In today's episode of The Boys, Frenchie makes the ultimate sacrifice to stop Homelander from discovering Kimiko and Sage. The woman he loves has seemingly gained Soldier Boy's powers, meaning she's the only one capable of depowering the V1-infused leader of The Seven.
That wasn't why Frenchie saved Kimiko, of course, as he'd previously confessed that he was ready and willing to have children with her. It's a tragic end for the fan-favourite character, and a poignant send-off sees him tell Homelander, "I bet you never danced a day in your life," after exposing himself to a fatal dose of radiation (which barely slows the evil Supe down).
Talking to The Hollywood Reporter, The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke explained the decision to kill a member of Billy Butcher's team before next week's series finale.
"We knew we had to kill off one of The Boys," he told the trade. "You can’t have a shot at victory unless it costs your heroes something that’s really hard. I always think The Lord of the Rings was so good at that, and Game of Thrones was so good at that. For narrative momentum, your heroes have to pay a steep price — because that’s how it works in the real world."
"So it was going through each character and deciding what was going to be the most heart-wrenching," Kripke continued. "I think we knew early on it was going to be Frenchie. In so many ways, Frenchie and Kimiko are the heart of the show. Despite what killers they are, they’re both so emotionally sweet."
"We knew this would have real maximum destruction, and I think it had to happen. They would not have a chance of winning if Frenchie doesn’t sacrifice himself."
Another major talking point in "The Frenchman, the Female, and the Man Called Mother's Milk" comes when legendary actor Samuel L. Jackson lends his voice to the foul-mouthed Xander the Hammerhead Shark.
In a separate conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Kripke said that Tilda Swinton's role as The Deep's cephalopod love interest, Ambrosius, is what inspired him to pursue the MCU's Nick Fury.
"Wouldn't it be hilarious if every time we hear from an ocean animal it's just the biggest possible, classiest actor we can possibly find, like Tilda?" he said. "There's always a chance of getting them because it's usually just an hour or two in a recording booth. They can do it wherever they are."
"There was just a morning. He was free in New York City, and we brought him into a booth. I was in L.A. but video conferencing and was able to watch him do it," Kripke recalled. "That's a bucket-list thing, man, watching Sam Jackson read your dialogue. And I think it makes the scene just so funny because The Deep is getting told off and Sam Jackson's very, very good at that."
There have been quite a few grumbles about The Boys Season 5, with many fans declaring it a disappointment. While the six episodes dedicated to the Virus were largely for nothing in terms of the team's mission, there have still been some big character moments.
Now, as we head into the final episode, the hope is that Kripke can stick the landing and end this story in a satisfying manner. It won't be easy, especially as expectations are incredibly high (Prime Video should take some of the blame for that after releasing posters teasing worldwide devastation).
The Boys Season 5 is now streaming weekly on Prime Video.