Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Boys season 4, episode 6, “Dirty Business.”

The Boys season 4, episode 6 features a diabolical twist, but unfortunately, this revelation makes a great spinoff idea impossible. The Boys season 4 is approaching its last few episodes, and its major storylines are starting to come together ahead of the show’s fifth and final season. Tensions between Vought and the titular team are rising, especially as Homelander and Sister Sage’s plans move closer to becoming a reality. Butcher is doing everything he can to take down The Seven’s leader, even kidnapping Vought scientist Sameer Shah in the hopes of making more of the deadly Supe virus.

Initially, it seems like Butcher’s friend, Joe Kessler, is helping him achieve this end — but The Boys season 4, episode 6 drops a bombshell revelation when it comes to Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s character. Even after plenty of clues teasing this turn of events, The Boys season 4’s Kessler twist is one of its most brilliant. It raises questions about whether Butcher should be leading the charge against Homelander, and it suggests his comic ending could still happen. However, there is one downside to this reveal: it renders one The Boys spinoff impossible.

The Boys Season 4’s Joe Kessler Twist Makes A Spinoff Impossible

It’d Be Hard To Make A Spinoff About Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s Character Work

The Boys season 4, episode 6’s ending twist reveals that Kessler is another one of Butcher’s hallucinations, similar to the visions he’s been having of Becca. Morgan’s character is no longer alive in The Boys universe, so viewers aren’t likely to see Butcher’s friend outside the images he conjures up in his mind. This means a Joe Kessler spinoff is probably off the table, even though showrunner Eric Kripke and Morgan both seem on board. Speaking to Deadline, Kripke asked “who wouldn’t want to Jeffrey Dean Boys spinoff?” And the actor replied on Twitter, saying, “You know I’m in.”

Given the excitement surrounding Morgan’s introduction in The Boys — and how entertaining his character has been throughout season 4 — a Kessler series would have done well. But knowing what really befalls the character during the war, it’d be difficult to make such a spinoff work. And it’s not like Amazon could follow Kessler during or after the events of The Boys, as he’s only present in Butcher’s mind.

Why A Joe Kessler Prequel Spinoff Is A Bad Idea

It Would Be Bleak & Not Have Much Of A Point

Those eager to see a Joe Kessler spinoff might be interested in a prequel about him and Butcher. However, a Joe Kessler spinoff series set before The Boys is probably a bad idea. Although it’d be interesting to see how Kessler and Butcher met, viewers already know how their story ends — and they have a general idea of what happens in between. This means a spinoff focused on their time overseas would likely just see them killing Supes. Then it would end with Kessler’s tragic demise, showing one of the many losses Butcher faces before the main show.

Of course, The Boys fans already know how loss and guilt shape Butcher’s quest for revenge. They also see his hatred of Supes firsthand, and they get to know this side of Kessler through Butcher’s hallucinations. The Boys already shows all this, so a spinoff would serve little purpose. It would be a bleak series with few surprises, and it wouldn’t add much to the characterization of either Kessler or Butcher. People would still watch it to see more of Karl Urban and Morgan, but there are better ways for Amazon to expand its superhero franchise.

The Boys Has Plenty Of Great Spinoff Possibilities Without Kessler

Amazon Has More Interesting Prequels To Work With

A Kessler prequel wouldn’t add much to The Boys universe, but Amazon has plenty of other backstories it can dig into. The Boys sets up a fascinating history of Supes and their adversaries over its four seasons, and there are a few key characters who could take viewers back in time. Queen Maeve’s backstory would make for a compelling narrative, as would the formation of The Seven. Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy is also a fan-favorite character, and focusing a spinoff on Payback would allow viewers to explore similar dynamics to The Boys during a much earlier time period.

A Butcher prequel could still work as well, but it would need to focus on him meeting Grace Mallory and forming The Boys. That’s an untapped area of his backstory, and it would showcase how he grows as the team’s leader. If Amazon goes this route, it could still bring Kessler back in flashbacks. A show focused primarily on him wouldn’t work now, but he could be worked into Butcher’s story. Perhaps The Boys franchise will deliver on that in the future — though right now, most viewers are focused on season 5 and Gen V.