The Boys Season 5: Did Homelander Kill Ryan With Invincible Tribute?

Credit:- Prime Video

It couldn’t be a better time to be an Amazon subscriber, as the streamer continues rolling out new episodes of both Invincible Season 4 and The Boys Season 5, the final chapter in the series. Episode 3 of The Boys even features a brutal tribute to Invincible’s first season, echoing the moment when Omni-Man nearly beats his son Mark to death after revealing his true Viltrumite intentions.

After learning the truth about what Homelander did to his mother, despite Butcher’s warning, Ryan rushes to confront Homelander about the latter s-xually assaulting Becca. Although his father initially denies the claims, things eventually escalate between the duo, prompting Homelander to beat his biological son within an inch of his life.

Is Ryan Dead in The Boys Season 5?

The confrontation between the two quickly turns violent after Ryan draws blood on Homelander, which leads to the latter completely demolishing the teen after throwing him into a pile of boxes. The scene is pretty reminiscent of Invincible season 5, and it’s safe to say the parallels were deliberate, given that both of the IPs exist under Amazon’s umbrella.

Coming back to the episode, Homelander eventually stops after realizing that he has gone too far, leaving a bloodied Ryan alone. However, episode 3 of season 5 makes it clear that Ryan isn’t dead, as Butcher finds the boy battered and bruised but alive at the end of the episode.

With no redemption on the horizon for Homelander, unlike Omni-Man, hopefully, Ryan will eventually get his shot at revenge against his father as the show gradually approaches its end.

How Old is Ryan Butcher in The Boys Season 5?

A still from The Boys | Credit: Amazon Prime Video

One issue with teenagers in prestige shows is that long gaps between seasons make it harder for actors to convincingly look the part, as seen with Stranger Things Season 5.

It’s suggested that Ryan was conceived around 2012, which would technically make him about 14 years old as of 2026, when the show is set. However, as is often the case with prestige shows, actors tend to grow out of their roles during long breaks between seasons, and in this case, Cameron Crovetti is 18 in real life and doesn’t quite look the part of a 14-year-old in the new season.

While this is an issue that has affected many shows that comprise prominent teen characters and are prone to big gaps between seasons, in Ryan’s case, it can be explained by the use of Compound V. This could work as a plausible in-universe reason for why he appears older than he is without breaking fans’ immersion.

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The Boys season 5 and Invincible season 4 are currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video (USA).