Ryan Just Did Something Only 1 Other Supe Ever Has to Homelander in The Boys

Following his absence in its two-part premiere, The Boys Season 5 brings Ryan back into the fold in Episode 3 — and he manages to do something only one other supe has ever accomplished on-screen. Ryan is now something of a wild card after the end of The Boys Season 4. The incident with Grace and Butcher puts him at odds with the latter going into Season 5. But he’s also avoiding Homelander and Vought, something the Prime Video series makes obvious in its premiere. And given what he’s learned about Homelander, it’s not hard to understand why. SPOILERS ahead for The Boys Season 5, Episode 3.

Ryan remains conflicted about both of his father figures in The Boys, though he’s likely to make up his mind about Homelander after the latest chapter’s ending. After agreeing to help Butcher with his plan — then getting into another argument with him — Ryan finally confronts Homelander. The two get into a physical altercation, which concludes with Homelander nearly punching his son to death. But while Homelander comes on top, Ryan does pull off one thing that only one other supe has before. He may not be as powerful as his father yet, but this detail suggests that he can get there with time and training.

Ryan Makes Homelander Bleed in The Boys Season 5, Episode 3

When Ryan attacks Homelander, he manages to land a couple of blows, an impressive feat for any supe. He even makes him bleed at one point by punching him in the nose. It’s not enough to do any real damage to The Boys‘ villain. However, it’s still a rare thing to see. Most of Homelander’s fights in The Boys don’t leave him with any injuries, as his opponents can’t get close enough — or simply aren’t powerful enough — to leave a mark. It’s a testament to Ryan’s strength that he gets in any hits at all, and it’s especially impressive that he can draw blood. Even against Soldier Boy, Butcher, and Hughie, Homelander only leaves with a bruise.

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And considering the way Homeander escalates his fight with Ryan after this point, the bloody nose likely leaves an impression. He certainly becomes enraged the only other time this happens to him in The Boys. Ryan isn’t the first person to prove Homelander’s not invulnerable, but it happens infrequently enough that both instances of Homelander bleeding prove memorable.

Only 1 Other Supe Has Broken Homelander’s Skin in The Boys

Apart from Ryan, we’ve only seen one other supe make Homelander bleed: Queen Maeve. During their fight at the end of The Boys Season 3, she also punches Homelander in the face. His nose bleeds during this scene as well, and from the proud look on Maeve’s face, it’s clear she knows what a rarity this is. Like Ryan, she doesn’t keep the upper hand for long. Yet she cements herself as one of the most impressive supes in the entire series by holding her own against Homelander so well. And after The Boys Season 5, Episode 3, Ryan has done the same. It offers some hope that the shows anti-heroes can defeat Homelander together, even if they can’t take him on individually.

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