The Boys Season 5 May Not Give Us the Death We’ve Been Waiting For (But Its Alternative Is Better)

The Boys Season 5 may not give viewers one death they’ve been waiting for, but after Episode 7, an alternate send-off might be better. SPOILERS ahead for The Boys Season 5, Episode 7. There’s only one episode of The Boys left to go, and while many of the major players’ fates will be decided next week, the series gradually wraps several supporting arcs over its final season. A-Train’s redemptive death, Firecracker’s demise, and Frenchie’s heartbreaking end in The Boys Season 5, Episode 7 are all prime examples.

And The Boys‘ latest chapter leaves another original character in a satisfying enough place, even if it’s not the downfall many were hoping for. From the very beginning of Prime Video’s superhero show, there’s one character whose death fans have been waiting for…maybe as much as Homelander’s. After The Boys Season 5, Episode 7, it looks like the series might give that character another fate entirely. It works out, though, as it’s a greater punishment in the end.

Despite Fans’ Hopes, The Deep May Survive The Boys Season 5

On the heels of The Boys‘ penultimate episode, it’s looking a lot more likely that The Deep will survive the series. This comes as a disappointment to fans hoping he’d get his comeuppance in the form of a horrible or humiliating death. It’s become a running joke on sites like Reddit and Threads: every time a major character dies, someone laments how unfair it is that The Deep is still alive. And to be fair, after all he’s done — from sexually assaulting Annie back in Season 1 to killing Black Noir II — it’s not surprising people want the character to go. It doesn’t help that The Deep is portrayed as deeply incompetent, making it a shock every time he outlasts someone more intelligent, effective, or deserving.

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Unless he somehow gets wrapped up in The Boys’ final showdown with Homelander, however, it appears The Deep may get a different ending than many hoped for. In the latest installment, he’s left without a job or purpose after Homelander disbands The Seven. This means he probably won’t be involved in any action involving Antony Starr’s supe or Vought more generally. The conclusion that “The Frenchman, the Female, and the Man Called Mother’s Milk” sets up for him might be better than killing him off, though. Not only is The Deep kicked off The Seven, but he’s told by a hammerhead shark (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson, no less) that he’s no longer welcome in the water, as every creature in the sea blames him for the pipeline incident. As a result, The Deep is too scared to save a drowning man, even when he’s on camera. It’s a hilariously fitting ending for the supe for several reasons.

The Deep’s Current Fate Is an Even Better Ending for the Character

With The Deep losing The Seven, getting banished from the sea, and being exposed as a coward, there’s no coming back from where The Boys Season 5, Episode 7 leaves him. Even if he could salvage his career following Homelander’s decision, he won’t be able to have one after losing the only thing that sets him apart: his connection to the water and the creatures within it. And now that everyone on land knows how pathetic and terrible he is, he’ll undoubtedly be isolated and ridiculed there too. It’s an ending more fitting than death, since it’ll force The Deep to deal with the consequences of his actions at long last.

The Deep will be left entirely alone, with the only creatures he actually seems to care about writing him off for good. Humans will do the same, and he’ll be stripped of all the things that give him joy and power. He’ll also live in fear, knowing the sea creatures want vengeance. It’s what he deserves, and it’s fitting that it’s the result of rushing to appease Homelander. The pipeline incident and his career downturn are both the result of staying loyal, and even that’s not enough to save The Deep. Having no values and kissing up to a tyrant doesn’t get him anywhere in the end; it actually leaves him worse off. It’s another layer of this fate that works, adding the sort of commentary The Boys is known for.

Chace Crawford’s Supe Could Still Meet a Worse Fate in The Boys’ Series Finale

The Deep’s fate at the end of The Boys Season 5, Episode 7 may be all we get, but there’s a small chance he could still die in the series’ final episode. Xander the Shark does make it sound like his life will be forfeit if he ever goes near the water again — and it’s clear that he’s hoping to kill him right then and there. The Deep isn’t clever enough to avoid every attempt on his life, and the sea creatures could find a way to reach him outside the ocean. I’m not 100% convinced this is the last we’ve seen of him, but either way, his fate is satisfying. If he does die, he’ll no longer be fondly remembered by the general public of The Boys universe. If he doesn’t, he’ll have to grapple with just how warranted his newly tanked reputation really is. I suspect the latter would be worse for him.

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