For four seasons, The Boys has been subverting the traditional TV space. And with the story coming to an end in the fifth and final season, the show doubles down on all the aspects that have made it stand out: disturbing, disgusting, sharply satirical, and unapologetically relevant.
The final chapter leans more heavily into satire than ever before, surpassing even Season 4 in its blatant depiction of one side of the political spectrum. Whether that approach lands or alienates depends on the viewer. It’s heavy-handed at times, demanding comparisons to real-world events versus just inviting them. It functions less like escapism and more like a warped mirror depicting an exaggerated version of modern society.
This review is based on Episodes 1-6 of The Boys Season 5.
Art Imitating Life More Loudly Than Ever
There are no bones about it: The Boys is a deliberate vehicle for mocking the far-right. What began as subtext has gradually grown to become front and centre, any semblance of subtlety gone this season – even more so than in Season 4. It crafts a fictional world where the Homelanders and Starlighters are opposing factions, unashamedly mirroring real-world divisions.
That makes it near impossible to fully detach from reality while watching. Stories are heavily embellished, of course. The show depicts a fictional world where superheroes possess special powers ranging from superhuman strength to invisibility to powerful snake-like appendages emerging from every orifice. Once you strip away the spectacle, however, the story becomes uncomfortably familiar. Behind the costumes and the chaos is a pointed reflection of the current cultural and political landscape.
Eric Kripke appears to be more focused on provoking reactions than going out with a bang. Because of this, Season 5 of The Boys is like a live-action version of South Park: it’s fearless and abrasive, unconcerned about who might be offended. Since detractors would likely never embrace the show again anyway following the divisive fourth season, why not go all in? That’s precisely what this season does, and this unapologetic angle is delivered in a thoroughly entertaining and heavily parodied way.
Power, Propaganda, and Resistance
The story picks up some time after the events in the Season 4 finale. Homelander (Antony Starr) has more power than ever, the newly minted U.S. President in his pocket. Thanks to Sage (Susan Heyward) and her crafty plan, Homelander has cultivated a devoted following, promising to save innocent people from the fabricated threat of Starlight/Annie (Erin Moriarty) and her supposedly evil and vicious followers.
Everything possible is being done to paint the “Homelander: good, Starlight: bad” narrative. Stories are twisted, outright lies are told, and Homelander’s carefully crafted public persona entrances those who hang on his every word. How easily people fall for his propaganda is unsettling, but so is those who fall in line despite their doubts about his leadership and their knowledge that the manufactured threats are just that.
For those within Homelander’s circle who aren’t entirely sure they’re doing the right thing, they’re motivated by fear of the deadly consequences of dissent. For those outside of it who are on the fence, they’re apprehensive about the pushback of going against the grain and ironically, supporting the “terrorist” Starlight. But then there are others who genuinely believe with every fibre of their being that Homelander is their saviour. It’s easy to judge them, but given how forcefully a message is being shoved down their proverbial throats, their desire to find someone, anyone, who claims to want change to latch onto is sort of understandable.
The one group that sets out to make things right and end Homelander’s reign of terror is The Boys. But they’re scattered. Hughie (Jack Quaid), Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara), Frenchie (Tomer Capone), and Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso) were all captured at the end of Season 4. Annie, as depicted in the second season of the spin-off series Gen V, went to see Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair) in hopes of rallying help in fighting against Homelander. Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) is on his own suicide mission to right the wrongs of the world with the last bit of a Supe-killing virus, which he knows using would kill him, too. The first half of the season focuses heavily on how they reconnect, their character arcs weaving into the broader political allegory. It’s much of the same for all of them, with the exception of Kimiko who can finally speak. Moments when she forgets she’s no longer using her inside voice mark some of the funniest of the season.
Other characters are facing their own challenges. A-Train (Jessie T. Usher), who has had the best redemption arc of the show, defected from The Seven. Ashley (Colbie Minifie) took Compound V in a desperate attempt to save herself from certain death and the power she acquired is totally fitting for her personality and arc so far. Soldier Boy’s (Jensen Ackles) re-emergence from his cryogenic chamber promises a compelling storyline. Given his intense power and deep hatred for his own biological son, his story plays heavily into this season.
A Sign of the Times
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to spot the ripped-from-the-headlines plotlines that, without the real-world parallels, might otherwise seem incredibly absurd. Virtually every pop culture trending topic that’s within the orbit of politics right now is integrated into the story in a way that logically fits. It’s sometimes haphazardly, such as with the sudden push towards bringing back religion, led by Oh Father (Daveed Diggs). Other times, it seems forced yet also oddly relevant.
The “bloodbath” that Kripke promised for this final season may still be coming, but the first six episodes are exercising restraint. For a show like The Boys, this still means it’s incredibly graphic and violent. You should believe his warnings that no one is safe. I struggle to determine if my interpretation of a tamer season so far is true or simply because I have become so desensitized to the on-screen carnage.
The season seems like less of a conclusion to this story and more like a bridge to the upcoming prequel Vought Rising. That 1950s-set show will center around Soldier Boy and Stormfront (Aya Cash). The Boys takes a lot of time dropping breadcrumbs to help us better understand the relationship between those two characters, setting up the story that will continue the fictional universe. This at times, however, comes at the expense of the focus for this show. Even though it’s weaved into the plot, the repeated mentions of Stormfront feel like strategically placed promos for the upcoming show.
Where the story goes as Homelander seeks to acquire more power in an effort to feel some sense of purpose, respect, and admiration to fill his empty heart is an angle I didn’t see coming, though fans of the comics might have. It’s a race to the finish that involves numerous players, including Homelander, Butcher and the gang known as The Boys, Sage, Soldier Boy, and even Ryan (Cameron Crovetti), who is almost unrecognizable – the actor has grown into a young man between seasons. Family is at the centre of the season, both biological and found family, in good, bad, unconventional, and creepy ways.
The Boys Isn’t for Everyone
I have always been firm in my stance that The Boys isn’t for everyone. It’s rude, crude, foul-mouthed, extremely violent, and crass. It has always been a political and socially commentative show beneath the coarse language and sophomoric humor. There’s a lot of expected blood, gore, and immense vulgarity: you’ll hear the word c**t from Butcher more times than you can count while Soldier Boy’s creativity for insults is unmatched. But The Boys delivers a powerful message about a divided country, media disinformation, manipulation of the truth, and a desperate quest for power.
The backlash for Season 4, which included widespread review bombing, arguably had a lot more to do with the overt political commentary than it did the offensive nature of some of the more sexualized, graphic storylines. These admittedly did reach shocking levels that season. But I don’t think that’s why people were so upset. If the reason was the political mockery, which I suspect it was, expect the review bombs to continue this season.
That said, for those who appreciate The Boys for its audacity, even just its surface-level entertainment value, the final season delivers. It can feel overwhelming at times in its commitment to mirroring reality. Subtlety is not the goal here. Unless you have been under a rock for the last several years or have been living in a state of ignorant bliss, you’ll get the point. There’s no masking it, and that’s likely the intent.
Based on the first six episodes, the explosive send-off we’ve been hoping for might not materialize. It’s possible the final two episodes pull out all the stops, and they probably will. Most notable, however, is how The Boys makes us feel like we’re living in the punchline. Despite being absurdly comical, peel back the layers and you’ll realize that even if The Boys is a heavily exaggerated superhero story about a fictional version of the world, it isn’t as far-fetched as it seems.
Stream The Boys Season 5 on Amazon Prime Video. The first two episodes will be released on April 8, 2026 followed by a new episode weekly through May 20, 2026 for a total of eight to conclude the story. Vought Rising is expected to premiere in 2027 while Gen V has not yet been renewed for a third season.