How The Boys Series Finale Leaves Open The Possibility Of A Continuation

Contains spoilers for "The Boys" Season 5, Episode 8 — "Blood and Bone"

"The Boys" series finale is explosive, to say the least. It provides closure to many characters, while also serving as a bitter end for others. But one character who seems lost in the shuffle is Jensen Ackles' Soldier Boy, and this appears to be entirely on purpose.

In the previous episode, "The Frenchman, the Female, and the Man Called Mother's Milk," Homelander (Antony Starr) puts his daddy back in stasis after Soldier Boy secures him the V1. However, the series finale doesn't see Soldier Boy released from his chamber to enact his revenge on his weird son, or to get his justified comeuppance for playing a part in the madness. Instead, he's simply ignored, which is surprising considering how much of a pivotal role he's had and how "The Boys" Season 5 reveals Soldier Boy's real backstory.

This appears to be a deliberate storytelling choice, because it leaves the door open for Soldier Boy's return as an antagonist in the future. Considering his actions in the series, he is more than due to receive a proper smackdown from the Boys, so this is an easy setup. Alternatively, maybe the creative team didn't want to focus too much on him in the finale, since he's the star of the prequel series "Vought Rising" and there could be greater plans afoot there.

Although "The Boys" showrunner Eric Kripke always said that he mapped out five seasons of the show, he noted something else that's equally important. "[T]his particular story is ending, the Butcher-Homelander is ending," he told Variety. "But there can be other stories and other corners of the universe."

The Butcher-Homelander story is definitely done after "The Boys" series finale, but the fact that Hughie Campbell (Jack Quaid) receives an important phone call at the end and Vought is still around indicates that this saga is far from over — not by a long shot.

Looking at all the major deaths that have taken place, especially in the bold and occasionally brilliant "The Boys" Season 5, there's one notable absentee from the villainous side: Soldier Boy. Jensen Ackles' portrayal of the character is fantastic and the fans have taken to him, hence him receiving his own spin-off series. Consequently, don't be surprised to see Soldier Boy show up in a continuation of "The Boys," even if it's under a different name. After all, there must be a reason that he's enjoying a long nap instead of being buried next to his horrid son, Homelander, right now.