This 'The Boys' Fan Theory May Have Revealed Soldier Boy's Fate

The Boys season 5 is in full swing after a two-episode premiere last week, and the cliffhanger the second episode ended on has fans talking about a major character death.

Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) was taken out of his hibernation chamber by Homelander (Antony Starr) as part of the villain's ongoing efforts to take out Billy Butcher (Karl Urban). By the end of the episode, Soldier Boy was already seemingly dead after inhaling the Boys' anti-supers virus.

Soldier Boy apparently woke up from his fatal slumber, jolting up from his body bag in the final seconds of the episode right behind Homelander for the fans to see. So problem solved, right? Soldier Boy survived the virus.

Not so fast, says an inquisitive fan on Reddit. Some keen viewers have interpretad the scene beyond face value.

"Soldier Boy is actually dead, but we’re still going to see more of Jensen Ackles this season. That last second shot of Soldier Boy rising up out of his body bag was imagined by Homelander, whose fractured mind is going to be hounded by visions of his imaginary dead dad."

"There aren’t many hints that Soldier Boy survived the virus. First, Vought paramedics arrived at the scene, and if they out him in a body bag that means he no longer had any signs of life in his airways or circulation, which they’re trained to check for. Secondly, Soldier Boy’s powers give him enchanted durability and resistance, but no one in his show has been shown to straight up regenerate after death. The closest would be Godolkin, but he was simply in a coma after surviving something that would have killed a normal person."

This theory presents an interesting way to look at the future of the show. The virus being ineffective against certain supers would leave nearly no route for Homelander's defeat. Show creator Erik Kripke has a lot of options for how to end his show, but leaving Homelander alive isn't going to make a lot of sense in any way.

Some posters didn't like the idea, finding it repetative since Butcher alredy had a storyline last season where he was talking to an imaginary character only in his head, Joe Kessler.

A responder on the Reddit thread says a better theory is that the virus will take Soldier Boy's powers away, and in turn eventually take Homelander's, too.

"Nah he is going to be depowered, that’s going to be how the virus works on strong supes, they’ve been hinting at homelander losing his power for seasons."

This series always seems to keep viewers on the lookout for twists and turns. Whatever happens, it will probably be something we don't see coming. I have to admit, watching Homelander have a breakdown over the effects of the virus, no matter what they really are, will be one of the most satisfying directions the show could ever take!