The Boys star Tomer Capone has spoken out about his character Frenchie's shocking death in the penultimate episode of the superhero satire's final season, revealing that he still cannot bring himself to watch it.
Capone's Emotional Response
Capone, 40, who has played Frenchie since the show's first season in 2019, told Variety: "It's too close, man. I'm too attached. It's the longest character I've ever had in my career. Frenchie has been there for five seasons, and at the moment it feels too close to watch."
The actor admitted he has never experienced such nervousness about viewing his own performance. "I've never had it before, where I really feel nervous about watching it and how I'll feel about it. We're still seeing and talking with each other; it feels like we're still going. I don't think I got it wrapped around my head that this is the last season, and it's done."
Capone added that while he would have loved to return to the character, his death makes that impossible. "That's a new thing for me. I did my best, and there's no turning back," he said.
Frenchie's Journey and Sacrifice
Frenchie, a former arms trafficker seeking redemption, died in episode seven after confronting the villain Homelander (Antony Starr) to protect his partner Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara). The character's death has hit fans hard, but creator Eric Kripke said it was inevitable.
"We knew we had to kill off one of The Boys," Kripke told The Hollywood Reporter. "You can't have a shot at victory unless it costs your heroes something that's really hard. I always think The Lord of the Rings was so good at that, and Game of Thrones was so good at that. For narrative momentum, your heroes have to pay a steep price – because that's how it works in the real world."
Kripke explained that he wanted a death that would be "the most heart wrenching" and decided early on that Frenchie would be the one due to his romance with Kimiko. "We knew this would have real maximum destruction, and I think it had to happen. They would not have a chance of winning if Frenchie doesn't sacrifice himself," he said.
Final Season and Fan Reactions
The Boys is currently streaming its fifth and final season on Prime Video. Earlier this month, Kripke responded to fan criticism about "filler" episodes, saying: "I'm like, 'What are you expecting? Are you expecting a huge battle scene every episode?'"
The series finale is set to premiere on Prime Video on Wednesday, 20 May.
