The Boys Season 5 will bring Prime Video’s gritty superhero series to a close, and that means Homelander’s fate will be decided in the coming episodes. Although Season 5’s trailer hints at Homelander’s death with its callback to the comics’ Oval Office scene, it likely won’t follow the source material to a T. After all, having Black Noir kill him in the show would be anti-climactic after Season 3’s ending twist (unless there’s another surprise waiting in the wings). And considering all the changes The Boys makes to the comics, there are definitely better characters to deliver the killing blow. SPOILERS ahead for The Boys Season 5, Episodes 1 and 2.
Most of the strongest supes in The Boys have good reasons to take out Homelander, especially heading into the rest of Season 5. He’s increasingly unstable in the latest outing, and The Boys Season 4’s ending already made defeating him a priority. In reality, it will probably take a group effort to take him off the board, given how powerful Homelander is. But whether the Antony Starr’s villain perishes in 1:1 combat or fighting multiple characters at once, these are the players most likely to be involved in his downfall.
5) Soldier Boy
Image via Prime Video
Soldier Boy is one of the few supes that stands a chance of defeating Homelander, and Jensen Ackles’ character officially has a reason to lash out at his biological son. In The Boys Season 5’s two-part premiere, Homelander sends Soldier Boy to deal with Butcher, placing him right in the path of the supe virus. As Butcher gives Soldier Boy the idea that Homelander is using him as a Guinea pig, it’s possible he’ll set out to get revenge. This would set up a rematch between Soldier Boy and Homelander, though Soldier Boy killing the other supe would still be a bit underwhelming. After all, Homelander has larger feuds with more prominent characters.
4) Starlight
It’s unlikely Starlight could defeat Homelander in a 1:1 fight, but she certainly knows how to make him look bad — and she’s the one rallying the resistance to his regime. Needless to say, she’ll play a prominent role in his defeat, even if she isn’t the one who disarms or kills him directly. And if it does come down to a group effort, Starlight will be helpful in combat. She proves as much during The Boys Season 5’s premiere, using her powers to temporarily incapacitate Homelander. She’s more willing than ever to sacrifice herself, too, which makes her far more dangerous in Season 5.
3) Marie Moreau
The Boys and Gen V position Marie Moreau as a supe with the potential to defeat Homelander, and her blood manipulation may be capable of incapacitating or even killing him. As the only other Odessa survivor, it seems inevitable she’ll have something to do with Homelander’s downfall. However, despite her leveling up in Gen V Season 2, it’s not clear if she can defeat Homelander — and there’s also the question of whether she should. As satisfying as it would be to see Marie reach that level of power, her connection to The Boys‘ main story remains distant. As it stands, her defeating Homelander alone would be anti-climactic. Perhaps, like Starlight, she’ll be a piece of the puzzle.
2) Ryan Butcher
The Boys Season 5 is currently hiding one of the biggest threats to Homelander: his son, Ryan. Although Ryan is less experienced and more compassionate than his father, he has all the same abilities. He’s clearly gone off the grid, which means we could see a stronger version of his character return. And after Season 4’s revelations, he has plenty of reasons to confront his father. It’s hard to imagine Ryan taking him out on his own, but not impossible. Ryan doing so would make even more sense if Butcher was in danger. Although the two end Season 4 on bad terms, their connection may push Ryan to act against Homelander.
1) Billy Butcher
Amazon Prime Video
Of all the characters most likely to defeat Homelander after The Boys Season 5, Episodes 1 and 2, Billy Butcher still seems like the strongest contender. The feud between Homelander and Butcher is at the heart of the series, and Season 5 needs to give it closure. Butcher is also gunning for Homelander with his supe virus, and he has powers of his own, which makes a showdown between the two more compelling. With the virus failing to kill Soldier Boy, Butcher may need to make some changes if he hopes to win. But that man is endlessly crafty, and if anyone can find a way to stop Homelander for good, it’s him.
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