Power Ranking The Boys’ 5 Strongest Characters After Season 5, Episode 5

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Season 5, Episode 5 of The Boys doesn’t shake up the established power dynamics. Despite a major character death and the introduction of Jared Padalecki as Mister Marathon, the episode doesn’t significantly alter who’s on top. Warning: Spoilers ahead! Titled “One-Shots,” the episode does a good job of fleshing out some characters and even sets up a new rivalry between Black Noir 2 and The Deep, but it doesn’t change the power levels of the show’s most important figures.

Homelander remains the most powerful character in The Boys, much like he was in Season 5, Episode 4. Despite the ongoing search for V1 and the supposed death of Stormfront, his strength still significantly exceeds that of other key characters. This makes the prospect of him obtaining V1 even more frightening, as it would solidify his already dominant position.

5) Billy Butcher

Even without Bombsight’s abilities and the other super-powered individuals on The Boys not gaining any new strengths, Billy Butcher remains a top contender after the latest episode. Unlike everyone else on this list – who are either Project Odessa survivors, naturally gifted supes, or like Homelander – Butcher doesn’t have any inherent powers. However, he consistently holds his own against incredibly powerful opponents, and isn’t afraid to fight even when the odds are stacked against him. While he’d likely lose a straight-up fight against Ryan, Soldier Boy, or Homelander, his ability to survive encounters with The Seven, combined with his enhanced strength, speed, and tentacles, makes him surprisingly formidable. Despite his ruthlessness, we’ve seen in Episode 5 that he still has a glimmer of humanity.

4) Marie Moreau

Marie Moreau hasn’t appeared in Season 5 of The Boys yet, so she remains at number four on our list. To really prove her strength, we need to see her go up against powerful characters like Ryan, Soldier Boy, or Homelander. The show has done a good job of not letting the characters from Gen V steal the focus, but Marie is positioned as the sole other survivor of Project Odessa, making her a potentially very powerful character. While we haven’t seen her full physical strength, her ability to control blood is already quite formidable. She gains even more power at the end of Gen V Season 2, but it’s still unknown if she has the experience to compete with The Boys‘ biggest threats. She could likely handle Butcher, but it’s hard to say how she’d fare against others.

3) Ryan Butcher

Okay, so after that brutal fight with Homelander in Season 5, Episode 3 of The Boys, Ryan kind of disappears for a while, but I’m guessing he’s still reeling. Honestly, he’s become such a loose cannon. He’s totally cut ties with Homelander, but after their talk in Episode 4, why would he help Butcher? It’s clear he’s getting a much better handle on his powers this season, and he’s definitely not holding back. While he wasn’t strong enough to take down Homelander or even Soldier Boy in their fight, the fact that he made Homelander bleed and actually survived? That’s huge! It puts him firmly on the power ranking list, more than we’ve seen from Marie, though I could see those two switching spots as the season goes on.

2) Soldier Boy

In Season 5 of The Boys, Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy is nearly as powerful as Homelander, but his recent desire to protect his son likely means he won’t use that power aggressively. Even in a direct fight, it’s not certain Soldier Boy would win. He survived the supe virus and is more easygoing, giving him advantages Homelander lacks. He’s better at defending against The Boys and more capable of winning people over. However, Soldier Boy can’t fly or use heat vision like Homelander, and appears a bit slower. While their strength is comparable, it’s still unknown whether Soldier Boy’s radiation blast could neutralize Homelander’s powers – a possibility that could give Soldier Boy the edge.

1) Homelander

Homelander remains the dominant force in Season 5 of The Boys, and that’s exactly what viewers expect from a compelling villain. He consistently gains power because no other supe possesses the strength or the chance to truly defeat him. While Season 5 hints at some vulnerabilities, even exploiting them would require a lot of luck and a team effort. Homelander’s incredible speed, strength, heat vision, and flight make him almost impossible to harm, and his political influence adds to his power. He’s the strongest character in The Boys, even without Compound V, and with it, his defeat seems highly unlikely.

After watching Season 5, Episode 5 of The Boys, where do you think the show’s most powerful heroes would rank? Share your thoughts and discuss with other fans in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-05-01 20:10