Previous to this, we be taught that Homelander is planning to “reboot the universe” with a reside announcement of his second approaching Easter (full with an empty-chair countdown dig at Marvel). When he lastly addresses the nation, the Boys implement their plan to creep into the White Home and take him out. After all, they stroll straight right into a lure, however are saved by a determined, rebellious Ashley. They then break up up. Mom’s Milk and Hughie take out Oh-Father with Chekhov’s ball gag, whereas Starlight takes out The Deep by blasting him right into a livid ocean. Neither of their deaths is especially impactful; merely inevitable.
Following a rebuff from Ryan, Homelander can be triggered by the phrase “Father” in his huge speech, and goes off message, threatening America till Butcher and Kimiko arrive within the Oval Workplace, together with a brave Ryan, to make their ultimate transfer. Kimiko, spurred on by that imaginative and prescient of Frenchie, hits all three Supes with a blast that drains them utterly. Because the world watches, Butcher kills a powerless and grizzling Homelander.
After 5 seasons, is Homelander’s long-awaited demise satisfying? Not likely. It’s gross sufficient, don’t get me fallacious, but it surely’s been such a slog to get right here this yr, filled with a lot “I’m god now” nonsense that his demise truly seems like as a lot of a mercy on all of us because the individuals he’s terrorized.
When somebody evil dies, the monstrous issues they’ve performed don’t simply go away; the affect of these actions lives on. We gained’t get to see that, so The Boys reveals us Ryan’s grim response to Homelander’s homicide. In the meantime, Butcher feels nothing after his temporary sense of triumph has worn off. Like us, Butcher seems to be upon Homelander’s corpse and solely feels empty inside. Homelander’s Trump substitute (and the person himself) has merely proved that it solely takes one highly effective, charismatic individual to quash the nation’s freedoms, greasing the wheels for anybody else who fancies giving it a go later.
The Boys isn’t considering dwelling an excessive amount of on any of that. We minimize to Ashley taking credit score for the plan and instantly being impeached, whereas Ryan rejects Butcher’s supply to develop into a household. After Terror passes away in his sleep, Butcher is affected by the information that Homelander’s demise gained’t be sufficient to cease Vought and is unable to relaxation. He decides to make use of the virus by loading it into the sprinkler system on the firm’s HQ. It’s as much as Hughie alone to cease him, and he does. Butcher makes peace with Hughie and his deadly selection earlier than succumbing to a single gunshot wound.
There are comfortable endings for everybody else. Ryan goes off with Mom’s Milk, Kimiko heads to France to honor Frenchie, Singer is again as President, and Hughie and Annie begin their very own household. They’re naming their unborn daughter after Hughie’s useless girlfriend, which feels a bit bizarre, however no matter.
