It’s safe to say that, despite fans wanting otherwise, The Boys is heading toward an obvious Game of Thrones-esque finale. Many feel that a meticulous seven-year buildup has been undone by a rushed season 5, which has more filler than closure. In its entirety, the final stand has been nothing but a bid to take down Homelander, no matter the cost.
Therefore, the story should have naturally leaned toward Butcher grasping at every straw and exploring all possible options, including the role of Marie Moreau. Gen V was a refreshing, youthful addition to The Boys’ universe. It expanded the franchise’s satirical take on the world in a new direction.
While the show tried to keep its standalone narrative intact, Gen V season 2’s progression strongly hinted at an all-important crossover. Marie had been set up as Homelander’s equal, the only other survivor of Project Odessa. However, two seasons' worth of buildup and hype were undone by a few dialogues from Starlight, leaving fans scratching their heads as to whether it was an oversight or if they should still hope for redemption in the finale.
The Boys season 5 played down Marie’s powers to a hurtful extent
The crux of everything Billy Butcher and his gang have done since the start of this incredible superhero chapter has been to find a way to kill America’s “greatest” hero. The boys left no stone unturned in their quest to kill Homelander, whether through betrayal, sacrificing one of their own, or committing despicable acts. Unfortunately, season 5 has been a bit on the “soft” side when it comes to exploring Homelander-killing options.
From the supe virus to using Ryan, Butcher availed himself of every opportunity except looking toward the obvious choice – Marie Moreau. The Gen V lead had a solid buildup in the spin-off series, emerging as one of the world's most formidable superheroes. Marie’s blood-manipulation powers evolved significantly over two seasons, to the point that she was considered the only one who could stand against Homelander.
She learned how to blow up people, use other people’s blood instead of hers, and, most of all, brought her dead sister to life. It was as if there were no limits for Marie, and then poof. After Gen V season 2, the God U students suddenly dropped from The Boys' narrative. The supe-killing virus plotline started with Gen V, so even if some people weren’t interested in the spinoff, its importance couldn’t be ignored.
Therefore, it was a given that, if not all, at least Marie Moreau might play a significant role in the final battle. Unfortunately, when the highly anticipated cameo did come, the show completely thrashed the fans’ hopes with a simple line from Starlight, “What’s good’s all that power, Marie, if you can’t control it?” Well, someone losing control of their powers against Homelander wouldn’t be all that bad.
Moreover, Starlight’s stance completely undoes the entirety of Gen V season 2, which was all about Marie honing her powers enough to even kill Godolkin. It made no sense how easily the show dismissed Marie’s entire character arc in a few seconds. With Gen V being canceled, it’s safe to say this might be the last fans see of Marie and the gang.
The Boys season 5 finale might still offer some hope
It’s understandable why The Boys may be reluctant to suddenly make Marie the one to take on Homelander. However, she and the others should have been integrated into the storyline to some extent at the beginning, at least to provide some closure. She may not be the one to defeat Homelander, but she could have been a catalyst in this impossible situation now, when no other character has done anything remotely interesting.
Starlight has been flickering instead of shining in season 5, and her humiliating defeat against Oh Father was like a cherry on top. Apart from her, most of the gang has been underwhelming in their attempts, and Marie in the mix wouldn’t have been so bad. Having said that, The Boys still has an hour and five minutes to redeem itself and turn things around.
It’s still not too late to tie up loose ends, including having Marie or even Li Jordan join the fight at a crucial moment. Nobody’s expecting perfection, but a show that built its reputation on mocking mediocrity and unoriginal storytelling owes its audience an ending that makes up for the shortcomings of previous episodes. The Boys season 5, episode 8, will air on May 20 on Prime Video.
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