The creator of The Boys has teased an alternative ending for the series that would have involved Gen V characters, had the spin-off not been cancelled.
Finale Controversy
The Boys finally came to an end this week after a Season 5 finale that left fans divided. After five years, the hit Prime Video series premiered its final episode on May 20, revealing the fates of its beloved characters. Season 5 has been the most watched yet with over 55 million viewers, but also the most controversial.
Viewers witnessed The Boys attempting to stop Homelander from achieving immortality and a New World Order, with the epic finale seeing the antagonist defeated and stripped of his powers. There were major deaths, as predicted, but some fans complained that Gen V characters did not return in full.
Fan Reactions
One viewer said on social media: "I enjoyed #TheBoys finale but, man. The show really suffered bad writing. Final fight took place in one room & was really short, no Homelander rampage, no Gen V characters, Homelander got a quick & easy death, Butcher's death was unnecessary, Soldier Boy slept, and much more."
Another said: "One of my issues with the boys finale is what the f*** was the point of gen v." A third added: "The Boys ending was overall okay but I think my biggest disappointment is not using the Gen V cast at all, absolutely nothing burger."
A fourth penned: "I just saw The Boys season finale and I have to know. What was the purpose behind the Gen V series if they were going to be Uber drivers?"
Kripke's Alternative Ending
Following the finale, showrunner Eric Kripke revealed what could have happened if Gen V had not been cancelled. Speaking to Variety, he said: "Had we done more Gen V, we were very clearly signaling in the finale that the torch was being passed from Annie to Marie for the good supe you’re following."
He added: "I would love to find a way to continue that story. We’re in the very embryonic stage of seeing if there are any ideas that we’re really loving. It’s like all these loose nukes."
Kripke continued: "...the hope was we were going to put the Gen V kids in the middle of all that. But hopefully we still will, and we can bring some of those characters into some of these stories that we’re talking about."
When asked whether this would have been continued into Gen V Season 3, he agreed, stating: "Without giving the specifics away, yes, Gen V Season 3."
Positive Reactions
However, not all fans were disappointed. One person said on X: "Genuinely really liked The Boys ending, I think every character’s story was tied up so nicely." Another echoed: "I loved the boys season finale solid 8/10."
The Boys is available to stream on Prime Video.
