In this season, the world is dominated by Homelander, and Annie January has formed a resistance to Homelander while the rest of the team is scattered. Billy Butcher reappears and gathers The Boys to take down Homelander, ready to use a virus capable of wiping out all of the Supes of the world.
A year after Homelander consolidated power, Annie January leaked the Flight 37 video, severely damaging his reputation. To retaliate, Homelander imprisoned Hughie, Frenchie, and Mother’s Milk, using them as bait for Billy Butcher. While Butcher’s team orchestrated a daring rescue, he simultaneously developed a lethal Supe-killing virus with Dr. Sameer Shah. The stakes escalated when Homelander released Soldier Boy from cryostasis to hunt Butcher down. As the team infiltrated Teenage Kix’s territory to test their biological weapon, they faced a brutal collision with Soldier Boy’s new alliance, forcing a desperate struggle for survival against both Supes and science.
The 60-minute duration was perfect because there was no filler. But I give this show 8.5/10 rating, because extreme gore and fight scenes, which might be too intense for some viewers and romance, kissing scenes with a lot of plot twists too.
The central themes of the show are Power and Corruption. It explores the dark side of celebrity culture, political manipulation, and the moral ambiguity of vigilante justice. At its core, it is a satire of the superhero genre. That absolute power corrupts absolutely. It serves as a warning against hero worship and reminds us that true courage comes from ordinary people standing up against systemic injustice, even when the odds are impossible.
The greatest strength of The Boys is its ability to subvert expectations. It never play safe, and the pacing of this 60-minute episode feels breathless. However, the extreme gore and fight scenes might be too intense for some viewers. Additionally, because it is the fifth season, the plot relies heavily on the audience knowing the story from previous season. Similar to the gritty realism of The Batman and the dark superhero deconstruction in Watchmen, as well as the satirical and violent tone of Deadpool and the psychological depth of Joker, you will find that The Boys is even more provocative and daring in its execution.
Fun Fact: Antony Starr (Homelander) reportedly finds the character’s costume extremely uncomfortable and “suit-farts” are a frequent joke among the cast during long filming days.
*Muhammad Rafi Faturrachman is a Business Administration student at Politeknik LP3I Jakarta.
