The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke has confirmed that Homelander will be killed before the show’s end.
In the season three finale, Homelander (Anthony Starr) manages to survive once again following an encounter with Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles), Maeve (Dominique McElligott) and Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), after teaming up with the latter in order to protect his son Ryan.
- READ MORE: ‘The Boys’ season three review: bold and batshit return for the most chaotic superheroes around
While he managed to survive for the next batch of episodes, Kripke stated Homelander’s death is an inevitability in a future season.
“There’s no way the series ends without Homelander dying,” Kripke told Metacritic. “I’m just not comfortable with keeping that guy alive in the universe. We have to do something!”
Teasing what to expect from the confirmed fourth season, he added: “A lot of the story of certainly the next season is both Homelander and Butcher fighting over Ryan. It becomes like a custody battle with apocalyptic stakes. Will Ryan go into the light or will Ryan go into the shadows?
“In so many ways, season three was about fathers, and so, there’s quite a few stories in season four that are about sons.”
Amazon renewed The Boys for a fourth season last month. In a statement announcing the renewal, Kripke said: “Speaking for the cast and crew, we’re so grateful to Sony, Amazon, and most of all the fans for embracing the show and allowing us to make more.
“We’re thrilled to continue Butcher and the Boys’ fight against Homelander and the Seven, as well as comment on the insane world we’re living in. Also, this is the first time in history that exploding genitalia has led to further success.”
Since the main show was released, Amazon has ordered two spin-offs from The Boys. The first, anthology series The Boys Present: Diabolical, was released earlier this year.
A second untitled spin-off is in production and will be set at a college exclusively for young-adult superheroes. A release date has yet to be announced.
