Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s character in season 4 of The Boys is virtually identical to his most famous role

Warning: Spoilers for Season 4, Episode 6, “Dirty Business” of The Boys follow.

Joe Kessler could have a new presence in The young for Season 4, but the character feels like a comfortable pair of slippers for anyone familiar with Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s broader TV work. Before his appearance in The youngJeffrey Dean Morgan was widely recognized as John Winchester in SupernaturalNegan in The Walking Deadthe comedian in Guardianand Denny in Grey’s Anatomy. With SupernaturalThe creator of “The Last Man,” Eric Kripke, serves as showrunner on The youngIt was only a matter of time before Morgan followed the likes of Jim Beaver and Jensen Ackles into Amazon’s shocking superhero series.

After being shrouded in secrecy during Amazon’s marketing campaign prior to Season 4, Kessler debuted in the season premiere. Since then, Joe Kessler has held a central position in The young The season four cast quickly reveals themselves to be former Billy Butcher associates and staunch anti-Supe veterans who constantly push Butcher to give in to his most brutal temptations. However, every time Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Kessler appears on screen, there is a sense of déjà vu, reminding audiences of a completely different villain that the actor also plays.

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Joe Kessler from The Boys is pretty much Negan from The Walking Dead

Kessler could be confused with Negan’s version in the Boys’ Universe

Of all of Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s TV roles, Negan Smith is arguably his most iconic, and a large dose of The Walking DeadThe bat-wielding villain has clearly infiltrated Joe Kessler. On a fundamental level, both characters revel in ruthlessness and violence. Negan and Kessler are both thugs who would hit someone over the head first and then, if they felt like it, possibly ask questions later.

However, if you dig deeper, Negan and Kessler justify their violence by claiming that it serves a greater good. Negan ruled over The Walking Dead‘s Saviors with an iron fist because he believed it was the best way to keep his people alive during a zombie apocalypse. In The youngKessler breaks the rules because he sees superheroes as an existential threat to humanity.

Beyond their methods and motivations, Negan and Kessler also share certain personality traits, mannerisms and linguistic peculiarities. Negan is notoriously the most foul-mouthed character in The Walking Deadwhile Kessler’s colorful language is even in the R-rated world of The youngand dropped apt sentences like: “We could just send you back to them in a damn bucket if you don’t do whatever we say..” AMC may not give Jeffrey Dean Morgan as much leeway in The Walking Dead when Kessler joins The youngbut Negan certainly pushes the zombie franchise’s censorship barriers to their limits.

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The biggest similarity between Negan and Kessler, however, is their shared penchant for explicit, detailed insults. During his time in The Walking DeadNegan has given many devastating rude rejections, such as when he mocked Beta with: “How long have you and the boss been together? Is this a “beta with benefits” situation? Are you slipping her a little omega on the side?” Kessler copies Negan’s childish and offensive sense of humor in The young Season 4and fired off sentences like: “I thought we could meet in mom’s pussy, but I wanted a more private place.”

Joe Kessler borrows a quote from Negan in season 4 of The Boys

The boys may be intentionally inspired by Negan

The crossover between The young“Joe Kessler and The Walking Dead‘s Negan, a certain phrase is uttered by both Jeffrey Dean Morgan characters. In The young Season 4, Episode 6, the final moments, Kessler taunts Butcher with “Don’t worry, Billy, my boy – Daddy is home!” This jibe is remarkably similar to a Negan scene from The Walking Dead Season 8, Episode 14, where the villain announced upon his return to his group: “Daddy is home!”

Both characters use the “Dad is home” Line as a provocative way to assert their authority, and to show how similar Negan and Joe Kessler really are. Combined with the swearing, crude humor, violence, and warped moral compass, Kessler feels very much like a spiritual sequel to Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s iconic Negan portrayal.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan gives his all in his portrayal of Negan in “Works For The Boys” Season 4

Negan’s influence in The Boys season 4 makes Joe Kessler better

Joe Kessler’s Neganisms are hardly subtle, but The young spy on The Walking DeadThe homework of actually works quite well. Negan’s arrogant demeanor and total disregard for other people’s feelings is a perfect recipe for Joe Kessler to emulate. It cleverly positions him as the devil on Butcher’s shoulder while also giving The young a rare example of a character trying to take down Homelander while remaining a villain himself.

Kessler’s creative use of the English language exudes great Negan energy, but it also fits Billy Butcher’s personality. The young Season 4 finally reveals that Kessler is not real, the curse words, threats of violence and jokes about overstuffed genitalia all fit very well with the dark side of Karl Urban’s character. Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s experience of playing a very similar character in The Walking Dead gives him the perfect foundation to bring Butcher’s inner demons to life in human form in The young.

The young

The Boys is a superhero/black comedy satire series created by Eric Kripke and based on the comic book series of the same name. It is set in a “what if” world where superheroes are worshipped as celebrities and gods who face minimal consequences for their actions. However, a group of vigilantes led by a vengeful man named Billy Butcher will fight back against these superpowered “heroes” to expose them for what they are.

Pour

Elisabeth Shue, Jensen Ackles, Goran Visnjic, Jessie T. Usher, Chace Crawford, Dominique McElligott, Laz Alonso, Nathan Mitchell, Aya Cash, Colby Minifie, Karl Urban, Erin Moriarty, Karen Fukuhara, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Claudia Doumit, Tomer Capon

Release date

26 July 2019

Seasons

4

Showrunner

Eric Kripke

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