‘The Boys’ are Back in Town for One Final Visit – Season 5 Episodes 1-7 NON-SPOILER Review

Hell hath no fury like a man with lots of power, thin skin, and a love for milk. Homelander once said, if he can’t be loved, he’ll be feared, yet the first sign of fear around him tends to be a death sentence.

Season 5 of ‘The Boys’ kicks off this Wednesday on Prime Video, and we got to watch the first 7 out of 8 episodes. Here are some non-spoiler thoughts.

I fell in love with ‘The Boys’ hard, and now as we prepare to say good-bye, shite is getting even more diabolical. Season 5 brings us everything we’ve come to expect from this sick and twisted world, but with more heart, and more back story. If you didn’t watch ‘Gen V’ the previously ons, will catch you up. However, certain issues and characters may not be as flushed out. If you have time, I highly recommend giving it a watch.

Check out a Recap and Review for the Finale of Gen V Season 2

Last Seen on ‘The Boys’ & ‘Gen V’

At the end of Season 4 we see Frenchie, Hughie, and MM get taken by Vought. As Frenchie is taken, we hear Kimiko audibly screaming. Butcher is now a weird organic version of Doc Ock with a ticking time bomb in his head. Starlight flies away faster than Tinker Bell off to try and kill Wendy Darling, and Homelander learns his father, Soldier Boy, is still alive and chillen on some ice.

Meanwhile at Godolkin U, we learn Godolkin is alive, and well! Kind of. After a romantic run with Sister Sage, he goes full Homelander, and gets taken out with a big ass trojan horse. Literally and metaphorically. We end with the “Guardians of Godolkin” joining the rebel alliance alongside Starlight and A-Train.

Season 5 of ‘The Boys’

We kick off in the freedom camps where Hughie, MM, and Frenchie have been for the past year. With Homelander taking things to the next level, the mission remains, as it always has: Kill Homelander. However, with Homelander on the search for V-1, and Butcher slowly dying, time has never been more of the essence. V-1 is basically the Super Soldier serum in The Boys universe. It’s what keeps Soldier Boy so youthful, and immortal. Yet it was destroyed in ‘Gen V’ and never replicated. With Homelander’s collection of gray pubes, it’s clear he wasn’t as lucky as his father.

While this seems like more of the same, the circumstances are incredibly different. Everyone on both sides seems scared. Rebellion is more deadly than ever, and Homelander is taking things to a level he never has before, while having power in places he never did before. Now physically, and politically powerful, he seems unstoppable.

Meanwhile, the return of Soldier Boy brings more than an extra element of action, family drama, and a pretty face. He also never misses an opportunity to drop an epic and profound line that will make you laugh and cringe simultaneously, while also asking yourself, “What the f*** did he just say?” It’s truly magnificent.

The Supernatural Reunion

If you’re a Supernatural fan (like myself), then you’re definitely stoked and terrified for what’s in store when Team Free Will reunites in The Boys universe. It’s no secret this takes place in episode 5, so patience is important. Nevertheless, I will say it will be worth the wait. I absolutely loved it, and found myself continually pausing to take in every possible easter egg I could. While, the Winchesters and Castiel should be enough to make this scene epic, they of course take it up a notch.

For those that are part of the Supernatural family and a fan of the comics, this reunion will be even that much more fun. The reunion, however, is not the only Supernatural Easter Egg. One episode had such an obvious one I about jumped off the couch in gleeful excitement while pointing to the television like Leonardo DiCaprio.

The Boys has come full circle

While many characters have gone darker (many solely for survival), others have been redeemed. Season 5 shows us more of who truly is deserving of a hero’s ending, as well as those who have simply sold their soul. Supe or not, we all wear masks. When we’re faced with survival, is when those masks are truly shed. As we wrap up this gory, perverted, amazing show, everyone’s true colors seem to come shining through.

However, the smartest person in the world seems to be an outlier. Coming off of her break up in Gen V, Sister Sage seems to be a bit more jaded than normal. Nevertheless her intentions are revealed, and they are cruel, selfish, and insanely relatable. I can’t wait to see if she gets her happy ending, and not the kind that involves a Bloomin’ Onion.

Endings are Hard

To quote another Eric Kripke show, Supernatural, “Endings are hard. Any chapped-ass monkey with a keyboard can poop out a beginning, but endings are impossible. You try to tie up every loose end, but you never can.” -Chuck Shurley

Episode one of this season gives us another meta endings are hard joke. It’s quick, hilarious, and throws another show under the bus. Rightfully so.

Fortunately, for fans of ‘The Boys’ this isn’t entirely good-bye. We have more ‘Gen V’ coming, and the prequel ‘Vought Rising.’ A prequel that definitely got some hype going during season 5 with the return of Soldier Boy. Soldier Boy, played by Jensen Ackles, will star in ‘Vought Rising’ alongside Aya Cash who played Stormfront in seasons 2 and 3.

We were only given screeners for the first 7 episodes, so now we wait patiently for the 8th and final episode. If you’ve read ‘The Boys’ comic series, then you know they can’t follow that ending to a T, but that doesn’t mean part of it won’t come true.

Overall Grade: 9.5/10

These first 7 episodes were engaging from beginning to end, and left me feeling pained that I have to wait so long for the finale. Kripke warned us that no one is safe. He wasn’t wrong, but I now fear even more for what that last episode will do. The Boys Season 5 so far is suspensful, hilarious, gut wrenching, and thought provoking. I’m absolutely terrified for the finale.

Need a recap of season 4 to get you ready? We got that. Want some comic book background, and ties to the show? Make sure to catch our ‘Saturdays are for the Boys’ videos, as we continue to break down each issue of the comics from Dynamite Entertainment.

Matt got to sit down with some stars from season 5 of The Boys!

Got a prediction for the finale? Let us know!

“The Boys is based on The New York Times best-selling comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, who also serve as executive producers, and developed by executive producer and showrunner Eric Kripke. Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, Neal H. Moritz, Pavun Shetty, Phil Sgriccia, Michaela Starr, Paul Grellong, David Reed, Judalina Neira, Jessica Chou, Gabriel Garcia, Ori Marmur, Ken F. Levin and Jason Netter also serve as executive producers. The Boys is produced by Sony Pictures Television, Amazon MGM Studios with Kripke Enterprises, Original Film, and Point Grey Pictures.”