Eric Kripke Explains Why Soldier Boy Is Returning for Season 5: “Soldier Boy is really driven to kill Butcher”

“The Boys” is one of the world’s most popular superhero series, and its fourth season concluded on July 18, 2024. Although initial reactions were mixed, the series gained momentum and earned a Certified Fresh rating with high marks.

Season four was filled with intriguing and unexpected moments, many of which we covered in our weekly episode reviews. One notable highlight was Soldier Boy’s brief appearance. Having played a crucial role in the third season and survived, the character’s return sparked considerable discussion.

Fans were eager to see Jensen Ackles’ character take on a larger role in Season 4. However, it’s been confirmed by Eric Kripke that the character will have significant moments in the series’ final season instead.

When Soldier Boy first appeared in The Boys, he quickly became a captivating and popular character. Though he didn’t fare any better by the end, he stood out as a supe who joined forces with the Boys against Homelander and had one of the show’s most compelling character arcs. Despite seeming to be dead at the end of Season 3, both Kripke and Ackles have confirmed that Soldier Boy’s story is far from over.

We correctly anticipated Soldier Boy’s return in Season 4, but we didn’t foresee the nature of his comeback, which was limited to a brief teaser cameo setting up his more significant role in Season 5. This was expected, and showrunner Eric Kripke has generously explained why Soldier Boy’s storyline is being reserved for Season 5, beyond just the anticipated Jared Padalecki cameo.

“You know, what we realized was we really hadn’t explored the father-son relationship much between Homelander and Soldier Boy. There’s a lot of material there, how soldier boy feels about Homelander, how Homelander feels about his dad, and so we really wanted to dig into that relationship. (…) Soldier Boy is really driven to kill Butcher after Butcher betrayed him in season 3. So he’s just an excellent antagonist, to switch sides and basically, you know, to be with the supes.”

Source: Gamesradar+

Given the current developments, we’re definitely in for an exciting final season of The Boys. We’re thrilled that Ackles’ Soldier Boy will have a larger, potentially pivotal role in the upcoming season. The character certainly deserves more screen time, and it looks like he’s going to get it.

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