The Boys Season 5 Finale Review — The Perfect Ending For Butcher, Homelander, and The Boys – REVIEW

Blood and Bone

Big spoiler warning.

Somehow, though, Episode 8 completely surprised me. Not only did it manage to deliver emotionally, but it also gave nearly every major character a fitting conclusion.

Most importantly, the pacing was excellent. Nothing felt rushed, yet the episode constantly moved forward with purpose. Every major moment had enough room to breathe, which is exactly what a finale of this scale needed.

One of the most interesting character conclusions was undoubtedly The Deep. Even until the very end, he remained the same pathetic, approval-seeking follower he had always been. Despite being repeatedly humiliated throughout the series, he still desperately tried to prove himself to Homelander — even after the only “hero” he truly worshipped constantly disappointed him.

Ironically, there’s something tragic about The Deep ultimately dying in the ocean surrounded by the very creatures he spent his entire life swimming beside, manipulating, and harming. It was darkly poetic, and honestly, perfectly fitting for his character.

Mother’s Milk, on the other hand, barely had a role for most of the episode, which initially felt disappointing. However, once he finally stepped into action, his moment absolutely delivered. The scene where he kills the priest to save Hughie was executed almost perfectly and felt like the final defining act of his character. After everything he went through across five seasons, giving him a relatively happy ending actually felt deserved.

Ryan’s appearance in the finale was another major highlight. His heroic turn genuinely felt earned. First, by finally standing up to Homelander, and then later during the climactic battle where he became the turning point of the entire conflict. Homelander was already prepared to escape and stop Kimiko and Butcher from taking away his powers, but Ryan’s intervention changed everything.

What made Ryan’s role even stronger was the fact that he still kept his own moral compass. Even after helping stop Homelander, he called out Butcher directly, reminding him that he wasn’t truly a good person either just because he opposed someone worse. That moment added a layer of maturity to Ryan’s character that the show had been building toward for years.

The final fight between Butcher and Homelander honestly could not have been handled much better. The first half of the battle felt exactly like what fans had waited years to see — two unstoppable monsters going head-to-head. But what truly elevated the scene was the transition from superhuman brutality into something much more human and vulnerable.

For the first time in the entire series, we saw a completely different side of Homelander. Antony Starr deserves enormous credit not just for this episode, but for all five seasons. Thanks to his performance, Homelander will absolutely remain one of the most memorable TV villains of all time.

Hughie also finally stepped up in the way fans had wanted for years. This episode genuinely felt like the moment he fully grew into himself. Naming his child Robin was also a brilliant touch — a direct callback to the girlfriend whose death started this entire story in the very first episode.

Kimiko deserves huge praise as well. After suffering the loss of Frenchie, she still pushed forward and ultimately delivered one of the most impactful moments of the finale by taking down Homelander’s powers with a devastating strike. What made the scene powerful wasn’t just the action itself, but everything she had endured emotionally to reach that point.

Last season of The Boys continues to dissapoint… (SPOILER WARNING)

The final confrontation between Hughie and Butcher was unexpected, but at the same time completely logical. Hughie stopping Butcher from releasing the deadly virus and saving every remaining supe was one of the smartest decisions in the episode. More importantly, Butcher hesitating in that moment — seeing his brother in Hughie — perfectly completed his arc.

In the end, Butcher’s conclusion felt tragic but understandable. He achieved what he wanted most by avenging Rebecca and killing Homelander, but after speaking with Ryan, he finally realized the peaceful future he imagined could never truly exist. Losing Terror on top of everything else only reinforced how empty his victory ultimately was.

And honestly? That’s why this finale worked so well.

It balanced spectacle, emotion, character payoff, and tragedy almost perfectly.

EPISODE REVIEW