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The Boys Season 5 Ep. 5: Some Thoughts on That "Supernatural" Reunion

Supernatural's Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, and Misha Collins had their on-screen reunion in The Boys S05E05: "One-Shots." How did it go?

Showrunner Eric Kripke, series star Jensen Ackles, and guest stars Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins have been teasing it for months now, and it's finally here. Of course, we're talking about the on-screen reunion of Supernatural stars Ackles, Padalecki, and Collins in Prime Video's The Boys S05E05: "One-Shots." What did we know going into this week's episode? Homelander (Antony Starr) and Soldier Boy (Ackles) are on the hunt for a sample of V1, the original form of Compound V – and the very thing that can make Homelander immortal. That brings them to the home of Mister Marathon (Padalecki), The Seven's original speedster before he was replaced by A-Train (Jessie T. Usher).

It seems Mister Marathon is a walking encyclopedia of all of the shady, underhanded shit that Vought's pulled off over the decades; he knows where the bodies are buried, so to speak. So, who better for Homelander and Soldier Boy to visit than him? As for Collins, Kripke revealed in a recent interview that Collins was tapped to play Malchemical. In the comics universe, Malchemical is an elemental shapeshifter who was kicked off Team Titanic (a supes group comprised of sidekicks) after details of his sexual misconduct with another team member surfaced. Assigned to Super Duper, Malchemical would prove to be a cruel and abusive team leader. With that in mind, we're throwing on the "MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!" sign and throwing down an image spoiler buffer, as we take a look at what went down.

The Boys S05E05: "One-Shots" – "Supernatural" Reunion Thoughts

After learning from an imprisoned Stan Edgar (Giancarlo Esposito) that Mister Marathon might be the lead that they need, Homelander and Soldier Boy make their way to the speedster's debaucherous mansion.

"Where washed-up supes go to die: Sony Pictures TV." A great inside joke from Homelander about one of the show's studios. It's also interesting to learn that there's a cinematic subculture to supes films outside of the VCU (with Vought apparently protecting its IP in a very big way).

"Supernatural Speedster": Very nice easter egg there.

I could listen to Seth Rogan, Will Forte, Kumail Nanjiani, Misha Collins, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse talking in their d-bag alt-reality version of themselves as its own episode. From how they sold out folks like Channing Tatum to how they sucked up to Homelander, it was hard to feel for them when Soldier Boy uses them as blood-splattered speedbumps against Mister Marathon. I have a whole lot of love for the self-deprecating going on.

An interesting contrast in the scene where Mister Marathon takes Homelander and Soldier Boy into his Vought archives. While Soldier Boy takes a trip down memory lane, Homelander looks at Mister Marathon with disgust after viewing his supply of Diddy-like baby oil. Interesting note: this scene is worth going over because it feels like there are some solid "Vought Rising" easter eggs in play.

Oh, yeah… that photo of Clara Vought got to Soldier Boy in a big way – even Homelander sensed it.

And now we know how Mason Dye's Bombsight will be introduced. Soldier Boy doesn't sound like he's a fan, but it looks like he might have the V1 that they're looking for.

At this point, I'm already giving serious props to Padalecki and Collins because they are playing so against type, yet doing it in a way that's natural and not, "Oh, look at us! We're being naughty!" It speaks to their qualities as actors. Meanwhile, Ackles continues killing it with the complexities he's bringing to Soldier Boy – especially as we learn more about his backstory.

The visual of Homelander as the lone kid, sitting on the bench waiting for his dad to finish doing "adult stuff" was striking.

Wow, Homelander really, really doesn't like the memes.

"Chill out, MacGruber! Everything's cool!" Mister Marathon with a killer line to Forte.

Okay, the big moment: Homelander has been knocked out by Malchemical – with Mister Marathon and Malchemical looking to convince Soldier Boy to put down Homelander once and for all. It's a fascinating exchange, where even the underbelly of the supes universe sees the threat that Homelander poses – and even Soldier Boy understands how what Homelander is doing isn't in his personal best interest. If there was ever a moment in the entire segment that demonstrated the chemistry that Ackles, Padalecki, and Collins have, it's this one. Padalecki and Collins make you forget for a second what scumbags they are because they're convincing in their arguments against Homelander – the same argument that we would all make (though for different reasons).

"No one fucks my son but me." That brief, confused exchange was golden, with points to Padalecki for the facial reaction.

Oh, wow. Poor Craig Robinson. But nice American Pickle line from Mister Marathon to Rogen.

The baby oil trap was a smooth move by Soldier Boy, and those leg-breaking moments were brutal. But not nearly as brutal as how Homelander chose to end Mister Marathon's race… permanently.

Jared Padalecki "Crushed It" as "Coke-Blowing Scumbag": Kripke

Though we still don't know how the moment will play out when the Supernatural trio reunites on the screen during the fifth episode of the final season of Prime Video's The Boys, Kripke offered some insights into what we can expect from the trio. The big question? How does Kripke feel now that Padalecki revealed he's portraying Mister Marathon, The Seven's original speed force? "My reaction is, it's totally fine. We're close enough to the episode. It increases excitement for the episode. Enough people online were talking about it that I'm sure he saw it and he was like, 'Oh okay! It must be out,'" Kripke shared during an interview with EW, with the episode in question set to hit next week.

It didn't take long for Kripke to get on board with series writer Judalina Neira's pitch to have Padalecki play the speedster. "I jumped on that, and then it puts him in the mythology of the show in a really fun way. He used to be at Seven Tower; he was in that conference room; he was a part of the lore. So I thought that was perfect. And part of me just loved the idea of him playing a coke-blowing scumbag because he's such a good guy both in real life and in all the roles he plays. I just wanted him to be really sleazy, and he crushed it," Kripke noted about Padalecki's performance. "I'm just excited that [fans will] be able to see those three guys together playing in scenes — and playing totally different people," Kripke added. "But you can still feel the chemistry. Once we figured out this would be perfect for Jared, that was when we really realized we should do this Jared-Jensen storyline, because that's what people wanna see."

The Boys: Padalecki, Collins Play "Not Morally Upstanding Dudes"

"They show up in episode 5," Kripke shared with Entertainment Weekly back in March about Padalecki and Collins' appearance. "What I love about what they're doing is they're just such douchebags. It's great. I mean, Soldier Boy is no treat either, but they're just really not morally upstanding dudes. It's a blast to watch them play that. It was just so much fun."

"I was told that there was the possibility of it happening, and I was like, 'I think it sounds awesome as long as it makes sense,'" Ackles shared about have his friends and co-stars join him for the episode. "I'm protective of the show. Even though I'm not an original cast member, I still want to, as a fan of the show, make sure that every second counts on screen. Kripke figured out a way to weave them in there and make it outrageous and make it something special. It propels the story, it propels the characters."

As for what Supernatural fans can expect from the on-screen reunion, we think it would be safe to say that some shocks and surprises are on the way. "I did not expect some of the things that we filmed in that sequence to go the way they did," Ackles teased. "It's a messy one."

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