Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Boys season 3Billy Butcher and Hughie Campbell's temporary powers are becoming more dangerous, but The Boys already explained how they can keep them permanently. After not giving Billy Butcher powers and the rest of the boys in the first two seasons, Prime Video's live-action adaptation of Garth Ennis' comics finally included them in season 3. This came after the discovery that Vought invented Temp-V, which can give anyone superpowers for 24 hours. Billy and Hughie have become increasingly fond of their powers, but now they pose a great to threat them. With The Boys season 4 on the way, there's no better time to explore how The Boys Butcher and Hughie can keep their powers.
Since Temp-V is still a developmental drug, the all-powerful Supe company has not worked out all the kinks just yet. Butcher and Hughie knew that it could be dangerous to use them, but The Boys season 3, episode 7 revealed they could be lethal. Starlight discovered Vought's research about Temp-V and learned that the superpower-giving drug proved to be lethal between someone's third and fifth doses. That sets up the possibility of Butcher and Hughie dying, as they have both used the drug at least three times. The episode even ends with Billy and Hughie setting out to get more, despite Starlight's warning to Butcher. Here's how Billy Butcher's powers and Hughie's teleportation can become permanent — despite Permanent Substance V being temperamental.
Butcher And Hughie's Powers Still Aren't Permanent
The reveal that Temp-V is deadly after three to five doses means that either Butcher and Hughie will give up their abilities in the near future or that they are poised to die by remaining powerful. While it might seem that their deaths are right around the corner, The Boys already revealed how season 3's Billy Butcher powers can remain intact. One of the subplots of The Boys season 2 was that Vought was experimenting with a way to give adults Compound V without killing them. These tests led to great casualties, but it was also confirmed that Vought cracked the code to give adults powers — as evidenced by Cindy in season 2. If Cindy's powers can be permanent, then Butcher and Hughie can keep their powers by upgrading from Temp-V to regular Compound V.
Two Adults Have Successfully Used Permanent V In The Boys
Although The Boys has not addressed Cindy's status since she was shown to be alive in season 2, the series has continued to build on the testing that took place at Sage Grove Center. The return of Love Sausage in season 3 indicates that he is also a success story for Vought's testing of giving adults permanent powers. The Boys season 3, episode 7 even spent a great deal of time on Kimiko getting her powers back in a similar fashion. She injected herself with Compound V again to regain her healing abilities. While it might have only worked on her because she previously had the Vought drug in her blood, Kimiko's powers returning in full could inspire Butcher and Hughie to go all the way.
With this option on the table, the real question is whether the Billy Butcher powers becoming permanent is something The Boys wants to do. This would not only be a deviation from the comics, but it would also completely change the power dynamic of the show ahead of season 4. Butcher's transformation into being even more like Homelander would continue, while Hughie's powers could then split him and Starlight up. However, she might also have to be the one to acquire Compound V for them. In any case, The Boys has a path to let Butcher and Hughie keep their powers despite the dangers of Temp-V.
Would Butcher Or Hughie Want Permanent Powers
The Billy Butcher powers debacle on The Boys came with some major consequences for both Hughie and Billy — but would either of the boys want permanent Supe abilities? The answer is somewhat complicated. On the one hand, Billy might want permanent powers because he'll do anything and everything to reach his goal. Butcher went up against Homelander with his Temp V powers in The Boys season 3, episode 6, and surprisingly held his own against the iconic Supe. Remembering this, Butcher might want to keep his powers to bring Homelander down. Hughie would have his own reason to want to make his powers permanent, i.e., protecting Starlight. Hughie has always dealt with feeling inadequate when it comes to protecting his one true love, and when taking Temp V, he felt like he became the man that Starlight was always meant to be with.
On the other hand, outside the horrible Temp V side effects, there are plenty of reasons why the Billy Butcher powers shouldn't be made permanent. Butcher's hatred for all things superhero might be enough to have him keep his powers in a temporary capacity, rather than a permanent one. While Butcher feels like Temp V has helped him level the playing field, making his powers permanent could cause the character to wrestle with his conscience — what little of it he has — as it would make him no better than a Supe. In addition, Starlight made it very clear to Hughie that she doesn't want him using Temp V because of how dangerous it is, and that she loves him just the way he is. Despite Hughie's insecurities, he does listen to Annie and wants to make her happy above all else. It's possible that the boys' powers in The Boys could become permanent, but that depends on some crucial character choices.
Episodes of The Boys are available on Amazon Prime Video