Following last week's blood soaked Supernatural reunion, this week's episode ups the ante as The Boys, Homelander, and Soldier Boy all find themselves on a collision course for the elusive V1, which could potentially save the world... or destroy it.
We caught up with showrunner Eric Kripke again to break down what we could see in Episode 6 and how Soldier Boy's changing perspective will play a major role in how the final few installments play out. Plus, he walks us back through last week's gory murderfest, how The Boys are all finally aligned, and offers a few hints on how this season sets up next year's spinoff Vought Rising.
The season five main cast features Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Nathan Mitchell, Colby Minifie, Cameron Crovetti, Susan Heyward, Valorie Curry, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jensen Ackles, and Daveed Diggs.
The first five episodes of The Boys season five are now streaming!
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ROHAN: The Supernatural reunion was a blast and since we can talk about it now, Jared gets very, very bloody in the episode. How did the whole sequence come together and how far did you want to push the envelope with him?
ERIC: From the very beginning, the kernel of the idea started with Evan Goldberg, one of the executive producers, who said I want to get as many celebrity cameos in one room as possible, and then murder them all, including Seth, in the goriest way. And so that was when we're in the writers’ room, we're trying to come up with this idea. And we came up with this idea of Mister Marathon, the speedster before A-Train, and what a perfect role that would be for Jared. And then, we needed another superhero, and what a perfect role that would be for Misha and so, then I called Evan, and I said, ‘Alright, it's happening, get me as many of your friends to fly to Toronto as possible,’ and they got the guys to come up who are in the sequence, and it was just unbelievably fun to shoot. I was there, and we wanted to give Seth the goriest death out of all of them, but yeah, every time, you know, Jared kills somebody, he gets covered with more and more fake blood, which is just really, basically corn syrup. I mean, it's so sticky and horrible, and when you even get it on your hands, you feel uncomfortable, and so, to have it all over your body for three days was probably a lot more than he was counting on when he said, sure, I'll come up and do an episode, that sounds fun. And then, you know, he's just like sitting in horrible goo for three days straight.
ROHAN: Soldier Boy has been taking a trip down memory lane this season, which has maybe changed his perspective on a few things. Where would you say his head is at in these final few episodes because it’s starting to seem like he’s pivoting on his stance on Homelander?
ERIC: Well, I think, I mean specifically in the story and how it affects Episode Five is, you know, I think he was really thrown for a loop when Homelander had the opportunity to take him out in Episode Four, but didn’t. I think that really makes Soldier Boy sort of look at his son in a different way, and even awakens a little bit of paternal instinct. So, when Mister Marathon, Jared's character, offers Soldier Boy everything he's been saying he wants, you know, like no weirdos like Homelander, just sex and drugs and fun, and he has the opportunity to take it, but doesn't, because he feels this growing obligation towards his son, and, you know, it's in the most toxic way possible. But I think Soldier Boy is starting to feel a little bit like a dad, which is bad news for everybody besides Soldier Boy and Homelander.
ROHAN: We’ve watched The Boys grow over these past five seasons and deal with their individual traumas. When you were breaking down these final few episodes, how did you approach bringing them back together for this one final unifying challenge?
ERIC: I mean, each one does have their own issue that needed to be specifically rectified, but overall, it was just like once each person can deal with their own particular issue, they can really come together as a group, which is what they need to do. And I'd say, if it's about anything, it's about just like, superheroes can't save the world. People standing in front of you saying they can save you, can't save the world, you know, your family, whether it's your blood family or the family you choose, like that's the only thing that can and that only happens when you overcome your differences and band together tighter. So, you know, if anything, it's that.
ROHAN: Jensen’s been incredible this season, maybe some of the best work of his career. We’ve seen breadcrumbs throughout the season with his story arc, but what did you hope to set up as you start to tease Vought Rising, without getting too deep into the mystery, and how that show may tie into The Boys season five?
ERIC: Yeah, I mean, I think we were trying to strike a balance, you know, where there's easter eggs and there's details and there's things that you'll enjoy, you know, seeing in Vought Rising that are first introduced in The Boys, but not so much that you need to see one to see the other. And we very intentionally designed Vought Rising so that you could actually watch it and completely enjoy it without ever seeing The Boys, but if you did, there would be little details that, you know, that show the cross pollination between the shows that sort of, I think, lead to a more enjoyable experience, but we never want it to feel mandatory. We never want it to feel like homework.
ROHAN: V1 has essentially been this season’s MacGuffin, and in this week’s episode, the search will finally reach a head as we find out whether it actually exists or not. What would you like to tease about what’s to come? Is V1 everything they’ve made it out to be? Or is everyone chasing a ghost? Or is there a catch?
ERIC: Yeah, it's for sure a MacGuffin, I don't think a MacGuffin is a dirty word. I think almost every piece of media, television or movies, has one and they're on the hunt, but, you know, if Homelander gets some, then he really does become a God. So, I mean, I don't think it's a big spoiler to say there really is some V1 out there. It would be pretty unsatisfying if they went on this whole hunt, and then it turns out it never even existed. So, there is some V1 and so the question remains, who's going to - One, who has it? Does Bombsight have it? A character who will show up in Vought Rising, and so, will we get to meet him for the first time here in The Boys? And then, if he has it, who gets their hands on it?
Read our season five recaps at the following links:
Plus, check out the rest of our The Boys season five interviews:
The Boys Season 5 will premiere the first two episodes on Wednesday, April 8th, followed by weekly episodes, leading up to the epic series finale on Wednesday, May 20th.
In the fifth and final season, it’s Homelander’s world, completely subject to his erratic, egomaniacal whims. Hughie, Mother’s Milk, and Frenchie are imprisoned in a “Freedom Camp.” Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force. Kimiko is nowhere to be found. But when Butcher reappears, ready and willing to use a virus that will wipe all Supes off the map, he sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change the world and everyone in it. It’s the climax, people. Big stuff’s gonna happen.