The Bloody Doors Off is a graphic novel written by Garth Ennis and illustrated by Russ Braun that was released in seven parts throughout 2012 by Dynamite Entertainment as the final volume of the American comic book series The Boys. Part 1, I Cannot Let You Do This…!, was released May 2, Part 2, Splendiddio…, was released June 6, Part 3, Do You Know What I Hate?, was released July 4, Part 4, Whose Woods These Are I Think I Know, was released August 1, Part 5, The Name of the Game, was released September 5, Part 6, The Scores on the Doors, was released October 3, and Part 7, You Found Me (illustrated by Darick Robertson and Richard P. Clark), was released November 14 (all 2012).[5]
Following the death of the Homelander and the true mastermind Black Noirinthe previous volume, having struck a secret alliance with the still-alive Jonah Vogelbaum, Billy Butcher unleashes his true nature and sets out to exterminate all humans with Supe DNA from the face of the Earth, numbering at billions. After personally killing M.M., Frenchie, and the Female, only Wee Hughie is left in his way. On the production of a television adaptation of the series, it was followed by the epilogue series Dear Becky in 2020,[6] while in 2022, elements of the volume were adapted to the television episode "Glorious Five-Year Plan".[7]
The series has received a universally positive critical reception.[3][8][9]
With Black Noir dead and his wife avenged, a now-unrestricted Billy Butcher disbands the Boys before enacting his master-stroke "Glorious Five Year Plan", starting with killing Vas, while Annie leaves Hughie, and Vought-American begins a struggle for survival.[8]
As Butcher silences the Legend forever by snapping his spine, M.M. learns that the reason his daughter had been avoiding him was that Butcher had slowly beaten his ex-wife (her mother) to death in front of her, supposedly on M.M.'s behalf, in response for her having the 12-year-old act in porn films with her. Shaken, M.M. elects to confront Butcher, while Hughie ends up in an unexpected showdown with Monkey.[10]
After Hughie puts Monkey in his place, on being confronted by M.M., Butcher explains his plan to enact a genocide upon all Supes and Supe-adjacent humans, including M.M. and his daughter, and on recognising M.M. would not assist, Butcher beats M.M. to death.[11][12][13]
Part Four: Whose Woods These Are I Think I Know[edit]
On discovering M.M. dead, Hughie follows Butcher's trail to the corpse of Jonah Vogelbaum, confirming Butcher had lied to Mallory about killing him before and had with him developed the means of exterminating Supes from the face of the Earth, having provided the military with the anti-Supe missiles they had used against Homelander's coup. Realising he is found out, Butcher calls Hughie and taunts him over his chances, before blowing up the Boys' base, killing Frenchie and the Female.[14][15][16]
On his own and out of options, Hughie resorts to extreme measures to ensure he will be able to face Butcher, visiting M.M.'s mutated Supe mother and acquiring the source of M.M.'s powers for himself. Meanwhile, the Vought Guy, retreating behind the name "James Stillwell", arranges for Jess Bradley to take the fall for Vought-American's role in Homelander's coup.[17][18]
Above the streets of New York City, Hughie and Butcher prepare for their final battle, as Hughie attempts to prevent him from unleashing his signal to wipe out half the world's population to rid it of the genetic possibility for Supes. After Hughie manages to break Butcher's back, accepting defeat, Butcher manipulates Hughie into killing him by tricking into believing Butcher had killed Hughie's parents while enacting his genocide.[9][19][20][21][22]
Six months later, as the Brooklyn Bridge is rebuilt years after its destruction during 9/11, Hughie, having taken over Butcher's position within the CIA, blackmails the Vought Guy into preventing the rebranded corporation from ever moving its field beyond that of Supe affairs, ultimately leading to him having a breakdown, lamenting the "bad product", before ruining Rayner's long-dreamed political career, before reuniting with Annie.[3][23][24][25][26][27]
^ abcLindsay, Ryan K. (November 14, 2012). "The Boys #72". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved November 14, 2012. "The Boys" #72 from Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, with a little Richard P. Clark, brings the entire run to a close in a simple way with some deeper meaning.