The Boys Season 5 Episode 5: Who Is Jared Padalecki’s Mister Marathon? Origin & Powers Revealed

The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 is confirmed to bring a new actor into the picture: Jared Padalecki. The Supernatural star is set to play Mister Marathon, a supe from The Seven who was replaced by A-Train. Rather than just making a cameo in the show, Padalecki will have a big role that is essential to the plot.

Mister Marathon is a crucial part of the show’s lore, referenced in dialogue in the early seasons of The Boys. With superhuman speed, he’ll be running onto our screens on April 29, 2026, on Prime Video.

CategoryDescription

Title	The Boys
Showrunner	Eric Kripke
Seasons	5
IMDb score (overall)	8.6/10 (as of April 25, 2026)
Rotten Tomatoes score (Season 5) (Tomatometer | Popcornmeter)	96% | 75% (as of April 25, 2026)
Season 5 Episode 5 Release Date	April 29, 2026
Streamer	Amazon Prime Video

Jared Padalecki’s Mister Marathon: Origin and Powers

Mister Marathon is the original speedster in The Boys universe, existing in both the comics and the TV show. In the TV show, he slows down with age, resulting in his removal from The Seven despite being a founding member. Looking at the comics, his exit from The Seven was far more tragic: Homelander accidentally kills him on a mission.

The TV show’s mentions of him portray yet another supe with “herogasmic” needs, revealed by Ashley Barrett. In a conversation with Lamplighter, we come to know that they have been sneaking college girls into Vought.

Mister Marathon’s superhuman speed puts him in the same category as any other speedster. He also has enhanced hearing that likely stems from his heightened physical abilities. This gives him sharp reflexes as well, essentially viewing things slowed down from his perspective.

Jared Padalecki taking on the role of Mister Marathon goes beyond The Boys fandom, pulling in a long-established and active fanbase for a massive reunion.

Episode 5’s Highly Anticipated Supernatural Reunion

Jared Padalecki will be reuniting with his Supernatural co-stars Jensen Ackles and Misha Collins on-screen after 6 years. The Supernatural TV show concluded its epic fifteen-season run in 2020, putting a stop to the Winchester brothers’ hunting monsters and demons.

Supernatural has remained a beloved series since its premiere in 2005, with many people still emotionally attached to Padalecki and Ackles’ characters as Sam and Dean. The showrunner of The Boys, Eric Kripke, also happens to be the showrunner for Supernatural, making this reunion a much-anticipated moment for fans.

Kripke had this to say about Jared Padalecki in The Boys (via Entertainment Weekly):

I’ve wanted to get him on the show for years… It was more like I walked into this season saying, ‘I want more than a cameo for Jared. I want a meaty, fun role that really turns the story.’

With only a few days to go, excitement is ramping up for Soldier Boy to meet Mister Marathon at Vought Tower.

Are you excited for Mister Marathon? Let us know in the comments.

The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 will drop on Prime Video on April 29, 2026.