The Boys Season 5 Premiere Ending Explained: What Happened to Soldier Boy?

Image via Prime Video

The Boys Season 5 just debuted to the excitement of many, bringing us to the endgame of the Prime Video show. Among many new developments like the Boys’ new supe-killing virus, the beloved Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) returned after his fight at the end of Season 3. The supe was put into cryosleep after Butcher found out he was planning to kill Ryan (Homelander’s son).

Soldier Boy was a pivotal part of The Boys Season 5 Episode 2 after Homelander set him on a path to track the Boys. In a comedic revival, we saw the father-son duo in a new dynamic where they were at the top of the American food chain. Soldier Boy fought the Boys briefly before the supe-killing virus put a stop to him… until the very last second when he awoke from death itself.

Why Was Soldier Boy Brought Back in The Boys Season 5?

The events of The Boys premiere saw Homelander repeatedly looking at his father, Soldier Boy, in cryosleep, hoping to bring him back in the new tyrannical regime. After the flight video leaked during a presentation, everyone thinks Homelander is an unstoppable killing machine. With nobody to turn to, he makes the decision to revive his father.

Showrunner Eric Kripke elaborated on why Soldier Boy is back during a conversation with Gamesrader+ at SDCC 2024:

Straight out of his sleep, we already see this dynamic being explored as Soldier Boy remarks if this is a psychologically messed-up scenario (inc*st) between father and son. Being the tough dad who thinks his son is worthless, it’s interesting to see Homelander continue to crave his father’s approval.

Given that Butcher betrayed him at the end of Season 3, Homelander pitches the idea of revenge against the Butcher. Things don’t go to plan, despite everybody thinking the idea of sending a powerful supe against the virus is genius. The Deep playfully remarked that Homelander is playing “3D Chess,” a term used when your opponent is not aware that they are the ones being played.

Jensen Ackles plans to reprise his role outside The Boys in a spin-off titled Vought Rising, a noir-styled show with Soldier Boy and Stormfront.

Antony Starr and Jensen Ackles Lead Powerhouse Performances As Antagonists

A still from The Boys Season 5 | Credit: Prime Video

The premiere of The Boys Season 5 saw two extremely powerful antagonists go against the group in a planned attack. During a heist mission to test out the supe-killing virus, Soldier Boy intervenes in action-packed sequences that prove he’s still got it.

Antony Starr‘s Homelander delivers a menacing performance in this final arc, with his mental state at its most unhinged. There is nobody to stop him, and everybody fears him with thumping high heart rates. Every close-up shot of Homelander with any of the Seven showcases a commanding and terrifying presence that Starr so naturally delivers.

Jensen Ackles is stoic as ever, walking around and stealing the scene from Antony Starr with ease. His Soldier Boy was the highlight of Season 3, and fans are delighted to have him back for more. Season 5 will hold a mirror to Homelander’s crisis in the form of Soldier Boy as he tries to navigate all the power he has with no one to share it with.

The failed attempt to reconnect with his son, Ryan, only pushes him further into insecurity, and Starr expertly switches between vulnerability and antagonistic performances. Jensen Ackles did not have a lot of breathing room to shine so far, but you can expect him to be a central figure in the final season of The Boys.

The Boys is currently streaming on Prime Video.