The endgame for Amazon Prime’s hit series The Boys is now coming into clear focus. Showrunner Eric Kripke has confirmed the definitive timeline for the show’s fifth and final season, revealing it will take place approximately six months after the events of “Gen V” Season 2. This planned time jump connects the franchises directly and sets the stage for the apocalyptic final confrontation.
The Bridge Between Shows
“Gen V” Season 2 is designed to act as a crucial narrative bridge. The story picks up directly after the events of “The Boys” Season 4, exploring a world where Homelander has solidified his power over America. The spin-off show is setting the chessboard for the final season, showing how characters like Starlight and Stan Edgar are positioned in this new, dangerous reality.
Eric Kripke stated that “There’s a lot in Gen V that really helps set up the climax of this final confrontation in The Boys.” The six-month jump allows the story to advance meaningfully from the “Gen V” storyline while moving the main plot toward its epic conclusion.
Setting the Stage for the Final Confrontation
The timeline revelation helps resolve a major cliffhanger from “The Boys” Season 4, where Billy Butcher was seen in a dire state with a terminal illness. A six-month gap is short enough to plausibly continue Butcher’s story while being long enough for Homelander to have fully established his authoritarian rule.
This final season has been described by Kripke as the “show’s version of the apocalypse.” He has hinted that the writers are taking full advantage of this being the last season, teasing that “there will probably be lots of death” and that not every character will survive the final episodes. The creative team feels the pressure to deliver a satisfying ending, with Kripke acknowledging that “it’s really hard to land the plane” on a successful series finale.
Cast and Glimpses of the Final Season
The final season will see the return of the main cast, including Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, and Antony Starr. It was also confirmed that Jensen Ackles will return as Soldier Boy as a series regular, with the storyline set to explore the unresolved father-son dynamic between his character and Homelander.
Actor Antony Starr, who plays Homelander, has seen the scripts and teased that fans will be “either surprised or shocked, depending on their nervous system.” He added, “I never see it coming with this show… Every time I think I know what’s gonna happen, something else happens.”
Fans at Comic-Con 2025 were treated to early footage, which featured Homelander proclaiming his vision for a “safer, God-fearing nation” under his control. The footage also offered a quick look at Jared Padalecki, who will be joining the cast for the final season.
When to Expect the Final Season
Production on the fifth season is well underway, with filming having begun in November 2024. While an exact release date has not been announced, Eric Kripke has indicated that the typical production cycle for the show is about two years from the start of the writers’ room to the premiere. Based on this, the earliest expected release for the eight-episode final season is mid-2026.
Also Read: The Boys Prequel Vought Rising Grows with Four New Cast Members
