Hughie's Mom Returning Was The Boys Season 4's Most Baffling Story

Warning: SPOILERS ahead for The Boys season 4, episode 8.

There are a lot of storylines throughout The Boys season 4, and Hughie’s mom returning is probably the most baffling of the bunch. The Boys season 4 puts Hughie through the wringer, and the first half of the outing homes in on his relationship with his family. With Hughie’s father on his deathbed after an unexpected stroke, he’s forced to contend with losing the man who raised him. He also finds himself facing his mother again, and Daphne Campbell’s return offers him closure over her departure from the family years earlier.

Daphne’s sudden return left viewers thinking she’d become a villain in The Boys season 4, a theory the latter half of this outing seems to debunk. And that twist might have been more satisfying than how The Boys season 4’s ending actually handles Daphne’s story. After the fourth season finale, the return of Hughie’s mother feels even more perplexing. One has to wonder why The Boys’ writers included her, especially when her introduction amounts to very little.

Hughie’s Mom Played No Role In The Boys Season 4’s Second Half

She Only Sticks Around For Hugh Sr.’s Death

Despite The Boys season 4 making a big deal about the return of Hughie’s mom, Daphne doesn’t play a significant role in the latest season. Her purpose doesn’t extend beyond supporting Hughie through Hugh Sr.’s death. After Hughie’s father dies, Daphne mentions returning home. She doesn’t appear again in the fourth season, and she isn’t even mentioned. Given how quickly Daphne fades into the background, one has to wonder what the point of her inclusion was in the first place. Sure, it’s nice to see Hughie get closure over his mother, but it feels like she should have done more.

With The Boys season 5 likely to focus on the showdown between Butcher and Homelander, it’s doubtful that Daphne will get another chance to step into a greater role. While we might see her one more time before the series comes to a close, the latter half of The Boys season 4 doesn’t set up a story for her. That’s a shame, as Rosemarie DeWitt plays the part impressively — and viewers were definitely expecting more from her character once she showed up.

Hughie’s Mom Wasn’t Connected To The Boys’ Main Plot At All

She Didn’t Have An Important Role At All

Although Hughie grows as a character thanks to Daphne’s return, it’s disappointing that his mother doesn’t connect to The Boys season 4’s main plot. Her entire purpose is to push Hughie forward, but her conversations with her son prove she’s an interesting character in her own right. It would have been nice to see the Amazon series do more with that. At least Daphne being a secret villain — or even the shapeshifter assassin — would have given her introduction more meaning.

Of course, Hughie’s mom didn’t need to be a villain to fit into The Boys’ main narrative. She could also have used her connection to Vought for good, helping The Boys in their fight against Homelander and The Seven. This would have further redeemed her for Hughie and the audience. If the series gave her Supe powers, she could even have been an asset to the team in The Boys season 5. As it stands, Daphne doesn’t have much to offer in the final outing. If we see her again, it will likely be during a brief reunion with her son.

The Real Purpose Of Hughie’s Mom In The Boys Season 4

She Helps Hughie Grow Through A More Human Story

Daphne’s role is limited in The Boys season 4, but her introduction isn’t totally pointless, as it helps Hughie grow as a person. It seems her narrative is meant to tell a more human story, teaching Hughie the importance of forgiveness. As this lesson comes back in The Boys season 4 finale, one can say that Daphne influences Hughie’s choice to strike a deal with Neuman. He even says as much in his speech to The Boys, emphasizing that hating people like his mother and A-Train isn’t brave.

The Boys definitely could have done more with Daphne’s character, but at least she affects the show’s fourth season in some way. Whether we’ll see her again is another story, as the latest outing leaves her with little else to do. If she was a Supe or secret villain, she’d have a role to play in The Boys season 5. As it stands, she’ll probably just be locked up with the rest of the non-Supes — and it’s doubtful we’ll even see it happen.

The Boys

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.

Character(s)

Billy Butcher , Hughie Campbell , Homelander , Annie January , A-Train , Mother’s Milk , Kevin Moskowitz , Frenchie , Kimiko Miyashiro

Release Date

July 26, 2019

Seasons

4

Franchise(s)

The Boys

Writers

Eric Kripke

Showrunner

Eric Kripke

Creator(s)

Eric Kripke

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