The Boys' fifth season will end the series and finally answer whether the show’s major antagonist, Homelander (Anthony Starr), can be stopped. Prime Video’s adaptation of Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson's dark superhero satire graphic novels has become one of the streamer’s major hits since its first season was released in 2019. Throughout the series, Homelander, the leader of the Seven and the face of Vought’s Supes, has become more maniacal and power-hungry, eventually cementing himself as the head of a totalitarian regime by the end of Season 4, despite the Boys’ constant efforts to put a stop to him.
With Season 5 heralding an end to the superhero show, The Boys has one more batch of episodes to determine whether Homelander can be stopped. Throughout The Boys' run, and its spin-off series Gen V, several new powerful supes have been introduced, many of whom could stand a chance against Homelander’s might.
These Supes Are The Boys’ Best Chance to Stop Homelander
Billy Butcher
The rivalry between Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and Homelander is at the core of The Boys. After Homelander assaulted and seemingly murdered his wife, Becca, Butcher formed a vendetta against Supes, in particular Homelander. The ringleader of the Boys has done several dastardly things in pursuit of vengeance, even subjecting himself to experimental Compound V to even the playing field against the other Supes.
At the end of Season 4, Butcher embraced his dark alter ego of Kessler (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and stole the supe-killing virus. Now armed with his superpowers, the virus, and an even darker state of mind, Butcher is one of the only forces strong enough to take down Homelander for good.
Marie Moreau
Marie (Jaz Sinclair) was introduced as one of the main protagonists of Gen V and a freshman student at Godolkin University. Despite the temptation to join the pro-supe agenda, Marie has remained on the side of good, eventually bringing her into the line of fire of Homelander himself.
Gen V Season 2 has confirmed that Marie survived Homelander’s attack. Her powers, which allow her to control and wield blood as a weapon, make her one of the biggest threats to the leader of the Seven, as even Homelander is still a man made of flesh and blood.
Sinclair has shared her hopes that Marie will be the one to bring down Homelander, telling Entertainment Weekly that "the expansion of [Marie's] powers in Gen V Season 2 is really exciting," hinting that her character's growing power may have a bigger purpose in the world of The Boys:
"I was always hoping that they would write me to kill Homelander. I always really liked the idea of taking him out 'cause he's such a royal ass, you know? Marie's such an underdog. The expansion of my powers in [Gen V] season 2 is really exciting. So the weight of that and the implication of what that could mean for Marie was really fun for me this season."
Soldier Boy
In Season 3 of The Boys, the group recruited Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy, Vought’s original superhero, hoping he might be a superhero strong enough to stand a chance against Homelander. After it was revealed that Soldier Boy was actually Homelander’s biological father, the plan unravelled, and Homelander ended up escaping Soldier Boy’s explosive powers with Ryan, while Maeve took the fall for the blast.
Soldier Boy was put back on ice at the end of Season 3, but Season 4’s finale confirmed that Homelander knows his father’s whereabouts, hinting at a reunion in Season 5. Whether or not Soldier Boy ends up being the one to put an end to Homelander’s reign of terror or not, he remains one of the only Supes with the powers to stop him.
Cate Dunlap
The main antagonist in Gen V, Cate Dunlap (Maddie Phillips) became known as a force on campus for her powerful telepathic abilities, which allow her to read the thoughts of others and manipulate them to her will.
While Cate is one of the supes supporting Homelander’s regime, if she were to turn on the leader of the Seven, she may be one of the few who could control him, which could be enough to give them an edge against the tyrannical supe.
Ryan Butcher
As Homelander’s son, Ryan (Cameron Crovetti) is one of the few supes who shares the same powers as the all-powerful supe. While he is still young, Ryan has proven that his powers can be just as devastating as Homelander’s, and the emotional history that they share may make Ryan one of the only people who can actually put a stop to his father.
After spending a season training under his wing, Ryan defected against Homelander at the end of Season 4 and went out on his own. He will no doubt return in Season 5 of The Boys, and he may be a crucial piece in the puzzle that puts a stop to Homelander and his new America.
