The end is nigh for The Boys with the fifth and final season releasing imminently on Prime Video. However, ahead of the last outing for Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and his crew, there's a fair amount that you might need to remember. After all, the last season aired back in 2024 and feels like a hazy memory right now.
Then there are the events of Gen V season 2 as well, which are sure to make an impact on how it all ends in the hugely beloved superhero show. Lucky for you, that's where we come in with this handy recap. Ahead of The Boys season 5 premiere, we've taken a deep dive into the key moments that are sure to impact the final episodes.
This includes exactly what you need to remember from Butcher's terminal diagnosis, as well as what Homelander's (Antony Starr) political ambitions are. Not to forget, there are some major characters coming back for the final hurrah, including Jensen Ackles' Soldier Boy. For the latest on these and a whole lot more, read on for everything you need to remember ahead of The Boys season 5.
1. Butcher has months to live
Back in The Boys season 3, Billy Butcher made the call to take Temp-V despite its dangerous side effects, and it ended up giving him a terminal brain tumor. Things then went from bad to worse in season 4 when he took Compound-V, which both gave him superpowers and also accelerated his tumor's growth. Ahead of season 5, it seems like he only has months to live given he was told that he only had 12-18 months back in season 3, before everything deteriorated very quickly in season 4. Now we know that The Boys season 5 picks up six months after the events of Gen V season 2, it seems almost certain that Butcher is on borrowed time. We're not sure that will stop him, though, as the last time we saw him, he'd gone rogue in possession of the Supe-killing virus. What could go wrong?
2. Homelander has a new agenda
In the build-up to season five, Homelander has been making moves in the US government, ending up in charge of Supes nationwide. His agenda is to round up any 'Starlighters' – aka rebels – and make America 'safe again for Supes.' He's also at the heart of Sister Sage's (Susan Heyward) plan, which saw her help get President Calhoun (David Andrews) installed in leadership. She's spoken openly about wanting to move into 'Phase Two' of her scheme to get Homelander closer to the seat of power as well. Whether Homelander and Sage are aligned on their plans remains to be seen, but we do know that the maniacal blonde-haired Supe does have another card up his sleeve involving bringing back a familiar father figure…
3. Soldier Boy is back
In the post-credits scene of The Boys season 4, it was revealed that Homelander's pops Soldier Boy had been frozen rather than dying back in season 3. It seems like Homelander is planning to wake him up at the end of the season to become his ally. Now, the pair didn't exactly see eye to eye when they last joined forces so it's not really clear how this will go. However, we're expecting plenty of father/son drama in season 5, especially as Ryan (Cameron Crovetti) is also currently at large with some pretty familiar powers in his arsenal too.
4. Marie Moreau is just as powerful as Homelander
Speaking of potential enemies for Homelander, his biggest threat could come from one of Gen V's protagonists. In season 2 of the spin-off, it was revealed that Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair) has the power to bring people back from the dead. This is an unheard-of power so far in The Boys universe and essentially makes her the most powerful Supe we've met. We know that she'll be in the final season, so could she be the threat that Homelander won't be expecting? We'll have to wait and see.
5. A-train has defected to team Starlight
Back in season 4, A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) defected from Vought and became an informant for The Boys. Then, at the end of Gen V season 2, he joined up with Starlight (Erin Moriarty) to form a resistance group. The pair recruit the God-U students to their cause while the rest of the team is AWOL in that show's season finale. Heading into season 5, it seems like they'll have their hands full with Homelander (backed by the President of the United States) gunning for them. They might be on their own for a while, too, as last we saw of the rest of the team, Hughie Campbell (Jack Quaid), Mother's Milk (Laz Alonso), and Frenchie (Tomer Capone) had all been captured and taken to a so-called 'Freedom Camp'. Meanwhile, it's unclear what Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) is up to as she managed to escape capture, but we do know that she can talk now.
The Boys season 5 releases on Prime Video on April 8. Never miss an episode with our The Boys season 5 release schedule. For what else to watch, check out our guides to all the new TV shows arriving in 2026 and beyond as well as our pick of the best Amazon Prime shows.
