7 Years Later, The Boys’ Original Villain Is Now the Key to Homelander & Butcher’s Ending

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After seven seasons, The Boys is heading towards its finale with Season 5, and the show’s initial antagonist is now central to how the stories of Homelander and Butcher will end. While the series has introduced other villains and plots over the past four seasons, the core of the show remains the intense rivalry between Homelander and Butcher. This conflict embodies two drastically different worldviews and the broader struggle between those with and without superpowers. As only a few episodes remain, Season 5 needs to resolve both the overarching war and the personal battle between these two characters. Warning: Spoilers follow for the first three episodes of The Boys Season 5.

Both sides are going to desperate lengths to win, with Homelander reviving Soldier Boy and searching for V1, while Butcher is manipulating Ryan and plans to use the supe virus, even if it means sacrificing himself and his friends. These developments will likely shape the final events of Season 5 of The Boys. However, a new and unpredictable element has emerged: the show’s original antagonist, Stan Edgar, played by Giancarlo Esposito.

Stan Edgar Is Back & Poised to Play an Important Role in The Boys Season 5

Stan Edgar is back in Season 5, Episode 3 of The Boys, and he’s poised to be a key figure as the series wraps up. After Soldier Boy unexpectedly survives the supe virus thanks to a unique version of Compound V in his blood, Butcher and the team turn to Stan for information about the original formula. The show references his past meeting with Marie Moreau in Season 2 of Gen V to explain this connection, but their uneasy alliance doesn’t last. When a plan involving Translucent’s son, Maverick, fails, Stan swiftly betrays The Boys. He’s eventually captured by the Deep and handed over to Vought. Following a reunion with Homelander, Stan has become incredibly important to the series’ ending—and it’s unclear whose side he’ll ultimately be on.

Stan Edgar Will Determine Who Wins: Homelander or Butcher

As a huge fan of The Boys, I’m really worried about where things are headed. Knowing what Stan Edgar knows about V1, he’s now in a position to decide the outcome of the fight between Homelander and Butcher, and that’s seriously unsettling. Honestly, I don’t think he’d favor either of them – Homelander ruined his career at Vought, and Butcher… well, Butcher was responsible for the death of his daughter in Season 4. Emotionally, I think Stan’s leaning towards Homelander, and the last scene of Episode 3 just confirms my fears – Stan is completely at Homelander’s mercy, giving the supe all the power in the situation.

Stan could shift the power dynamic in favor of The Boys if he refuses to create V1 for Homelander, or if he deceives him. While helping Homelander fall from grace would benefit Stan, it also carries significant personal risk, as he’s primarily motivated by self-preservation. However, Homelander could offer Stan something that makes cooperation worthwhile. Plus, Stan’s strong dislike of Butcher, shown earlier in the series, might lead him to act out of pure spite. Ultimately, Stan’s choices are unpredictable, and his actions will heavily influence what happens next in The Boys, making the future even more suspenseful.

The Boys’ Original Villain Proves the Cycle Continues Beyond Homelander & Butcher

Though Stan might control the conflict between Homelander and Butcher, his talk with MM in Episode 3 makes it clear that there won’t be a true victory. Both men are likely to die before The Boys ends in Season 5, particularly if Stan inadvertently helps spread the virus. Ultimately, Stan is only looking out for himself, a fact MM recognizes as a way for Stan to regain power at Vought. Stan also acknowledges that something else will always fill the void if the supes are defeated, and he’s probably right. While the showdown between Butcher and Homelander will be resolved this season, the issues of power and greed will continue. No matter who he supports, Stan remains a villain, perfectly content to profit from these ongoing problems.

What are your predictions for Stan Edgar’s actions in The Boys? Share your thoughts and discuss it with other fans in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-04-19 00:10