Even though The Boys is a show that doesn’t hold back when it comes to extreme violence on screen, one of Butcher’s most important killings took place in secret.

Throughout The Boys series, Butcher killed a good number of people—both humans and superhumans—though one of those deaths was a little more covert than the others. The Boys is well known for its graphic portrayals of extreme violence, and Butcher is typically the one who brings the brutality to the page. However, this time, Butcher killed a significant character “off camera,” as one of the series’ principal artists has confirmed.

Artist Russ Braun of The Boys reveals in the backmatter of The Boys Omnibus #5 that Butcher killed Greg Mallory, the Boys’ founder, in secret. Billy Butcher was brought on by World War II veteran Mallory to a newly formed task force (whose name was still up in the air) whose mission was to keep superpowers under check and out of the armed forces. But after Lamplighter killed his grandchildren, Mallory chose to retire and placed Butcher in command of the Boys. Sadly, that retirement was not intended to last.

Hughie Campbell sensed Butcher was becoming more and more insane as The Boys comic series was nearing to a close. Thus, upon discovering that Mallory was the mastermind behind the Boys, Hughie got in touch with him. Mallory informed Hughie what he knew about the Boys and about Billy Butcher personally during their conversation. As a matter of fact, Mallory played a crucial role in Hughie’s eventual success in stopping Butcher’s plan to exterminate all superpowers worldwide. After that, he vanished from sight, leaving his future completely uncertain. Until, that is, musician Russ Braun declared, “And yes, Mallory is dead.” Although Butcher killed him off-camera, it’s obvious that he’s dead.”

Confirmation of Mallory’s Murder Means Only 1 Member of The Boys Made It Out Alive

Up until this confirmation, it was completely plausible that Mallory escaped Butcher’s wrath at the end of The Boys, which would have meant that both he and Hughie made it out alive, as Butcher succeeded in killing every other member of the Boys before he ultimately died as well. However, with Russ Braun clearing this dangling plot thread up in The Boys Omnibus’ backmatter, it’s revealed that Hughie truly is the last ‘Boy’ standing.

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The fact that Hughie really is the last of the Boys only adds to the weight of The Boys finale. In the end, Hughie takes over the task force and does his best to work with Stillwell and Vought to ensure the safety of civilians and supes alike through non-violent and above-board means. Hughie represents a new chapter for those who would stand up against superhumans that use their powers wrongly. By being the only one left from the previous chapter, that metaphoric fresh start becomes even more pronounced.

Butcher Murdering Mallory Gave Him the Catharsis He was Robbed Of

The Boys: Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson

In Butcher, Baker, Candlestickmaker, Billy recounts some of the worst moments of his life in front of his dad’s open casket. Butcher’s father abused Billy throughout his childhood, just as he abused BIlly’s brother and mother. Not only that, but his father remained a negative force in Butcher’s life even into adulthood. At the end of this storyline, Butcher urinates on the face of his father’s corpse, but what he really wanted to do was kill the man himself – and it’s that aggression that Butcher was able to let out on his father figure, Greg Mallory.

The confirmation of Mallory’s death has metaphoric significance for the entire The Boys series, as well as personal significance for Butcher himself. However, what’s more significant than anything else in The Boys about Mallory’s death is the confirmation itself, even if it was one of Butcher’s most unspectacular kills, given that it was done “off camera”.