Billy Butcher's Tragic Demise Looms in Season 4 of 'The Boys' (SPOILERS)

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers from Season 4, Episodes 1-3 of The Boys.

The third season of Prime Video's hit satirical superhero series The Boys ups the ante by introducing V24, aka Temp V. As the season unfolds, both Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and Hughie (Jack Quaid) experiment with the drug and gain superpowers of their own. Yet, it's Butcher who falls prey to addiction, his health deteriorating rapidly.

By the time the Season 3 finale rolls around, everyone's favorite foul-mouthed antihero's condition worsens, leaving him terminally ill from his constant use of Temp V. With that in mind, does Butcher die in Season 4 of The Boys? Here's what we know.

For those unaware, the first three episodes of The Boys Season 4 are now available to stream on Prime Video! You can expect the usual dose of blood and guts, but here's the silver lining: Butcher survives... at least for the time being.

Ahead of the Season 4 premiere, showrunner Eric Kripke spoke with CNET and touched briefly on Butcher's worsening state.

"He's got quite the ticking clock of only a few months to live," Eric Kripke revealed to the outlet. "So, you very inevitably start thinking of your legacy: 'What are you leaving behind? What do you want to do with the time you have left?'"

Eric continued, "He's screwed up so badly. He's pushed away the only part of his life who's still alive: Ryan. His team doesn't trust him and the stakes are higher than they've ever been. He has a lot to try to put together in the little bit of time he has left while he's at his weakest and most vulnerable."

As the season kicks off, it's clear that Butcher is in a downward spiral due to the effects of Temp V. He's seen battling bouts of vomiting and struggling to maintain his usual stealth.

Eventually, viewers are clued into the grim reality: Butcher has only a few months, maybe as little as six, left to live. To make matters more intense, the former British special forces member even experiences hallucinations, including an encounter with his late wife, Becca (Shantel VanSanten), by the end of the first episode.

In the second episode, titled "Life Among the Septics," Butcher finds himself ousted from the titular team, yet his determination remains unshaken. He lends a hand to some of the members in taking down formidable Supes, earning thanks from MM (Laz Alonso).

As he reflects on his life, Butcher opens up to MM, confessing his mistakes and owning up to the messes he's made. With time running out, he's unable to fix them. However, Butcher is steadfast in ensuring Ryan's (Cameron Crovetti) safety and is more committed than ever to keeping the boy away from Homelander (Antony Starr).

Butcher calls on MM for backup, but gets shut down as the ex-Marine Corps medic bluntly states, "Too f--king little, Butcher, too f--king late." Nonetheless, Butcher is determined to right his wrongs before his time runs out.

Through a video game, Butcher convinces Ryan to meet him at his house for a chat. During their encounter, Ryan spots Butcher's bleeding ear, leading him to ask the vigilante if he's "scared to die." Butcher responds with a casual "I'm alright with it," but Ryan sees through the facade, knowing when Butcher is lying.

So, while Butcher makes it out of the first three episodes alive, his fate beyond that doesn't seem promising for the remainder of Season 4.

New episodes of The Boys drop on Thursdays at 3 a.m. EST on Prime Video.