Showrunner Eric Kripke has explained the decision to bring Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) back as a series regular for the final season of The Boys. Announced at The Boys' San Diego Comic-Con panel, Soldier Boy's return follows his absence from season 4 until a mid-credits scene in the finale where Homelander (Antony Starr) learned his father's location.
Kripke told GamesRadar that Soldier Boy’s relationship with Homelander and unresolved issues with Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) are central to his return. "You know, what we realized was we really hadn't explored the father-son relationship much between Homelander and Soldier Boy," Kripke said. "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."
Additionally, Soldier Boy is motivated by a desire to kill Butcher after their fallout in season 3. "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," Kripke added.
While Soldier Boy and Homelander will be united in their mission against Butcher, their complex relationship remains a key narrative. The father and son only discovered their connection at the end of season 3 and barely explored it before clashing. Homelander's craving for paternal approval will contrast with Soldier Boy’s potential disdain for his son.
Despite their alliance, Soldier Boy might still be the key to defeating Homelander. His ability to radiate energy blasts that can neutralize a supe’s powers, demonstrated in season 3, could prove crucial. The possibility of Homelander losing his powers to his father and facing life as a regular human presents an intriguing plot development for the final season.
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