1 Part of The Boys’ Finale Is So Much Worse Thanks To a Prime Video Decision

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The finale of The Boys generally delivers a satisfying conclusion, though a decision by Prime Video complicates things. Despite the challenge of wrapping up the series in a single hour, the episode does a good job. While Season 5 proved controversial, the finale doesn’t change that, but the outcomes for characters like Homelander and Butcher feel fitting, well-deserved, and consistent with the show’s overall tone.

The season finale felt rushed and didn’t give enough attention to all the characters. Soldier Boy was completely absent, and the heroes from Gen V had a very short appearance where Starlight simply instructed them to avoid the central conflict. This was already a letdown, but it’s even more frustrating considering Prime Video cancelled Gen V after only two seasons.

Gen V’s Heroes Being in The Boys Was Pointless (& The Cancellation Makes It Worse)

It was always going to be tricky integrating the heroes from Gen V into Season 5 of The Boys, but the way it turned out feels pointless. After two seasons establishing Marie as a potentially Homelander-level powerhouse – especially Season 2, which focused on her gaining control of her abilities – we quickly learned that the hype around her powers was overstated and she actually lacks control.

The finale was particularly disappointing. After Starlight sought their help at the end of Episode 7, Episode 8 quickly changed course and had them assist others instead. They only appeared in two scenes, didn’t impact the story at all, and weren’t even shown participating in the final battle.

It’s not necessarily a problem that the heroes of Gen V weren’t central to the main storyline. In fact, keeping the focus on the characters and fans of The Boys might have been a good reason to avoid bringing in characters from another show. However, it raises the question of why include them at all. It seems like the ending of Gen V Season 2 hinted at a story The Boys wasn’t interested in pursuing, leaving the show in a difficult position where it doesn’t fully benefit either series.

The cancellation of Gen V is especially disappointing because the characters don’t get a proper conclusion. It’s not the writers’ fault – they created the story expecting the show to continue. But it’s frustrating that The Boys didn’t follow up on these characters, and now Prime Video won’t either. Unlike with Soldier Boy, who is likely to reappear, there’s no guarantee these Gen V characters will get another chance. They deserve a better ending, and hopefully, they’ll return in a future spinoff.

All five seasons of The Boys are now streaming on Prime Video.

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2026-05-22 22:16