Posted in: Amazon Studios, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: Jensen Ackles, prime video, soldier boy, the boys, vought rising

The Boys S05: Jensen Ackles' Soldier Boy Sets His Sights on Butcher

The Boys Showrunner & EP on Jensen Ackles' return as Soldier Boy for the fifth and final season - and who Soldier Boy has his sights set on.

Did anyone really doubt that Showrunner Eric Kripke's The Boys would show up to San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC 2024) between seasons and still find a way to break some major news? First up, Kripke confirmed that Jensen Ackles's Soldier Boy would be a series regular for the fifth and final season of the franchise series – but there was so much more. It was also announced that Prime Video had given a series order to a 50's-set prequel spinoff series titled The Boys: Vought Rising – with Aya Cash (Stormfront) also returning to star (with both actors producing) and The Boys EP Paul Grellong serving as executive producer and showrunner. Speaking with Gamesradar+, Kripke shared one of the reasons why Soldier Boy was brought back – and how his allegiances will be quite different during the final season (sorry, Karl Urban's Billy Butcher).

"You know, what we realized was we really hadn't explored the father-son relationship much between Homelander and Soldier Boy. There's a lot of material there: how Soldier Boy feels about Homelander, how Homelander feels about his dad, and so we really wanted to dig into that relationship," Kripke explained. The creative team also doesn't lose sight of just how popular both Ackles and the character are—as was evident by the crowd's reaction to him coming out onto the stage for the panel. Kripke joked, "We were just really excited to bring him out. And, you know, Jensen, despite his tragic ugliness, you know, we thought we should give him a shot." What's not a joke is who Soldier Boy has his sights set on when he does wake up from his deep freeze. "Soldier Boy is really driven to kill Butcher after Butcher betrayed him in season 3. So he's just an excellent antagonist, to switch sides and basically, you know, to be with the supes," Kripke added.

Here's a look at what Kripke had to share about Soldier Boy's return shortly after the finale hit Prime Video screens. Following that, Morgan throws out some huge praise for both Ackles and his character. Finally, Starr discusses what that scene represents and how Homelander's reaction is a very in-the-moment one:

Kripke on Soldier Boy's (Jensen Ackles) Return in Mid-Credits Scene: "Soldier Boy is a fan favorite. So it made perfect sense that once HL has control of the government, he would learn that his father is on ice. And this won't be the last we see of him."

Morgan Praises Ackles' Performance: "Jensen's Soldier Boy was one of the single greatest characters I've seen on television in a long, long time. His performance blew me away. I did want to work with him — and we also have a really good time together – the two of us, especially. And, obviously, that was a carrot in front of my face that I was chasing after, sure."

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