THE BOYS: S5

First Look Review - Episodes 1 - 6 

The Boys kicks off its concluding season in a bloody fashion, building high stakes with its signature comedic moments and gory outbursts, that when paired with strong performances from the entire cast and a chilling and emotional narrative, the first six episodes sets up a final season that is on track to sticking its superhero landing.

With Homelander reaching the height of his control over the United States and Butcher and his crew on the run or detained, the final season of the hit Prime Video series The Boys is the darkest circumstances to date in this comic book adaptation. Ending a series is no easy task, especially one where there has been a significant body count throughout its run and an unpredictability that has promised anything but the expected, as not only does the creative team have to wrap up the story of the series, but they have to do so with a true danger where no character is safe. It is something that creator Eric Kripke has spoken about in light of recent criticism of finales of popular series such as Stranger Things and Game of Thrones, going as far as to promise that not every character will survive the final season and that the series finale will not hold back, and based on the first six episodes of the final season, The Boys is so far delivering on Kripke’s promise. Just as vile, bloody and crude as previous seasons, the stakes have never been higher and the emotions more charged than in the first six episodes of the final season of The Boys, that thanks to the great performances and writing that has been with the series since its inception, promises fans a nail biting and shocking concluding season to the beloved series.

A virus to kill not only Homelander, but to kill all Supes. That is the focal point of the final season of The Boys as Butcher and his team race to move against Homelander to kill him, while Homelander will stop at nothing to eliminate them as a threat and establish his authoritarian rule over the country with no challenge. As promised by Kripke, there is no safety to this season as the writing makes it very clear that any character can die at any moment, creating an uneasy tension as you watch Butcher and his team move against Homelander. With the consequences of the virus, there is a fracturing amongst Butcher and his team that adds to the drama as Starlight and Kimiko could potentially become collateral damage on Butcher’s vendetta against Homelander. This only builds the intensity over the season as it is very possible that our heroes could tear each other apart on their own accord before even making their final assault against Homelander, leaving the world vulnerable to Homelander’s tyrannical rule.

Allegiances are tested, trusts are broken, and defining choices are made, building the drama and ensuring that no matter who is the victor, Homelander or Butcher, that whoever survives the final battle is entering a brave new world. There are many twists and turns over the course of the season that creates obstacles on both sides, preventing a simplistic final battle from unfolding, instead developing one that will hold audiences’ attention over the entire season and will no doubt create a rewarding conclusion once the series finale airs. At the same time, there are some Easter Eggs hidden in there for the diehard fans, teasing both the new spinoff series Vought Rising and the events of Gen V, helping to build the shared universe that hopefully will continue to flourish after the main series concludes next month.

While the series is unquestionably a work of fiction, there is a chilling parallel to today’s world that you can’t shake while watching this final season. With Homelander’s grip over America, the country feels less like a free nation but a state of fear with citizens being rounded up and imprisoned to get rid of anyone who showed even the slightest disagreement with him, the weaponization of faith and elevating Homelander to a messiah like figure, and the unchecked power of militant law enforcement, the America within the series is in dire need of Butcher and his team to take out Homelander. None of what is occurring within the series is out of place, as this has clearly been what the series has been building to over its first four seasons, and it creates the perfect environment for the final fight between Butcher and Homelander to unfold in. Despite being written before any of the real world events that gave rise to the undeniable similarities, Kripke’s vision for the final season as a result seems far less satirical at times, instead more of an urgent warning to the world that if we continue on the path we are on currently, that this could very well be our future (minus the narcissistic and unstable Supes).

Every member of the cast whose characters have survived the wrath of Homelander for the first four seasons returns for one last battle, and the performances across the board are great. Karl Urban continues to dole out profanities with a gleeful offensiveness while tapping into Butcher’s suicidal mission to eliminated Homelander and every other Supe, no matter the cost or who becomes collateral damage, creating a flawed hero to lead the season. Antony Starr is the most terrifying he has been to date as Homelander, with the power and control over the country going to his head, creating the most unpredictable, dangerous and frightening version of Homelander yet that Starr plays with an uncontrollable rage and calculated wickedness. The return of Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy is one of the season’s highlights, delivering some great moments of comedy as he clashes with Homelander and stirs up trouble within Vought International, blending Ackles’ rugged charm with a meanness that allows him to fit perfectly into this world once again.

Though, the standouts of the season are without question its leading ladies, with Erian Moriarty, Karen Fukuhara, Susan Heyward and Valorie Curry all delivering exceptional performances thanks to the arcs of their characters over the season. With their characters reflecting on the toll the struggle between Homelander and Butcher has taken on them, these women have the more compelling personal storylines over the course of the season than their male counterparts which fuels their performances. Moriarty does a wonderful job reflecting on Starlight’s new outlaw status, that harm that she is causing millions of innocent people who stood by her, and struggling with what she has done over the past year, all with a vulnerability that captures the gravity of the fight she finds herself in. Fukuhara gets to have some more heightened fun as Kimiko this season, delivering some cheerful comedic moments, while also bringing a hope to a life beyond the conflict and acting as a beacon of light within the darkness. Over at Vought Industries, Curry tones down the abrasiveness we saw from Firecracker last season as she grapples with her religious faith and position alongside Homelander, giving a far more sensitive performance as she is forced to swear her allegiance to Homelander even at the costs of her personal values. As the fight with Homelander reaches its conclusion, Curry slowly begins to reveal the layers and true intentions to Sister Sage, developing a complex character whose true allegiance can never be trusted, which creates an exciting character that keeps the audience on their toes.

With only two episodes left in the battle against Homelander, Eric Kripke and his creative team have set the runway for what is certain to be a gory and shocking conclusion, while the entire cast continues to revel in the madness of the story and their characters to create a thrilling, outrageously hilarious and excellent season of television. Never shying away from the critical commentary on superheroes and society that has defined the series, even if it is feeling uncomfortably too alike our world today, the daring, grotesque and shocking storytelling that has defined The Boys never waivers for a second in the first three quarters of its final season while the showrunning team builds the satisfying stakes for a series finale that should give fans all the carnage and devastation they could hope for to close the series out with a bang!