The Soldier Boy actor gets why viewers root for his bad guy character on the Amazon series. Jensen Ackles recently shared his honest thoughts about fan reactions to his role in The Boys.
The fifth and final season of the show is almost here. Soldier Boy came back at the end of season 4. Fans saw him alive inside a cryogenic container in a CIA bunker. Many people thought the character died in season 3, but the CIA had taken his unconscious body.
Ackles spoke with /Film about how fans see Soldier Boy. Some viewers think the character is a real hero. The actor gave a very clear answer about this.
“I love that people are fans of the character because I love playing him. He’s really fun. I don’t get the sense that they think he’s the good guy. I get a sense that they’re rooting for the bad guy. He’s obviously the bad guy, but no, it’s good to be received and not hated.”
The actor talked about how Antony Starr (who plays Homelander) helped him understand these types of characters. Starr told him: “Hurt people hurt people.” Ackles thinks both Soldier Boy and Homelander come from generational trauma. This pain shows up in very harmful ways.
Why Viewers Connect With Soldier Boy
Soldier Boy first appeared in season 3 as the original superhero from Vought. The show presents him as a World War II hero. But the truth is very different. He has abusive tendencies and a bitter worldview. Vought experimented on him, which caused deep trauma. But that does not excuse his bad behavior.
Many fans still enjoy watching him. Jensen Ackles understands this completely. He knows people like seeing a character who does bad things but stays interesting. The actor said he feels grateful that viewers accepted his performance.
Some fans also like Homelander for similar reasons. Antony Starr makes that character very watchable even though he is terrible. Ackles pointed out this pattern with both characters.
The Supernatural Reunion That Shook Fans
Season 5 brings together Jensen Ackles with his old Supernatural co-stars Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins. Showrunner Eric Kripke created both shows. He wanted to bring the trio back together.
Ackles admitted he felt nervous about this reunion. He told Entertainment Tonight in March 2026 that he wanted them to do well.
“I was nervous to have them on. We spent almost two decades together and we still see each other. We’re kind of friends for life.”
He compared watching them film to “watching your son go up to bat for the first time.” Ackles said both actors “did great” in their roles.
The scenes they shot together are very extreme. Ackles warned fans that they are “disgusting” and “outrageous.” There were multiple days where the three actors looked at each other and asked, “What are we doing?”
Fans on social media went wild when the season 5 trailer dropped. One person wrote, “I just think that Kripke has an obsession with Jensen choking Misha.” Another said, “destiel artists just got fed for another fifteen years and im SO READY.”
Soldier Boy Returns for Final Season
The Boys season 5 premieres on April 8, 2026. The first two episodes will arrive on that date. Prime Video will release the final season globally.
The show takes place in a world now fully controlled by Homelander. Hughie (Jack Quaid), Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso), and Frenchie (Tomer Capone) are trapped in a camp. Annie (Erin Moriarty) tries to fight back. Butcher (Karl Urban) comes back with a dangerous plan to use a virus that kills all Supes.
Soldier Boy plays a major part in this final season. Eric Kripke confirmed at Comic-Con that the character returns as a series regular. “The motherf*cker’s back,” Kripke said.
Vought Rising Prequel Plans Multiple Seasons
The Boys may be ending, but Soldier Boy will continue. Jensen Ackles will lead the prequel series Vought Rising. The show takes place in the 1950s. It shows Soldier Boy in his original time period.
Ackles explained the difference between the two shows. In the main series, Soldier Boy is “an analog man in a digital world.” He does not fit in modern times. The prequel changes this completely.
“Now we’re getting to see him be relevant, getting to see him in his actual environment where he feels like this is where he belongs. He’s the top dog. But you also get to see the experience as to why he ended up the way he did.”
The actor confirmed that the creative team wants to make multiple seasons. “The intent is to have it be a multi-season show,” he said. When they pitched the idea to him, he agreed immediately without letting them finish their sentence.
Aya Cash returns as Stormfront for the prequel. The show blends a murder mystery with the origin story of Vought. Paul Grellong serves as showrunner.
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Fan Support Means A Lot to Ackles
The actor feels very good about how people received Soldier Boy. He does not think fans mistake the character for a real hero. They simply enjoy watching a well-written bad guy.
Ackles compared this to other popular villain characters. People love watching someone who causes trouble on screen. The actor finds joy in playing this type of role. He called Soldier Boy “really fun” to perform.
The Supernatural fanbase also showed major support for the reunion. Many followers of that show now watch The Boys because of Ackles. The crossover brought two large fan communities together.
With the final season days away, viewers will finally see how Soldier Boy affects the ending of this story. The character remains unpredictable. He refused to side with Homelander in season 3. But that does not make him a good guy either. He follows his own path, and that path leads directly into the series finale.
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