The Biggest Homelander Theory Looks More Likely After The Boys Season 5, Episode 6

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Boys Season 5, Episode 6, “Though the Heavens Fall.” With just two episodes remaining in The Boys, the task of defeating Homelander is more difficult than ever. Beating the most powerful Supe in the world was already a pretty tall order, but after Soldier Boy hands him the V-One, it’s now damn-near impossible. Things are looking rather bleak, with even the normally self-assured Billy Butcher sounding terrified as he tells the Boys to run.

The V1 effectively makes Homelander immortal, and there is a possibility that’s how the show will play things out: having the villain kill the heroes and be victorious at the very end would certainly be a bold move that flips the narrative of typical superhero stories. But, while not possessing the mind-reading abilities of Back Ashley, I don’t think that kind of bleak hopelessness is the kind of thing Eric Kripke would do to end a five-season story where audiences have invested in these heroes and the challenge of defeating Homelander.

So, no, despite Homelander having V1 and being stronger than ever before, all hope is not lost. There are a few potential avenues it could go down, but the biggest X-factor of all after Episode 6 is Soldier Boy.

Soldier Boy Could Still Depower Homelander In The Boys

Before giving Homelander the V-One, we get a very timely reminder of one of Soldier Boy’s most impressive abilities: he can take away the power of other Supes. And not only that, but crucially, it’s a power that works on Supes who have V1 in their system, as we see with Bombsight. While the story as a whole partially exists to set up the 1950s-set Vought Rising prequel, in which both characters will return, its placement also suggests it might be keeping that specific power detail fresh in viewers’ minds for a reason.

Indeed, given that no one else is as strong as Homelander, it makes this the best shot they have at defeating him, and it might be even more fitting than simply killing him. Homelander’s fear has long been his own mortality, weaknesses, and ageing; it’s why he wanted V1 and wants to be perceived as God. Having him stripped of that power, rather than killed while still possessing it, would arguably be a worse fate for him, and something he would struggle to live with, while it also avoids potential power debates with having him murdered by another character.

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It all fits so well that I think it’s still the most likely outcome given the realistic options on the table, except for one tiny, insignificant detail… Soldier Boy is very much on Homelander’s side and has just given the V-One to him, so why would he depower him? If that were the plan, then surely it’d be a lot easier to do so before making him immortal. It’s a large wrinkle, but not an insurmountable one, and Soldier Boy has flip-flopped already this season, and he’s made it clear he does still hate his son, it’s just that he (apparently) loves Stormfront more.

It could be that he has a change of heart because he’s reminded of what his son is and the parts of him he loathes, and that he actually can’t stand the idea of them both living forever (understandable, to be fair). He might’ve been planning this all along and gave Homelander the V1 so that he’d let his guard down more, ensuring he can depower him when he’s at his strongest and feeling invulnerable, which would make his fall from grace even more painful. Or perhaps Stormfront will still be alive (which the show has teased), and given she was last seen being rejected by Homelander, maybe she’ll actually want him dead.

It’s also possible that Soldier Boy won’t directly be the one to do it. Butcher has been grinding the tape of the Russians’ experiments on the Supe, and presumably thinks he’s on to something. Could that be uncovering the secrets of his powers and learning how to strip someone of their abilities? With Sister Sage now onboard, it’s theoretically possible they could figure it out, although the clock is very much ticking.

If Homelander isn’t stripped of his powers in this way, then there are still ways he could be defeated. Marie Moreau might be able to manipulate his blood in such a way that allows for him to be killed, while we know that Ryan Butcher can at least come close to killing a V1 Supe (as happened with Stormfront at the end of Season 2), and while he got his ass kicked by Homelander earlier in Season 5, he did make his father bleed, showing how powerful he is. Perhaps it’ll be some combination of all these things are more to take him down, but it still seems that, one way or another, Homelander will be defeated in The Boys finale.

New episodes of The Boys release on Wednesdays on Prime Video.

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