The Boys' series finale, 'Blood and Bone,' has been met with both love and hate from fans, with many criticizing the rushed final fight and the lack of payoff for the Supe-killing virus storyline.
Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for The Boys ' series finale . After seven years and five seasons, Prime Video's satirical superhero series, The Boys , has officially ended, with the series finale ,"Blood and Bone," revealing the culmination of Butcher's and Homelander's conflict.
Wrapping up a show is never easy, evidenced by the many controversial finales released over the years, and The Boys is no different. Despite an eventful final season, the show's ending has been receiving mixed reactions from fans, with many complaints revolving around the rushed final fight against Homelander, even if several of the show's characters do receive the perfect sendoff.
Love it or hate it, The Boys' series finale is far from perfect, but the real problem with Season 5 has more to do with the setup of earlier episodes than any specific moment in the show's conclusion. Going all the way back to the first season of Gen V, The Boys has emphasized the threat of a virus that targets Supes, setting up a horrific fate for several heroes and villains alike.
Yet, this storyline has very little impact on the series finale, and this oversight makes the story feel incomplete.
'The Boys' Set the Supe-Killing Virus Up To Have Major Significance The Boys spent a long time setting up the virus as the ultimate weapon against Homelander, starting with its introduction in Gen V. Season 1 of the spin-off explores the origins of the bioweapon, showing how it works as scientists test it on young Supes. Not only is it a prominent part of the first season's mystery, but it is also one of Gen V's most significant connections to the main show.
The Boys further emphasizes its importance, since Season 4 features Butcher and Victoria Neuman fighting over the formula. Later on, Butcher ruthlessly tries to make the virus strong enough to kill Homelander, which seemed to hint at how it would be utilized in The Boys' final season. Related ‘The Boys’ Divisive Finale Completely Changed the Ending From the Comics There's a certain character missing from the final showdown.
Posts By Collier Jennings The Boys Season 5 doesn't forget about the virus — at least, not at first. Episode 2,"Teenage Kix," reveals the characters testing the enhanced strain on several Supes, including Soldier Boy , which initiates the search for V1 and Homelander's quest for immortality. The question of whether or not to release the virus does factor into Season 5's story, which leads to drama, particularly between Hughie and Butcher.
Given that and the virus's importance throughout the franchise to date, it makes sense for it to play a critical role in The Boys' series finale, but in the end, it is largely irrelevant, which makes all the previous setup feel like wasted time.
'The Boys' Series Finale Doesn't Really Use the Supe-Killing Virus After all that buildup, the Supe-killing virus deserved more payoff than it got in The Boys' final season. In the final episode, Butcher does beat Homelander, but only because of a last-minute plan to give Kimiko the same power as Soldier Boy, which can take away Homelander's abilities. Once Homelander is rendered powerless, Butcher kills him in a one-on-one fight.
The virus does resurface briefly after Butcher plans to release it, fearing Vought will raise a new hero in Homelander's place. The ensuing confrontation between Hughie and Butcher is a significant scene between the two characters, but the virus itself serves as nothing more than an empty threat.
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After being set up as the only option to kill Homelander, The Boys' Supe-killing virus is quickly abandoned in favor of a completely different idea. The finale doesn't even confirm what happened to it . While actually releasing the virus would've been a dark turn, even for The Boys, it should have been more than a footnote in the show's ending.
It was a mistake for the series to simply discard such a major plot point, especially in an episode meant to wrap up everything. Ultimately, The Boys' finale is far from the worst we've seen, but this baffling choice ruined the season's cohesion, making it hard to completely ignore.
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The Boys Series Finale Mixed Reactions Rushed Final Fight Supe-Killing Virus
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