The Boys Season 5 will determine what becomes of Homelander, and one theory suggests the supe isn’t going to die — but that he could face a fate that’s, for him, even worse. There’s no shortage of morally dubious characters in The Boys, but Homelander remains the primary villain throughout the show’s run. The entire series builds to defeating him, and after his power grab at the end of The Boys Season 4, it’s more paramount than ever that someone brings him down. SPOILERS ahead for The Boys Season 5, Episodes 1 & 2.
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Even the strongest characters in The Boys universe fall below Homelander on a power scale, however, and it’s unclear if Butcher’s supe virus can truly take him out. Considering it doesn’t kill Soldier Boy, it seems unlikely. This leaves viewers to wonder if Homelander will die this season at all. Fans on Reddit are starting to question it, with one theory positing that he’ll survive his inevitable downfall.
As one Redditor points out, Season 5’s two-part premiere alludes to Homelander being powerless more than once. Before he kills A-Train, Jessie T. Usher’s supe tells him, “Take away these powers, and what are you, huh?” And when Soldier Boy threatens to “finish the job” and kill Homelander, he responds, “You could try. You might even fry the V might out of my blood.”
With subtle hints like that, The Boys might be laying the groundwork for Homelander to lose the abilities that give him so much sway. And if that’s the case, Homelander doesn’t necessarily need to die at the end of the show. In fact, it might be more fitting if he doesn’t.
How Homelander Could Be Defeated Without Dying in The Boys
It’s possible that Homelander could lose his powers in The Boys, and Soldier Boy is one way it could happen. It’s not clear if his blast would eliminate Homelander’s abilities, but they do so for Queen Maeve and (temporarily) Kimiko. There’s also Marie Moreau to consider. Gen V will need to have some impact on The Boys, and following Marie’s level-up in Season 2, there’s a chance she could remove Compound V from a supe’s blood. It doesn’t seem like much a stretch after she cured Cate and Polarity.
Of course, Homelander would still have followers, and Kimiko is proof that you can survive taking Compound V a second time. So, removing Homelander’s powers isn’t a complete fix. It’s possible he’ll lose his powers prior to dying, or he could end up in cryo, just like Soldier Boy. That’s the subject of some speculation on Reddit as well, and The Boys Season 5 does foreshadow it by having Homelander step into Soldier Boy’s chamber.
Death Isn’t the Most Fitting End for Homelander in The Boys Season 5
Although Homelander perishes in The Boys comics — something Season 5 nods to with its glimpse of him in the Oval Office — the show could take a different route with his ending. Leaving Homelander alive, even powerless or in cryo, is risky, as it opens the door for a comeback. However, in some ways, wrapping the supe’s story with him as an ordinary person — the very thing he detests — is more fitting. Homelander would likely prefer a quick death to losing his powers and influence. Thus, keeping him alive without either could prove a greater punishment. We’ll have to wait to see if The Boys Season 5 leans into it.
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