‘The Boys’: Eric Kripke Didn’t Want Fans to Recognize Homelander’s Angel Before Episode 3 Reveal

The Boys‘ latest episode brought Homelander (Antony Starr) a dangerous revelation from a very familiar angel. Warning: Spoilers for The Boys Season 5 Episode 3 ahead!

In the episode, “Every One of You Sons of Bitches,” Homelander discovered that his father, Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles), was immune to the supe virus Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) had been concocting. It was revealed that it was likely due to the formula known as V-1 in Soldier Boy’s blood, the original Compound-V, which had since been discontinued.

Realizing that this is likely the answer to immortality, there is much for Homelander to consider, but his father taunted him, claiming that while Homelander will continue to age and degrade, he’s in a weakened state. Haunted by the words of doubt and ridicule he’s received over the years, Homelander had a vision that blinded out everything else as Madelyn Stillwell (Elisabeth Shue) returned in the form of an angel.

Prime Video

Viewers heard her voice in an earlier episode, but Eric Kripke tells us, “No, you should not recognize her,” before the visual reveal. This wasn’t the first time Madelyn came back from the dead after Homelander lasered her in Season 1’s finale, but it’s one of her most dangerous returns as she told Homelander it’s foretold that he will ascend and become immortal.

Determined to find the V-1, will Homelander’s power go even more unchecked than it already is? Viewers will have to tune in to find out. “There’s no more powerful person on the planet than what this guy has achieved, and he’s still miserable,” Kripke continues. “And so he always thinks, ‘Well, if I can make it to the next step, then I’ll finally be happy,’ not understanding that what he needs to do is look inside at the gaping vacant void that is his soul, but he doesn’t; he is unable to see that.”

Related

'The Boys' Boss on What That Soldier Boy Twist Means for Butcher's Virus

As Kripke puts it, “The next step of power is as some kind of deity, and that really gets fleshed out in upcoming episodes, but Homelander for seasons now has been talking about himself as if he’s a god, and we tried to make good on that in our insane Boysian way.”

Keep watching to see how Homelander leans on religion to grab at the power he so desperately seeks, and let us know what you thought of the angel reveal in the comments section below.

The Boys, Season 5, Wednesdays, Prime Video