The Boys Season 5: Why Homelander’s Fate May Not Be Sealed by Butcher

If you thought The Boys was just going to let Billy Butcher go out guns blazing and take Homelander with him, well, get ready for one last swerve—because that’s not where this speeding truck of a show is headed. No, the biggest, nastiest, most poetic twist is still waiting in the wings, and—surprise—it’s all about Ryan.

The Butcher Obsession: Not His Finale

We’ve watched Butcher stew over Homelander for years now, basically plotting a murder and a half every time Homelander so much as looks at someone sideways. Dude’s downed dangerous drugs, blown up half a lab, and gotten so dark that even his own team is starting to squint. But here’s the wild catch: according to showrunner Eric Kripke, the 'Homelander wins' ending is off the table, but Butcher being the guy to finally off him is out, too. Because in Kripke’s logic, if Butcher is the one to kill Homelander, then Homelander basically wins. Why? Because he will have dragged Butcher all the way down into the mud, into becoming exactly what he hates.

'I won't end the series with Homelander winning.' – Eric Kripke

The show hasn’t exactly been subtle about this, either. Every time Butcher pops a vial of Temp V or snaps and gets extra murder-y, it’s basically a big neon sign: this isn't your hero. Butcher in full-tilt revenge mode would just prove Homelander right about humanity.

So... Why Ryan?

Here’s where things get both devastating and—let’s be honest—a little bit genius. Homelander’s fatal flaw is his desperate need to be loved, especially by his own son. He’s supposed to be this all-powerful god, but emotionally? The guy’s just a mess. And what’s the one thing that would shatter him worse than any kryptonite? His son deliberately rejecting him—in the most permanent way possible.

This came on slow, but if you track Ryan’s journey since season 2, it’s looking inevitable. He started as Homelander’s sheltered, scared kid—hell, his superpowers only came out when he accidentally killed his own mom. That guilt nearly annihilated him, which already puts him on an emotional planet Homelander’s never even visited.

Season 3 cranked up the tension: suddenly, Ryan’s being nudged closer to Homelander, and you start to wonder if he’ll break bad. There’s that blink-and-miss-it moment where he smirks while dad lasers a protestor. But by Season 4, Ryan isn’t just drinking the Kool-Aid anymore—he’s starting to question things and, crucially, push back against Homelander’s whole worldview.

Why This Changes Everything (And Throws Out The Comics)

The TV show loves to flip the comic’s most violent moments on their head, and this might be the biggest reversal yet. In the original Garth Ennis comics, Butcher actually kills the supe baby—a.k.a. infanticide, which, let’s be real, is a step too far for Prime Video. TV’s Butcher does the opposite: he tries to save Ryan, making the kid a real, living, ticking time bomb for emotional drama.

If you’ve read the comics: the final Homelander showdown comes via Black Noir, who’s actually a demented clone of the big man himself. Noir offs Homelander because he’s literally just Homelander with no brakes. But the show already killed off Noir (in a totally different way), so that twist is off the table. Enter Ryan—Homelander’s literal blood and most painful mirror.

Season 5 Clues: 'Laser Eyes of Destiny'

Go back to that Season 5 trailer and look closely: Homelander is pounding on someone with chest burns… and stops. He never stops unless it’s personal. Who could get him to hesitate? His own kid, obviously.

Also, Ryan’s got game when it comes to powers. Multiple nerds with calculators have pointed out that Ryan’s natural laser vision already matches or beats Homelander’s lab-vat abilities. Plus, Homelander’s emotional roadmap is full of potholes labeled 'weakness for his son.' Advantage: Ryan.

The real knot here isn’t whether Ryan will kill Homelander. It’s what that’ll do to Ryan. Will becoming the ultimate patricide champion twist him into the show’s next villain—or will he escape Homelander’s legacy with his soul still attached? Either way, Homelander loses everything: life, legacy, and the one person he ever cared about.

Long story short: betting against Ryan taking down his dad is like betting The Boys won’t go for the most traumatic option—they always do.

The Boys: Quick Facts

• Number of Seasons: 5 (Season 5 premieres April 8, 2026)
• Creators: Eric Kripke, Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen
• Main Cast: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher
• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
• IMDb Rating: 8.6/10
• Where to Watch: Prime Video starting April 8, 2026