Why Hughie's Mom Pulls THAT Compound-V Stunt In The Boys Season 4, Episode 4 (2024)

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Boys season 4, episode 4, "Wisdom of the Ages."

The Boys season 4, episode 4 finds Hughie contemplating if he should use Compound V to save his father, and the installment's shocking ending sees his mom injecting Hugh with the substance instead. Hughie's dad has a stroke early in The Boys season 4, and the tragic turn of events brings him face to face with his mother, Daphne, for the first time in years. It also leaves him grappling with the possibility of losing the parent who raised him. It's little wonder Hughie gets desperate enough to reach out to A-Train and ask for Compound V in episode 4.

A-Train comes through for him, but Hughie has conflicting emotions about saving his father in this way. And Butcher puts things into perspective before Hughie visits his dad for the last time. After really thinking it over, Hughie decides to let go of his father rather than turn him into a Supe. Unfortunately, when he leaves the hospital room, Hughie's mother finds the vial of Compound V and adds it to Hugh's IV instead. This is a surprising turn of events, and it may leave viewers wondering why she'd do such a thing.

Hughie's Mom Likely Wanted To Make Amends For Going Missing

She's Trying To Help Hughie In A Way She Never Could Before

The opening episodes of The Boys season 4 address where Hughie's mother has been, and it's obvious she feels terrible about leaving her husband and son behind. She tells Hughie that post-partum depression contributed to her leaving and that she didn't see any other way to get better. However, it seems she also wrote to Hughie after she left, something Hugh doesn't tell his son, likely because of his own bitter feelings towards his wife. Knowing the guilt Hughie's mother feels over leaving, it's possible she views giving Hugh Compound V as a means of making amends.

Daphne doesn't give an explanation for her actions in The Boys season 4, episode 4, but she might believe that Hughie intended to use the Compound V on his father. She isn't aware of the struggle happening inside her son, nor does she know about his last-minute choice not to inject Hugh. With that in mind. Daphne may have felt that she was doing her son a favor by taking the pressure to act off him. She's trying to give him the thing he so desperately craves — his father, awake and alive — because she wasn't capable of giving him the life he wanted her to.

Hughie's Mom Could Have A Secret Motive After The Boys Season 4, Episode 4

Her Connections To Vought Are Suspicious

Daphne's actions in The Boys season 4, episode 4 could come from a place of guilt. However, they could also indicate a secret motive that Hughie and the viewers aren't aware of. Daphne showing up after all this time is somewhat suspicious, even if The Boys finds a way to explain her sudden appearance. The fact that Daphne finds Hughie's Compound V feels convenient, and it raises questions about whether she's looking for something once he leaves the room. Perhaps Daphne has a reason for keeping Hugh alive — or even for using the V on him.

It's hard to say what this secret motive would be, but Daphne does reveal she has connections to Vought in The Boys' three-episode premiere. She downplays her role at the company, but it could be bigger than she's letting on. With Homelander and The Seven knowing who Hughie is, it's possible they've even recruited her to wreak havoc on the Campbells. Only time will tell if there's more to Daphne than meets the eye, but her surprising actions in episode 4 suggest she warrants closer inspection.

The Boys Season 4 Is Setting Up A Divide Between Hughie & His Mom

The Compound V Could Create Another Rift

Whatever Daphne's reasons for injecting Hugh with Compound V, The Boys season 4 sets up a bigger divide between Hughie and his mother in this moment. With Hughie deciding not to use the substance on his father, he probably won't be thrilled about his mother taking matters into her own hands. Although Hugh wakes up and seems unaffected, the truth is likely to come out. Any complications he faces will fall at Daphne's feat, as will any anger he feels over receiving Compound V. This will further complicate Hughie's already-tense relationship with his mom.

It's hard to say if Compound V will drive such a big rift between Hughie and Daphne that they resume not speaking. However, Daphne's behavior could push Hughie to become suspicious of her — perhaps rightfully so. Hughie's response to Daphne's actions will likely depend on how his father fares after waking up from his coma. If Hugh is truly fine, Hughie might come to thank his mother for the interference. But knowing The Boys, more surprises could await the Campbell family. And if things go awry, Daphne has set herself up as the person to blame.

We're Getting Supe Simon Pegg In The Boys Season 4?!

This Is The Most Exciting Development From Episode 4

The prospect of Hughie's mother becoming a villain is interesting, but it's not nearly as exciting as Hughie's dad becoming a Supe in The Boys season 4. Simon Pegg is one of the Amazon show's most-loved actors, and there's no denying the series underutilizes him during its early seasons. By injecting Hugh with Compound V, The Boys season 4 is finally giving Pegg a role worthy of his talents. If his character becomes a Supe in the coming episodes, it will deliver on something viewers have been waiting for since The Boys season 1: a bigger role for the actor.

There's no telling if Pegg's character will become a Supe as powerful as The Seven or one with less ideal abilities, but either development would give the actor fascinating new material to work with. If Hughie's dad develops powers that can rival those of the strongest Supes, he'll become a major asset to The Boys team — though he may be reluctant to join their endeavors. And if Pegg's new abilities come with downsides or complications, that will also open the door for an emotional performance. Hugh will likely be disappointed in his son and wife for giving him Compound V.

Needless to say, The Boys season 4 is setting up some interesting storylines for Hughie and his parents. Daphne's actions alone raise all kinds of questions heading into the back half of the season, and now the series must contend with Hugh's new circ*mstances as well. It's high time The Boys explored the Campbells in more depth, but hopefully, these twists won't impact Hughie too negatively. He's certainly been through enough already.

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The Boys is a superhero/dark comedy satire series created by Eric Kripke based on the comic series of the same name. Set in a "what-if" world that reveres superheroes as celebrities and gods who experience minimal repercussions for their actions. However, one group of vigilantes headed by a vengeance-obsessed man named Billy Butcher will fight back against these super-charged "heroes" to expose them for what they are.

Cast

Elisabeth Shue , Jensen Ackles , Goran Visnjic , Jessie T. Usher , Chace Crawford , Dominique McElligott , Laz Alonso , Nathan Mitchell , Aya Cash , Colby Minifie , Karl Urban , Erin Moriarty , Karen f*ckuhara , Jack Quaid , Antony Starr , claudia doumit , Tomer Capon

Release Date

July 26, 2019

Seasons

4

Streaming Service(s)

Amazon Prime Video

Franchise(s)

The Boys

Writers

Eric Kripke

Directors

Erin Moriarty , Karen f*ckuhara , Karl Urban , Jack Quaid , Eric Kripke

Showrunner

Eric Kripke