‘The Boys’: Will Queen Maeve Return Before the Series Ends?

The Boys‘ final season is currently unfolding on Prime Video, and while the never-ending battle between Homelander (Antony Starr) and Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) continues to burn bright in this closing chapter, there’s one loose thread that has us asking one question leading into the last few episodes: Will Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott) return before The Boys is over?

In a series that doesn’t shy away from bringing back characters fans haven’t seen in a while, the whereabouts of Maeve have remained a major question since she disappeared at the end of Season 3 alongside her girlfriend Elena (Nicola Correia-Damude). Below, we’re breaking down some of the big questions and reasons why her return in the final season is both possible and makes complete sense.

What happened to Queen Maeve on The Boys?

As viewers may recall, the last time Queen Maeve was seen onscreen was in Season 3’s finale episode, “The Instant White-Hot Wild,” in which she teamed up with the Boys to try and take down Homelander once and for all. With Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) part of the fight, though, his nuclear-powered abilities forced her to make an ultimate sacrifice as she pushed him from Vought Tower’s windows, holding onto the man. While it may have initially seemed like the move would kill Queen Maeve, it was later revealed that she survived the fall, but she was rendered powerless, which is one of the side effects of being hit by Soldier Boy’s flare-up.

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She tasked the titular vigilante group with taking down Homelander, making a run for it alongside her girlfriend Elena, who joked about going to Modesto. It’s unclear where the pair may have ended up, though, leaving that loose thread for Season 5 to possibly pick up.

How could Queen Maeve play a role in the final season of The Boys?

One of the ways in which Queen Maeve’s resurfacing could make the most sense is the fact that Homelander doesn’t know she’s alive. Footage of her escape following the fall from Vought Tower was erased by Ashley (Colby Minifie) and Anika (Ana Sani). While Homelander learned that Soldier Boy had survived at the end of Season 4, Maeve’s survival remains unknown to the most threatening figure occupying the world of The Boys. Could she be a wildcard as she occupies Homelander’s blind spots? We’re keeping our fingers crossed.

How could Queen Maeve defeat Homelander?

Sure, Queen Maeve may have been rendered powerless after being blasted by Soldier Boy, but that doesn’t mean she can’t restore her powers. We saw Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) do as much when she was injected with Compound-V. Could Queen Maeve have sought out that layer of protection once she went incognito? We wouldn’t put it past her, considering how much she’d want to protect Elena.

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Why should Queen Maeve help defeat Homelander?

Despite all of the terrible and awful things that have happened on The Boys over the years, the incident of Flight 37, which saw Homelander abandon a plane that was careening toward a crash-landing he helped cause, remains one of the worst. As a first-hand witness, Queen Maeve was often driven by her hatred of Homelander after that particular event, which was exposed to the public when Starlight (Erin Moriarty) and the Boys leaked a video that was captured onboard during the crash. Homelander and his people spun it as AI and falsified footage, gaslighting the general public. What better revenge for Homelander’s awful deed could there be than having Maeve deliver his judgment day? It’s the kind of poetic justice that would take this show full circle, but only time will tell whether Maeve will return at all.

Let us know your theories in the comments section below, and stay tuned for more on The Boys in the weeks ahead.

The Boys, Season 5, Wednesdays, Prime Video