The Boys Season 5, Episode 5 features the show’s much-anticipated Supernatural reunion, but it also contains a few unexpected cameos — all of which make the encounter between Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy, Jared Padalecki’s Mister Marathon, and Misha Collins’ Malchemical that much more hilarious. It’s not the first time the Prime Video series has given a nod to Eric Kripke’s former show; naming Jim Beaver’s character Robert A. Singer and having him utter “idjit” in the Season 4 finale are other examples. But it’s been years since fans last saw Ackles, Padalecki, and Collins on-screen together, and The Boys‘ latest chapter rectifies that in the most entertaining way. SPOILERS ahead for The Boys Season 5, Episode 5.
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After catching us up with multiple characters, including Firecracker, Black Noir 2, and Butcher’s dog, Terror, “One-Shots” follows Soldier Boy and Homelander to Los Angeles. The trip to LA is part of their effort to locate more V1 serum, as Stan Edgar tells them that a former member of The Seven, Mister Marathon, may have answers. The visit takes a bloodier turn than expected, but not before The Boys works in multiple cameos befitting of a trip to Hollywood.
7) Jared Padalecki as Mister Marathon
Jared Padalecki makes his debut as Mister Marathon in The Boys Season 5, Episode 5, with Soldier Boy and Homelander seeking him out for answers about V1. He doesn’t offer much insight himself, but he admits to being friends with Bombsight, the V1 supe who made off with the remaining serum from Fort Harmony. Mister Marathon has speed powers and used to be the world’s fastest man. However, his stint on The Seven was short-lived, as he was replaced by A-Train after becoming too slow. The tension between Mister Marathon and Homelander is palpable, and it quickly becomes clear Padalecki’s character doesn’t have a very high opinion of Antony Starr’s villain.
Mister Marathon is inspired by a character from The Boys comics, though the original is replaced by A-Train after dying on a mission. The show gives him a new backstory, and thus, plenty of reason to hate Homelander. Mister Marathon and Misha Collins’ Malchemical appeal to Soldier Boy to kill his son, but Soldier Boy refuses. He makes quick work of them and their famous friends, though he gets Mister Marathon to do most of the work for him. Homelander eventually delivers the killing blow to Padalecki’s character, so we’ve officially seen the last of him.
6) Misha Collins as Malchemical
Rounding out The Boys‘ Supernatural reunion is Misha Collins, who portrays Malchemical in the Prime Video show. Malchemical is hanging out with Mister Marathon and several famous movie stars when Homelander and Soldier Boy arrive. He’s loosely based on a character from The Boys comics, though the Prime Video series takes a different approach. Rather than portraying him as a shapeshifter, it puts a spin on his ability to take a gas form, having him emit toxic gas instead. He does this to briefly incapacitate Homelander, which is an impressive feat for a supe in a supporting role.
Like Mister Marathon, Malchemical isn’t a fan of Homelander; when appealing to Soldier Boy, he laments that Homelander wants to ban pornography and abortions. We don’t see much of him beyond this, as he’s the first character Soldier Boy kills after siding with his son. Collins reunion with Ackles may be satisfying, but their characters are far from Castiel and Dean.
5) Seth Rogen as Himself
Since Padalecki’s Mister Marathon regularly stars in movies, he appears to have plenty of connections in Hollywood — and we see this firsthand in “One-Shots.” In addition to bringing in Supernatural‘s biggest stars, The Boys‘ latest episode features recognizable faces from Hollywood. Seth Rogen is among them, which is no surprise given his involvement in the greater franchise. He’s an executive producer on the show, and he’s had appearances in it, as well as in The Boys Presents: Diabolical.
In Season 5, Episode 5, he’s among the group playing poker and smoking weed when Soldier Boy and Homelander arrive (though, hilariously, he claims that he doesn’t actually like weed despite it being part of his brand). Judging by their conversation, the freedom camp round-ups are impacting Hollywood and turning talent against each other. Rogen nearly escapes the bloodbath caused by Soldier Boy and Mister Marathon, but the latter runs through him and ultimately kills him.
4) Christopher Mintz-Plasse as Himself
Christopher Mintz-Plasse also plays himself in The Boys Season 5, Episode 5, participating in the gathering that Homelander and Soldier Boy crash. Well-known for playing McLovin in Superbad and Chris in Kick-Ass, Mintz-Plasse references his co-star from the former film in The Boys. As the group discusses what they should do about Homelander’s regime, Mintz-Plasse’s character wonders if Michael Cera is a Starlighter. “We’re up for the same part right now, and it’d be pretty good if he got vanished,” he says. It’s a comical nod to the actors being associated, and it shows how easily humans are turning on one another in The Boys‘ political climate. The show’s fictionalized version of Mintz-Plasse perishes when Soldier Boy gives him bad directions after promising to save him and Kumail Nanjiani — but instead puts them directly in the path of Mister Marathon.
3) Kumail Nanjiani as Himself
Kumail Nanjiani is known for everything from Marvel’s Eternals and Obi-Wan Kenobi to, more recently, Fallout Season 2. And he’s part of the group gathered in The Boys Season 5, Episode 5. He’s one of the stars who believes they should be doing more against Homelander, though his and Rogen’s suggestions aren’t the most promising. He insists that they have to act because they’re “storytellers” and their superpowers allow them to “inspire hearts and minds.” Like Mintz-Plasse, Nanjiani is killed by Mister Marathon when Soldier Boy intentionally gives him bad instructions.
2) Will Forte as Himself
Saturday Night Live alum Will Forte has a cameo as a fictionalized version of himself in The Boys‘ latest episode, and he’s the most skeptical of standing up to Homelander. He questions why they should take a stand, and he insists that the famous actors who play the revolutionary characters they write don’t “do anything but collect their f***ing residuals.” He also notes that Bill Hader’s in-universe execution eliminated competition for him. Given that Forte and Hader have collaborated on projects together and are friendly in real life, it’s meant to be another comedic reference.
1) Craig Robinson as Himself
Craig Robinson has the briefest cameo in The Boys Season 5, Episode 5, but that actually makes it funnier. Known for comedy films like This Is the End and Zack and Miri Make a Porno, along with shows like Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Office, Robinson is another star who plays himself in “One-Shots.” He misses most of the interactions between his friends, Soldier Boy, and Homelander, since he’s in the bathroom — the result of Danny Trejo tacos, apparently. When he emerges, he runs into Soldier Boy, who immediately uses him as a human shield against Mister Marathon. The poor guy barely has time to register what’s happening before he’s killed off.
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