The Boys producers have issued a disclaimer clarifying that the the assassination storyline in the show’s Thursday season finale—though similar to the events at Donald Trump’s Pennsylvania rally this past weekend where he said he was injured by a bullet as two people were injured and one was killed—are “coincidental and unintentional.”
“The season finale of The Boys contains scenes of fictional political violence, which some viewers may find disturbing, especially in light of the injuries and tragic loss of life sustained during the assassination attempt on former President Trump,” the statement says. “The Boys is a fictitious series that was filmed in 2023, and any scene or plotline similarities to these real-world events are coincidental and unintentional,” it continues, before condemning “real-world violence of any kind.”
A shortened version of the disclaimer appears on screen before the episode begins.
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The show, which chronicles the lives and society of superheroes in a world where they’re treated as celebrities and even influence politics, is known for its depictions of violence and gore. Fans praise the show for its realistic portrayal of what life in America would be like if superheroes actually existed—and how not all of them would be good guys.
The statement comes after The Boys used several of its storylines to directly parallel the MAGA movement and Trump’s influence. The story points are often very on the nose, including reenacting its own versions of Trump’s attempts to usurp the office after his 2020 loss and the violent events of January 6. As show creator Eric Kripke told Entertainment Weekly, “We write about whatever is pissing us off or frightening us at the time.”
But the show’s producers are now clarifying that the assassination storyline in the latest episode was not one based on the violent events at Trump’s Pennsylvania rally, despite the strange timing. (The previous episode title had been “Assassination Run,” but was changed to “Season Four Finale” on the Prime Video platform, according to USA Today).
Fans of The Boys have pointed out several times prior to the season four finale that the show has, at other times, seemed to predict the future. Star Jack Quaid addressed the common coincidences when he told The Daily Beast, “It’s really, really weird.”
“It almost feels like a Simpsons thing where we’re predicting the future,” he remarked. “And I don’t love it because it’s usually something horrible. Sometimes I’m like, ‘Oh shit, a new season’s coming out, what’s going to happen in the real world?”
For more, listen to ‘The Boys’ star Jack Quaid on The Last Laugh podcast.
