THE BOYS SEASON 4 FORESHADOWED THIS CHARACTER’S BIG COMPOUND V TWIST
– Ashley’s clothing in The Boys Season 4 hints at her transformation with Compound V, transitioning from prey to predator.
– Ashley’s fleshed-out arc shows her resilience and rebellion against Homelander, leading to drastic actions.
– Despite the uncertainty of her powers, Ashley’s decision to inject Compound V suggests she may ultimately side with The Boys.
The Boys Season 4 has ended in peril and left us with a whole heap of burning questions. The first ones that spring to mind might be Soldier Boy’s (Jensen Ackles) return, the fate of The Boys, or Butcher’s (Karl Urban) next steps, but another huge cliffhanger that gets lost in the chaotic finale is Ashley Barrett’s (Colby Minifie) Hail Mary decision to inject herself with Compound V. Although we’re not immediately made privy to the full result, what we’re shown of her transformation is terrifying enough. Her powers are yet to be seen, but the signs could have been there all along in Season 4 — in the form of her wardrobe.
The Clues Are in Ashley’s Clothing on ‘The Boys’ Season 4
Ashley has always been a flamboyant dresser; from bright red to chartreuse to fiery flame print, her pantsuits have always made quite the statement. But there is a particular genre — a subcategory, if you will — of Ashley’s wardrobe that could be foreshadowing a lot more than you may think. This clothing theory goes back to the Season 3 finale – otherwise known as simpler times, when Homelander (Antony Starr) had yet to set his sights on destroying democracy as we know it and was simply sorting out his daddy issues.
You may recall Ashley’s part in the episode when Homelander forces her to remove her wig, revealing her case of trichotillomania which causes her to rip out her entire head of hair. In this episode, she’s outfitted in a zebra print dress. It definitely seems like something Ashley would wear, but beyond that, it symbolizes her status at Vought as prey. However, it’s also the first time we really see Ashley rebel against Homelander, as she erases the security video that proves Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott) is still alive at the end of the finale.
One whole season and a handful of elaborate outfits later, Ashley enters the Season 4 finale in a sense of panic, fearful for her life considering her precarious position at Vought. However, while terrified, her outfit hints that she may be headed toward more power in The Boys’ final season. Outfitted in a flashy black and gold cheetah print, Ashley breaks into Homelander’s suite and injects herself with a dose of his Compound V. Her wig falls off, and her head bulges, mutating as the V courses through her veins. As opposed to her zebra print in the last season, Ashley’s new outfit resembles one of the most fierce predators in the animal kingdom, suggesting that she too may become a force to be reckoned with.
Ashley’s Arc in ‘The Boys’ Informs Her Compound V Transformation
Beyond her animal print clothing, Ashley has been given her most fleshed-out arc of the series this season, which alludes even more to her turn from prey to predator. Early in Season 4, Ashley is contemplating leaving her life at Vought behind. Despite rising to CEO of Vought, she has no real power and is instead used solely as a figurehead, constantly in fear of Homelander’s unpredictable behavior. But after witnessing Homelander’s murder of crime analyst Anika (Ana Sani), she shreds her resume and decides to stick it out at Vought. This resembles the actions of her Season 3 self: prey camouflaging into its predator’s surroundings.
While Ashley commits to staying as Homelander’s doormat, she finds whatever solace she can in little rebellious acts, like leaving a floater in his private bathroom. It isn’t much, but it is a step forward to expressing her hatred of Homelander. A discreet floater leads to an uneasy alliance with the equally radicalized A-Train (Jessie T. Usher). Now privy to the identity of the mole in Vought, she does what she can to cover her tracks, like framing VNN anchor Cameron Coleman (Matthew Edison), which results in his death. Despite having no correspondence with The Boys, Ashley is all in on her resistance plan, with no turning back.
Ashley’s Decision to Stay at Vought Proves Her Resilience
When A-Train outs himself as the leak and things come to a head, he also offers Ashley a way out. It’s everything she wanted and, at A-Train’s speed, she could be out of harm’s way in seconds, but she regretfully declines. As A-Train sets off, Ashley looks wistfully at an old photo she has framed, featuring a younger version of herself with cornrows and a Che Guevara shirt posing happily in what appears to be a foreign country. While hilarious, it also provides a wealth of context about who she was before Vought. The free spirit in that photo couldn’t be more different than the subservient Vought executive she is now, and she’s finally starting to realize just how much she’s changed.
When Homelander sends The Deep (Chace Crawford) hunting for “Ashlee,” she panics and raids Homelander’s personal supply of Compound V. While the show cuts away from the transformation, it seems to be a little more unforgiving than most Compound V scenarios, as it changes her physical appearance. However, the fact that the full reveal is being held until next season hints that it will be big. It will be intriguing to see what powers the V gave Ashley, but the real question is whether or not she’ll officially side with The Boys to take Homelander down. Whatever the outcome, it seems certain that Ashley will finally be at the top of the food chain (or at least close) for once.
The Boys Season 4 is streaming o
n Prime Video in the U.S.