The Boys showrunner explains how they arrived at the big Homelander twist

Homelander and Starlight in The Boys season 3
(Image credit: Amazon)

The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke has opened up on Homelander’s big reveal – and why the twist was the perfect thematic fit for the third season.  

Major spoilers for The Boys season 3, episode 7 follow.

Soldier Boy is Homelander’s daddy. It’s a twist many didn’t see coming and, according to Kripke, they didn’t plan on the moment (which isn’t in the source material) until after Jensen Ackles was cast at Soldier Boy.

"It happened early, but I think it happened after we had cast Jensen, but it was in those early couple... first months," Kripke told Collider. "We try to be very, very realistic, but we also have an element of the show that's completely magical."

Kripke explained the 'I’m your daddy' moment "emerged from a careful examination of the themes that were evolving for us."

He continued: "We just really noticed how much of the season was about fathers and sons and generational trauma, and [how] toxic masculinity is passed on from father to son over the generations in a really shitty and destructive way…it just started to feel really organic of like, 'Well, we should give Homelander a dad, and it should be this guy that he hates and then realizes that maybe he should love."

Episode 7’s big shocker has already made waves on social media, with some viewers calling it the best twist since Empire Strikes Back. Make sure you’re there for the finale with The Boys season 3 release schedule. And if you need something else to watch, be sure to check out more of the best shows on Amazon Prime.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.