Boomhauer has become one of King of the Hill's most memorable, yet mysterious characters, but here's how the show's finale finally reveals his character's job. Famously crafted by creative powerhouses Mike Judge (known for his involvement in projects like Beavis and Butthead and Silicon Valley) and Greg Daniels (known for work on shows like The Simpsons and The Office), the dry comedy-infused animated series ran for a lengthy 13 seasons before making a recent return as a reboot.
The cartoon show has become iconic and beloved for, among other things, its incredibly unique chronicling of the life and times of Texas propane salesman Hank Hill and his friends and family. Despite King of the Hill's mellow, more subtly humorous nature, another part of its appeal is its colorfully crafted cast of characters. Of course, there's Hank, who's perpetually confused by the modern ways of the world - especially the antics of his teenage son, Bobby. There's also interesting supporting roles, like that of Hank's neighbor and friend, Dale Gribble, who is a hardcore conspiracy theorist and utterly distrustful of the government. King of the Hill has plenty of quirky characters, and Boomhauer (voiced by Mike Judge himself), Hank's friend and neighbor who's always referred to by his last name, receives a big character reveal at the very end of the show's original 2009 finale.
The final episode of King of the Hill season 13 (though, funnily enough, it wasn't the last to air), which is entitled "To Sirloin With Love," is an endearing and fitting way to bid Arlen, Texas and its residents "goodbye." The series' original conclusion even offers up a few satisfying details - which had long been shrouded in purposeful mystery - to its audience. Most notably, Boomhauer's wallet is shown, revealing that he works as a Texas Ranger. The secrecy surrounding his job had previously been one of King of the Hill's recurring motifs, effectively adding an enigmatic layer to his character, who is always portrayed throughout the series as a man with swift and hard-to-decipher speech, as well as having strong interests in women, cars, and his beloved sport of football.
Though it's satisfying to have a few more details on Boomhauer, many fans have voiced discontent with the profession he's revealed to have in the finale. In addition to explaining why the facts don't seem to add up, Reddit user irrelevant_inquirer makes assertions that take the cartoon Texan's profession a step further. The redditor theorizes that the reason Boomhauer's Texas ranger job is a secret throughout King of the Hill is that he works as an undercover officer monitoring his neighbor and "friend," Dale. They also point out, "Dale makes no secret of his opposition to the government. He's been a member of at least one local militia movement, has trafficked illegal weapons, and seems to have contact with international criminals... So, frankly, it would be alarming if Dale wasn't under surveillance."
Though the fan theory can never be proven either way (that is, unless the show's creative team decides to expand on the revelation within the recently premiered reboot), reasoning like this might very well explain Boomhauer's quiet professional life throughout the original show's 13 seasons. It would explain why he seemingly kept everything under wraps. As the Reddit post mentions, why else "would he [Boomhauer] be undercover in sleepy Arlen, TX," if a task like surveilling Dale wasn't his reason for being there? For a mostly lighthearted show, the power of what is, in the grand scheme of things, a more minor reveal is truly a testament to the intricacy of King of the Hill's fanbase-amassing characters and storylines - as well as the show's thoughtful placement of certain bits of world-building information.