Jared Padalecki’s The Boys Role Could Solve a 5-Year-Old Mystery (& Spell Doom for One Hero)

The final season of The Boys has a lot on its plate. For starters, it must pick up the baton from its most important spinoff, Gen V. The second season of Gen V ends with Starlight and A-Train coming to aid the Guardians of Godolkin, who are ready to get on the frontlines and help defeat Homelander however they can. Speaking of the leader of The Seven, he has camps in place that hold members of society that he deems unworthy of his new world, including members of the titular team. It’s going to be up to Starlight and Billy Butcher, the only free members of The Boys, to get the band back together and start fighting back.

Of course, no amount of story will stop The Boys from having fun as it prepares to hang up its cape. A number of cameos have already been confirmed for Season 5, including one by comedy legend Seth Rogen, who acts as a producer on the show. But no matter how much time Rogen spends on screen, his appearance isn’t going to garner nearly as much attention as another actor’s. Jared Padalecki is going to reunite with at least two of his former Supernatural costars next year, and that may not be the only significant moment in his time in Erik Kripke’s superhero world.

The Boys‘ Season 5 Trailer Might Reveal Jared Padalecki’s Role

Despite having his role confirmed long ago, Padalecki had to wait until December 2025 to see his mystery character in action. The Boys Season 5 trailer focuses on the titular team reuniting and preparing for their fight against Homelander. Naturally, the evil Supe has some tricks of his own, thawing his dear old dad, Soldier Boy, out and bringing him into the fold. It’s unclear at this point why Soldier Boy is partnering up with Homelander, since he tried to kill him all the way back in Season 3, but it could have something to do with the character they link up with in the trailer. After arriving at a nice-looking building, the pair runs into Padalecki’s character, who looks to be doing pretty well for himself.

The first clue the first look gives about Padalecki’s character’s identity is that Homelander and Soldier Boy need him for something. Since they believe Supes are the superior race, their new friend is likely one of them. But there are only so many “heroes” that have yet to reveal themselves, as Homelander’s call to arms brought nearly all of them out of the shadows. One possibility is that Padalecki is playing a Supe that The Boys has mentioned on several occasions, but who has been MIA since before the events of the show kicked off: Mister Marathon. If that’s the case, Padalecki’s role serves a particular purpose, which is bad news for one good guy.

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Mister Marathon Has a Bone to Pick With A-Train

Throughout The Boys‘ first four seasons, the show mentions on a couple of occasions that A-Train isn’t The Seven’s first speedster. That honor goes to Mister Marathon, who was on the team for a brief period before leaving it behind to pursue other endeavors. At one point, he has a big event planned with A-Train that will see the two Supes race, but it doesn’t come to fruition, leaving him on the sidelines. But Season 3 confirms he’s still around, starring in Dawn of the Seven alongside his former teammates. There probably won’t be any movie roles to go around in Season 5, but Mister Marathon could find another way to boost his standing.

A-Train, the Supe that replaced Mister Marathon, is no longer loyal to Homelander, leaving Vought behind to assist The Boys. Homelander doesn’t appreciate getting stabbed in the back, so teaching A-Train a lesson might be at the top of his to-do list. And the best way to fight a speedster is with a speedster, opening the door for Mister Marathon to make his live-action debut. Obviously, it’s probably going to take until April 2026, when The Boys Season 5 releases, to get real answers about Padalecki’s role, but this feels like a good starting point, especially since it makes the actor more than a bit player.

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