The Boys season 4, episode 6 reveals that Butcher isn’t seeing or speaking to the real Joe Kessler, as Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s character is long dead when the new episodes unfold. Butcher’s old friend died in the Panjshir Valley, and the version of him that appears in The Boys season 4 is simply a creation of Butcher’s mind. Butcher’s brain tumor is making him hallucinate in the fourth outing, something his visions of Becca already confirm. When Kessler responds to Becca in “Dirty Business,” it becomes clear that he’s also a side effect of Butcher’s cancer.

While Becca represents Butcher’s conscience and compassion, Kessler symbolizes a darker part of Karl Urban’s character. Throughout The Boys season 4, he pushes Butcher to defy MM’s orders, betray Ryan’s trust, and take extreme measures to neutralize Homelander. Episode 6 even sees him suggesting genocide as a means of eliminating the threat Supes pose to ordinary humans. It’s obvious Kessler is the devil on Butcher’s shoulder, with Becca serving as his angel. But while Becca’s appearances make sense given Butcher’s relationship with her, his reasons for seeing Kessler may be less clear.

The 2 Main Reasons Butcher Sees Joe Kessler (& Not Another The Boys Character)

Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Character Brings Out Butcher’s Worst Impulses

Butcher and Kessler don’t have the extensive history Butcher has with Becca, so it initially seems strange that he represents Butcher’s inner devil. However, Butcher’s mind conjuring Kessler makes sense for two key reasons. First, Butcher’s memories of his friend make it obvious that they brought out the worst in one another. When Kessler was alive, they bonded over their shared hatred of Supes. They imagined what it would be like to embrace their worst impulses, and Butcher still associates his crueler thoughts and feelings with Kessler.

They imagined what it would be like to embrace their worst impulses, and Butcher still associates his crueler thoughts and feelings with Kessler.

Butcher also seems to have a lot of guilt and shame surrounding his darkest desires, and those are emotions he directly connects to Kessler. Butcher carries the guilt of Kessler’s death with him, as he failed to save his friend in the Panjshir Valley. It makes sense, then, that Kessler appears whenever Butcher is experiencing guilt — whether it’s for resenting his team or for wanting to kill all Supes for a shot at Homelander.

The Boys Season 4’s Joe Kessler Reveal Makes Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Role More Restricted

He Can Only Interact With Butcher & Becca

The Boys season 4’s Joe Kessler twist may be an exciting one, but it does come with downsides. Although it’s intriguing to see how Butcher associates different parts of himself with different people, the show’s Kessler reveal severely limits Morgan’s role. The actor is a highlight of the latest outing, so it’s a shame he can’t interact with anyone besides Butcher (and his hallucinations of Becca). Kessler won’t be able to have his own storylines, and The Boys can’t lead into any spinoffs about the character. So, while this twist tells viewers more about Butcher, it comes at a cost.