The final season of Prime Video’s hit superhero satire The Boys has come to an end, and the online world is a battlefield. While official ratings show the show is more popular than ever, pulling in massive viewer numbers, social media is full of angry fans picking apart every creative decision. From a shocking death involving Billy Butcher to the confusing fate of Soldier Boy, the finale has people screaming either “brilliant” or “the worst ending ever.” Some viewers are even comparing the series finale to the infamous final season of Game of Thrones. Here is a breakdown of the three biggest complaints about the finale and the three moments that absolutely worked.
The Letdowns: Where the Finale Missed the Mark
1. Soldier Boy Was ‘Put in a Fridge’ as a Plot Device
One of the loudest complaints from the fanbase involves Jensen Ackles character, Soldier Boy. After being built up for multiple seasons as the only weapon strong enough to stop Homelander, the finale reportedly sidelines him in a major way. Instead of playing a key role in the final fight, Soldier Boy is locked away, seemingly set up for a spin-off show called Vought Rising rather than serving the main story.
Fans feel tricked by the showrunners. They argue that the writers spent too much time building up the character’s history and power only to put him in a box. One frustrated viewer posted, “They hyped him up for seasons… just to lock him up in a fridge.” Another added that using him only as a tease for a prequel is a sign of lazy writing that damages the main series finale.
2. Pacing Issues and ‘Set-Up’ for Spin-Offs
Many viewers agree that the final season felt less like a conclusion and more like a long advertisement for future projects, specifically Gen V and Vought Rising. Instead of focusing purely on wrapping up the story of Butcher and Homelander, the finale reportedly spent too much time introducing plot threads that have nothing to do with the main cast.
Critics point out that this is why the episode felt frustrating. Fans tuning in for a bloody, explosive ending were instead given an episode that moved pieces around a chessboard for the next season. As one harsh review put it, the finale felt like a “bridge to the final act” rather than an actual finale, sacrificing immediate satisfaction for the sake of setting up the future.
3. The Homelander vs. Butcher Payoff Felt Like a ‘Game of Thrones’ Mistake
The most controversial moment of the finale involves how Homelander is finally defeated. According to reports, Antony Starr’s villain does not lose his powers in a massive brawl. Instead, the script sees Homelander weakened through experiments related to Soldier Boy, leading to Billy Butcher finishing him off with a crowbar.
Fans immediately compared this to Game of Thrones where Arya Stark killed the Night King instead of Jon Snow. Viewers felt robbed of a proper confrontation. One angry fan wrote online, “Homelander being turned into an immortal in episode 6 and then being killed 2 episodes later is a bad writing lmao.” For many, the lack of a true one-on-one fight between the shows two biggest forces was a total letdown.
The Wins: How the Finale Exceeded Expectations
1. Butcher’s ‘Venom Era’ and Neuman’s Shocking Death
Despite the pacing issues, the finale delivered some of the most graphic and effective violence in the show’s history. Karl Urban’s Billy Butcher fully embraces his Supe side, leading to a gory rampage that fans are calling iconic. The most jaw-dropping moment involves Butcher tearing Victoria Neuman in half. Claudia Doumit’s character meets a sudden and bloody end, raising the stakes immediately.
This moment proved that even major characters are not safe. Viewers who stuck through the slower episodes were rewarded with a shock that genuinely changed the game for the spin-offs and the final season. Social media exploded with clips of the death, with fans celebrating the show’s willingness to pull the trigger on a major player.
2. Kimiko Finally Speaks
One of the most emotional payoffs in the finale involved Karen Fukuhara’s Kimiko. After seasons of being mute due to trauma, the finale sees Kimiko finally speak for the first time. However, it happens in a gut-wrenching situation where she is being separated from Frenchie.
This moment was a masterclass in character development. It took a character trait that existed since season one and gave it a tragic, beautiful payoff right at the end. Fans online reacted with immediate tears and praise, calling it the best scene of the episode. It proved that while the action might have been messy, the writers still understood how to hit the audience emotionally.
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3. Record-Breaking Viewer Numbers Despite the Hate
While the internet seems to hate the finale, the real world does not. The Boys is reportedly drawing 57 million global viewers per episode, which is the highest rating in the show’s entire history. The numbers prove that the vast majority of casual audiences are still deeply invested.
Showrunner Eric Kripke addressed the hate directly, noting that the “online world is not the actual world.” He explained that the loud hate online often comes from a very small group of people. While hardcore fans on Reddit and X (Twitter) complain about pacing, the millions of people watching at home are simply enjoying the chaos. This massive viewership proves that, love it or hate it, the show ended on a historic high note.
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