The Boys is now done. Forever. Well, until the two new spinoffs arrive, but that's beside the point. The Prime Video show that kick-started the live-action arm of the franchise has just come to an emotional conclusion. From early reactions I saw online, I expected the same level of disappointment as the Game of Thrones finale. I can thankfully say that The Boys fans were being overly dramatic about how the show ended.
Showrunner Eric Kripke has been openly discussing his nervousness for weeks now, fearing that fans would hate how The Boys ended. After watching the finale, "Blood and Bone," I only sort of see what he meant. There were a few parts that I felt could have been written a little better, but it was overall a solid way to bid farewell to the groundbreaking superhero show.
FULL SPOILERS for The Boys season 5, Episode 8, "Blood and Bone."
"Blood and Bone" didn't need the feature-length runtime The Boys fans were demanding
I'll admit that I was among those concerned at the end of The Boys season 5's penultimate episode. It seemed unlikely that the story could be fully wrapped up in just one more, regular-length installment. Rather than the 60-minute runtime that has long been the show's blueprint, around 90 minutes felt like it might have been necessary.
As it turns out, all that worry was for nothing. There were even points when I felt like "Blood and Bone" was about to end, and then it ran for even longer. Anything drastically more substantial would have resulted in the episode feeling somewhat bloated. Everything that needed to happen, happened. And it happened in true The Boys style.
Antony Starr shines as Homelander until the very end
The Boys season 5's finale is named after a conversation between Homelander and Butcher (Karl Urban) from earlier in the show's run. The general vibe is that only one of them will be left standing when all is said and done. "Blood and Bone" finally paid that off, revealing that it was Butcher who was always destined to emerge victorious.
Although the fight scene itself is incredibly well done, considering Kripke's comments about lacking a suitable budget, it's the aftermath that stands out to me. Watching Homelander instantly turn into the most terrified, childish version of himself as he faced his imminent demise was almost enough to make me feel sorry for him. It would have been really easy to revel in his demise, but Starr's performance added some last-minute apprehension when it came to the thought of Homelander being handed the ultimate punishment.
Of course, a lot of this is down to how well-written Homelander's troubled arc has been over the years. That would all have come to nothing if Starr hadn't been cast to bring the villain to life, though. He didn't let any of that intensity slip as his role on the show came to an end. Although it was one of the most uncomfortable performances he's given, that was sort of the point. Bravo, Antony Starr.
"Blood and Bone" doesn't shy away from major character deaths
The Stranger Things finale is still catching strays months later for leaving its ever-increasing ensemble intact. Antony Starr even seemed to comment on this in a recent interview, although he didn't mention the show he was talking about. Thankfully, The Boys didn't fall into the same trap. Homelander's death is obviously the headliner here. But the demise of the Deep (Chace Crawford) also marks the brutal exit of a character who has permeated the show since the beginning.
Similarly, Butcher's heart-wrenching death at the hands of Hughie (Jack Quaid) really took me by surprise. Then, in retrospect, it couldn't have gone any other way. A purely happy ending that sees Homelander die with zero collateral wouldn't have fit the show's formula. The unexpected redemption of Ashley (Colbie Minifie) is also worthy of a mention. I think it worked well.
I'm really torn on The Boys' final line of dialogue
"Blood and Bone" offers a few nice, full-circle moments as it draws to a close. Primarily, Hughie's return to selling AV gear mirrors his starting point from the very beginning of the show. To push the story forward beyond the episode's final frame, it's also revealed that Hughie and Annie (Erin Moriarty) are expecting. It was predictable, but also quite sweet.
Still, "Take care of your mom, Robin," confirms the name of said baby. For those who don't remember, Robin is the name of Hughie's late girlfriend, who we see run through by A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) in the show's pilot. In a way, it makes sense that Hughie would name his daughter after Robin, but it also sort of prevents the story from coming to neat ending that leaves the conflict fully in the past. On balance, it probably was the right choice, and the correct way for The Boys to honor Robin's memory.
Episode Rating: A+
The Boys is streaming now, in full, on Prime Video.
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