Summary
This article contains major spoilers for the first four seasons of The Boys as well the original graphic novel.One of the most prevailing themes in Amazon Prime’s original series,The Boysis that the world is a pretty dark place. A world full of superheroes used to be portrayed as a near utopia with godlike beings only out to make sure as many people as possible survive some of the worst catastrophes the writers can imagine. But both the graphic novel that came before it and showrunner Eric Kripke went another way. In this universe, it’s not a stretch to say that the world is a much worse place for having heroes in it. Even if there are still some regular people who still see supes like Homelander and A-Train as someone to look up to.
The Boyshas worked so hard over its first four seasons,as well as its various spinoffsto show that nothing good ever happens to anyone that the series can get rather “heavy.” And one of the things that makes the Amazon series so good is that every time the viewers think something is actually going to go well, that the “good guys” are going to win, the rug is pulled out from under them and Homelander and his ilk find a way to wriggle out of trouble. Knowing all that, it’s a decent question as to whether or not this show can really have a happy ending. Especially since a happy ending would mean very different things for certain characters.
The Boys Has To Peel Off From The Comics
Anyone who hasn’t readThe Boysgraphic novels and plans on seeing how the story ends on their own will want to back out of the article now because the rest of this piece will go into great detail on certain aspects. In particular, there is one big way in which the show can’t end that was a major twist in the books. There was achance that Season 4ofThe Boysmight have included this twist with anew Black Noiramong the ranks of Homelander’s crew, but Kripke decided to stay away from that plot point once and for all.
At the end of the graphic novels, while Homelander has lost most of his mind and turned totally evil, even to the point where he leads an army of supes to raid the White House and kills the president, Homelander isn’t the source of all the evil acts he’s credited with. It turns out that Black Noir was both always masked and silent because he was actually aneven more evil clone of Homelander. This is the single biggest reveal for the comics and it clearly won’t be part of Season 5 ofThe Boys.
Homelander wasn’t the source of all the evil acts he’s credited with.
There have already been some changes here and there, such as Huey and the rest of his gang either on the run or getting rounded up by a government that is now led by Homelander after a coup that manages to somehow have a smaller body count than the comics, thanks in part because of thechange to Black Noir.
Happy Endings Are In The Eyes Of The Beholder
IfThe Boyswas a standard superhero show that wanted to make its viewers feel good about how the program’s world is shaking out once the final curtain falls, then the series will end with Huey and Starlighter realizing they have always been right for each other and flee the spotlight to live happily ever after. Butcher would somehow find a way to beat the disease that is slowly eating away at his brain, andFrenchie and The Girlrealize they too can put the life they’ve lived for so long, behind them and walk off into the sunset, arm in arm.
However, it is far more likely that Kripke will rejoice at ending the series in a way that will knock the audience on its ear. It’s possible the showrunner spent the first four seasons convincing viewers Homelander and thepeople who follow him can’t be beat, only to finally show they can, in the end. That good can win out. But he’s also spent the first four seasons of The Boys convincing the viewers that even good guys like Huey can be led astray.
It would be keeping in form with whatThe Boyshas been so far, for Homelander to emerge victorious.
It would be keeping in form with whatThe Boyshas been so far, for Homelander to emerge victorious. In fact, considering how sideways Butcher has gone from beingan antihero to nearly a villain, it’s not hard to see Huey, Soldier Boy and Homelander team up to stop Butcher from unleashing something that might put people like Annie in danger.
The Boys Season 6 won’t hit Amazon Prime Video until sometime in 2026.
Should Amazon allow Kripke to do the perfect ending for the show, it would involve a turn of events that allows Homelander to continue being anunder-the-radar villainwho is beloved by so many people all over the world. In that regard, it would certainly be a happy ending for him. One final rug being pulled out from under the audiencewould be the perfect sign-offforThe Boys.
