Warning: This article contains SPOILERS forThe Boyscomic book series.
WithThe Boysseason 5 filming officially underway, excitement about the show’s final installment is starting to rise, but not every character will survive. Given the gory and violent nature of the series, the stakes are higher than ever heading into the last eight episodes, and some major characters are much more likely to die than others.The Boysseason 4’s endingset up an all-out war, as Homelander gained almost complete control over the United States and captured most of the main heroes, meaning Butcher and Starlight will be key in fighting back against the villain.
Although the main protagonists have all made it to the final season,Victoria Neuman’s death inThe Boysseason 4 suggests that the central characters won’t be safe when the show returns. The current narrative indicates that no one will be holding back, meaning some key heroes and villains will be in the danger zone. Out of the eleven characters who have been involved in the majority of the story, some seem inevitable to die given their overall role in the franchise alongside their development; however, others have a genuine chance at survival, especially when considering their comic book fates.
11Hughie Campbell
Despite His Lack Of Powers, Hughie Is The Least Likely Character To Die
Out of all the remaining central characters inThe Boys, Hughie seems the most likely to survive, as he is the closest thing the show has to a protagonist, with the story largely following his journey. Although he took Temp V in season 3, Jack Quaid’s character doesn’t possess any superpowers, yet he has managed to survive this long and will likely make it through the entire series in one piece.
The Boysseason 4 failed Hughie’s characterin many ways by putting him in some traumatizing situations and sidelining him on occasion. However, his big speech in the finale made it clear he is still the group’s moral compass, making his survival crucial. He was still alive in the final comic, and his fate in the source material seems likely to translate into Prime Video’s version of the story, as Hughie’s good nature prevailing seems like a fitting ending forThe Boysgiven everything he’s been through.
10Starlight
Annie’s Importance To The Show Makes Her Almost Certain To Survive
Like Hughie, Annie is one of the most moral characters in the entire franchise, and despite having some flaws, her desire to be good makes her a prime candidate to survive. Whereas Hughie has tried to make changes from the outside, Annie’s Starlight persona has allowed her to expose Vought and the Seven from the inside, subsequently gaining a tonne of public support. In the process, this has made her a massive target for Homelander’s followers, but she still seems likely to come out of season 5 unscathed.
Starlight’s powers returned inThe Boysseason 4’s finale, and she looks to be stronger than ever. Gaining the ability to fly, it seems like she has unlocked her true potential and will be able to stand toe-to-toe with the show’s most powerful villains. While this may put her in slightly more jeopardy than usual, her character arc suggests she’ll almost certainly be safe in the final installment, unless some drastic writing changes are made.
9Ryan Butcher
While Ryan dies just moments after being born in the comic books, his role in the show has been entirely different, evolving into one ofThe Boys' main characters. His conflicted nature between siding with Homelander and Vought vs Butcher and The Boys has been an interesting dynamic, but regardless of what side he chooses in season 5, he still has a very strong chance at survival.
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His powers may not have fully developed yet, but he has the same sort of potential as Homelander, meaning no one will be able to kill him easily. In addition, he could be the perfect person to take over from his father and show what someone with his abilities could have been if they were treated with love and affection throughout their childhood. The biggest threat to Ryan is Butcher, as his deteriorating mental state could make him lash out and cause Ryan’s death, but he is much safer than most key characters.
8Kimiko
Kimiko’s Superpowers Make Her Incredibly Durable
Having suffered several injuries that would kill most people inThe Boys- supes included - Kimiko won’t die easily in season 5. Although she hasn’t hesitated to save her allies in the past and will likely put herself in harm’s way again in the final outing, Kimiko’s resiliency and regeneration make her incredibly tough, meaning it would take an extremely powerful villain or weapon to take her down.
Again, Butcher’s rampage could be a problem, andSoldier Boy’s return in season 5may be significant as he nearly killed her in the past. Additionally, Homelander also has the power necessary to take Kimiko out for good, but a confrontation between them doesn’t seem too likely. With Kimiko speaking for the first time during season 4’s climax, her character arc, strong powers, and humanity give her a bigger chance of making it through the season alive than being killed off, but her death is still possible.
7Mother’s Milk
The Boys' New Leader Seems Likely To Put His Life On The Line For The Group
MM’s fate is perhaps one of the hardest characters to predict, as he would be a major death that shocks the audience, yet his progression suggests he could still survive. Despite wanting to leave the group on several occasions and even considering fleeing the country with his family, Mother’s Milk stayed loyal to The Boys and has been a valuable asset ever since.
Managing to flip A-Train, standing up to Soldier Boy, and leading the team has taken its toll on the character, as MM has gone through severe stress and even suffered a panic attack during a mission. Still, he managed to push through all of it and continues to oppose the show’s biggest villains, meaning his death would somewhat waste all he has sacrificed for his family and friends, which makes his fate uncertain.
6Ashley Barrett
Compound V Could Give Ashley A Chance To Fight Back Against The Seven
Even though she has often been treated as more of a joke character, Ashley has been involved in the story since season 1 and has been a major part of the plot, but her future is unclear. Like MM, she could really go either way, as killing her doesn’t seem overly difficult on paper; however, she has managed to somehow avoid death despite being surrounded by killers for four seasons, meaning Ashley could continue to overcome the odds.
WithHomelander’s supe armyon the rise, Ashley knew her days were numbered in season 4 and took compound V, which seemed to completely transform her. The potential of her powers could decide her fate, as some strong abilities may allow her to fight back against what remains of the Seven. On the flip side, gaining some useless powers might prompt Homelander to put her out of her misery, simply because he doesn’t need her anymore.
5A-Train
The Speedster’s Redemption Arc May End In A Sacrifice
While all the previous characters had a better chance of surviving than dying, or at least 50:50 odds, A-Train is where death starts to look like the more likely outcome.A-Train’s redemption arc inThe Boysseason 4was one of the best-executed plot lines in the entire series and having him finally turn on The Seven before becoming a true hero was satisfying after years of bad decisions.
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Unfortunately, this makes him one of Homelander’s biggest targets. Although he removed his tracker and fled the country last season, his inevitable return will put him in the firing line. A fight with Homelander could be more even than first meets the eye, but despite his increasing heroism and bravery, A-Train doesn’t have the skills to defeat the main antagonist and will likely die if he features in season 5.
4The Deep
The Seven Member Looks Unlikely To Replicate His Comic Book Fate
In contrast to A-Train’s journey, The Deep has only gotten worse and even pled his loyalty to Homelander. His fragile ego and self-conscious nature have resulted in him looking down on others to feel fulfilled, while his list of horrific and cowardly acts is practically endless. Therefore, The Deep’s slimy behavior throughout the show makes his death not only justified but necessary.
While he has provided plenty of humor toThe Boys, the natural conclusion to his story feels like being killed off, potentially in some ironic way, and it’s also extremely likely. AlthoughThe Deep’s fate inThe Boyscomics makes him one of the only Seven members to survive, the two portrayals are completely different, and the TV version needs to pay for his crimes, suggesting his demise is on the cards.
3Frenchie
Frenchie’s Selfless Nature Puts Him In Serious Danger
Despite playing a major role inThe Boyssince season 1, Frenchie’s time might be up when the show returns in 2026. His guilt about his past sins led to him turning himself into the police in the previous installment, and although he is out and back among the group, his self-doubt could become an issue, as Frenchie’s belief that he doesn’t deserve his freedom may lead to him making the ultimate sacrifice.
Assuming one of his experiments plays a role in defeating Homelander’s army, he may be the one to deliver this fatal blow, even if it costs his own life. Given the entire main group has survived this long, it seems unavoidable that at least one of The Boys will die in season 5, and Frenchie’s character arc makes him one of the most likely to meet his demise during the show’s final run.
2Billy Butcher
Butcher Has Already Been Given A Limited Amount Of Time To Live
Frenchie may be a major risk in season 5, but he’s still not the most likely member of The Boys to die, considering Butcher’s fate is all but sealed. Not only has he started to go down a dark path, but his use of Temp V in season 3 has provided him with a limited window to live. He is already a major target for Homelander, his selfish mission could pit him against The Boys, and he has a supposedly terminal illness, indicating that Butcher needs a miracle to survive.
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His comic fate doesn’t offer him any more hope, as he dies there too, proving the character is one of the most likely to die in the final installment.Billy Butcher did gain powers inThe Boysafter taking compound V, which could potentially cure his illness; however, his long list of enemies and questionable morals mean there is little chance that he won’t have one of the biggest deaths in the entire franchise come the climax.
