewers, but both parties know what Butcher's really saying. With him at the helm once again, things are going to get done.

Independent personalities with their own ideas of how things need to get done don't always mesh well together. Such is the case for the three original members of The Boys: Butcher, Frenchie, and Mother's Milk (Laz Alonso). They didn't break apart before the events of the show for no reason, and rounding them up for a second anti-Supe crusade proves no small feat on Butcher's part. Keeping their collective eye on the ball proves even harder, and just as they're about to disband once again, Butcher whips out his ultimate trump card...

The Spice Girls.

Listing off all five members of the nineties pop group and their lackluster achievements since breaking up the band, Butcher concludes: "When they're apart, they're absolute f***ing rubbish. But. When you put them together, they are the goddamn f***ing Spice Girls." Frenchie and M.M. don't want to admit it, but Butcher hits the mark with his unexpected and strange analogy. Their differences don't simply subside after that, yet they know they stand the best chance against Vought together. The camera cuts, soon after, but there's little doubt Butcher victoriously hummed "Who Do You Think You Are" all the way home.