The Boys S5E7: Glitching Towards the Grand Finale, With a Side of Permadeath
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Jeff dives into 'The Boys' Season 5, Episode 7, celebrating the ramped-up stakes, Homelander's terrifying godhood, and the tragic permadeath of Frenchie, while also casting a gently skeptical eye on the season's pacing and the shoehorned 'Gen V' tie-in ahead of the finale.
Alright, mates, grab a cuppa or your preferred energy drink, because we need to talk about *The Boys* Season 5, Episode 7 – affectionately (or perhaps ominously) titled “The Frenchman, the Female and the Man Called Mother's Milk”. This isn't just another weekly stream, this is a penultimate chapter, and *bloody hell*, it's had some twists.
After a first half of S5 that, let's be fair, felt a bit like grinding through side quests with a broken compass (as the original review over at IGN South Africa, penned by Jesse Schedeen, cleverly points out), things have properly ramped up. Episode 6 left us on a cliffhanger that felt like a proper game-changing patch update: Soldier Boy just casually handed Homelander the ultimate cheat code to immortality. All those boss fights, all that lore exploration? Seemingly for naught. This sets the stage for Episode 7, and for the most part, it builds on that foundation like a pro-level speedrunner.
Now, Homelander (Antony Starr)... what a character. Dude just kicks off the episode by straight-up murdering the President and ordering the death of democracy itself. Like, casually. You reckon he's finally found his happy place? Nah, mate. The show's quick to remind us that even with godhood enabled, that gaping void of loneliness where his heart should be is never getting filled. It's a proper character study in ultimate power corrupting absolutely, and it ties into his reunion with Soldier Boy. Our boy Jensen Ackles' character tries to make a run for Bogota but ends up back in the cryo-chamber. While I was a bit skeptical in Episode 6 about *why* Soldier Boy would give Homelander the V1, this episode clarifies it was pure, unadulterated (and kinda twisted) love for Stormfront. A bit like when a dev reintroduces a classic character just to stick 'em back in cold storage before the real final boss fight, innit? I wouldn't be mad if this was his exit, but I've got a sneaking suspicion he's got more lines of code left.
Then there's The Deep (Chace Crawford). Talk about a loyalty program with zero rewards. He gave Vought and Homelander everything, only to be summarily dismissed and tossed aside. Mate just got de-rezzed from the inner circle. Honestly, at this point, The Deep's past the point of redemption, so let him run away like a coward while an innocent drowns. It’s fitting, in a tragically pathetic way.
Can't talk villains without giving a shout-out to Oh Father (Daveed Diggs) and that incredible musical number. *Proper banger*, that. Taking full advantage of Diggs' theatre background, it's as hilarious as it is mortifying. You get the sense of a true believer coming to terms with being a lone wolf in the spiritual wilderness. A clever bit of world-building through song, almost like an in-game cinematic that actually slaps.
On the heroes' side, Episode 7 does a solid job exploring how to maintain hope when the whole game seems rigged against you. Even Hughie (Jack Quaid) is struggling with his morale stats, forcing the deeply cynical Butcher (Karl Urban) to temporarily switch to a support role and be the ray of sunshine. MM (Laz Alonso) also gets a brilliant scene with Starlight (Erin Moriarty), finally explaining his nickname's true significance and shedding his own cynical facade. MM's probably had the strongest character arc this season, building up his personal lore beautifully.
Another highlight? The 'return' of Butcher's CIA buddy Joe Kessler (Jeffrey Dean Morgan). It's a clever bit of narrative wizardry that Kessler, a character who never truly 'appears' in the flesh, plays such a pivotal role. Learning more about the twisted history between Butcher and Kessler, and then Hughie finally turning the psychic tables on Synapse, felt like a satisfying mini-boss victory.
And then, *bloody hell*, the tragic climax: Frenchie (Tomer Capone) making his final stand against Homelander. His death wasn't entirely unexpected – the script practically telegraphed it like a massive red target marker – but it still hit the emotional notes hard. The series definitely needed a big permadeath moment to remind us of the stakes heading into the finale, and Frenchie is a worthy sacrifice. It’s that gut-punch moment that reminds you this isn't just a TV show, it's a brutal reality simulation where characters can and do get deleted.
So, what didn't quite work? That overdue *Gen V* tie-in felt a bit like they're trying to integrate a DLC storyline way too late in the main campaign. Marie Moreau and Jordan Li pop up, only to be quickly brushed off by Starlight. If you watched *Gen V*, you're left feeling a bit punished, like your save file for the spin-off didn't quite sync up. They're clearly being set up for the finale, but after being so disconnected, it's gonna feel a touch shoehorned into the final battle, isn't it?
More broadly, this episode, despite its dramatic moments, doesn't scream 'penultimate chapter'. The sense of urgency isn't quite there, even with Homelander achieving full power. It feels more like another madcap caper for Butcher and the gang, with only Frenchie’s death really reminding us that the endgame is fast approaching. Honestly, it feels like there are too many open quest markers and living characters to wrap up neatly in one final, hour-long installment. Should we have reached this point earlier in the season? Reckon so. I just hope there's enough room to give us a proper conclusion in Episode 8, rather than feeling rushed like a developer trying to push a final patch before release day. Still, lots to chew on here, even with a few rough edges. The villains are definitely leveling up, and our heroes are delivering some cracking moments, particularly MM and our dearly departed Frenchie. Just crossing my fingers the true grand finale delivers the epic showdown we deserve, not just a frantic scramble to tie up loose ends.
Source: IGN South Africa, Original Author: Jesse Schedeen
Tags: superhero-saga, tv-show-review, character-arcs, narrative-pacing, web3-culture
Original article: IGN South Africa