Annie's Final Moment in 'The Boys' Is Exactly What She Deserved

6 days ago 7

[Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers through the series finale of The Boys.]Seven years and five seasons later, Erin Moriarty’s run on The Boys has come to a close. Every single step of the way, The Boys kept us on our toes, ensuring we were well aware that the happiness and fate of our favorite characters was constantly in jeopardy. After four seasons of non-stop fights, setbacks with their mission, and growing self-doubt, Moriarty’s Annie teeters into a state of nihilism in the final season. As Moriarty put it, “We see her sort of questioning whether her own existence on Earth is the way that she's able to achieve what she wants to achieve, or is maybe sacrificing herself the way that she makes the world a better place?”

With all of The Boys now available to stream on Prime Video, Moriarty returned to Collider Ladies Night, six years after her first visit, to discuss Annie’s full series arc and why her final scene was especially fitting for the character.

For Annie & Hughie, It Was All About Coming Full Circle

“We see them back to who they truly are.”

After an emotional goodbye at Butcher’s (Karl Urban) grave, Annie and Hughie (Jack Quaid) build a new life. Not only do they open an electronics shop that Annie can use as a home base for her work as an independent supe, but she’s also pregnant with a baby they plan to name after Hughie’s ex, Robin (Jess Salgueiro), whose death is essentially the inciting incident for the whole series.

When asked why that combination of things felt right for the character, Moriarty began, “It felt right to me because it ends it in a way where we see them back to who they truly are.” She added, “Even in what she's wearing,” and further explained:

“Michael Ground, our brilliant head of costumes, and I decided that she would be wearing her original Starlight colors because she was no longer going to be rejecting this core part of who she is, and I think that's exactly reflective of what the scene is really there for. It's to reflect the fact that they both return to who they truly are at the end, and it's this very full-circle moment for them in a way that's very evolved for them as a couple.”

“I think that it's really important.”

Erin Moriarty and Jack Quaid in The Boys

Within the idea of Annie and Hughie returning to who they truly are is another storyline that reaches an especially profound full circle conclusion — Annie becoming a mother.

In The Boys Season 4, determined to destroy Starlight’s reputation, Firecracker (Valorie Curry) opts to expose that Annie had an abortion. The reveal has the intended effect. Annie swoops in, absolutely decimates Firecracker in a fight and the whole thing is filmed. The scene bolsters the message that Starlight is “clearly out of control.”

While discussing the incident with Hughie later on in the episode, Annie explains, “I agonized over that decision.” She and Hughie agreed they weren’t ready to raise a child, but thanks to this stunt, Annie tearfully notes, “Now when people look at me whether they’re supportive or judging or angry, I have to relive it, over and over and over again.” It’s heartbreaking. But, The Boys series finale wraps up that storyline on an extremely beautiful and satisfying note.

“I also really think it's cool that we had an abortion storyline in Season 4, and the commentary we're making is that termination of pregnancy was about deciding when it's right to have a baby and taking autonomy over your own body. So, I think it's really cool that we have this character, our female lead, pregnant in the final scene, and that is their happy ending, and previously, she decided to terminate a pregnancy because it wasn't the right timing for her. I think that it's really important. I think that that connective tissue throughout the entire show is very true to the kind of messaging that we were trying to relay.”

What Kind of Mother Will Annie Be?

"She's going to be the kind of mom who really encourages her child to figure out who they are independent of who she is."

Erin Moriarty as Annie January in 'The Boys' wears a plaid blazer and holds a ruler

Yes, The Boys has come to an end, but when one becomes attached to a group of characters, you can’t help but wonder what the future might hold for them, especially in this situation. Given everything Annie’s been through with her own parents (Tim Daly and Ann Cusack) and everything she’s seen happen with other parent and guardian figures on the show, what kind of mom will she become? Moriarty began, “I've thought about it, but I haven't thought about it to the degree where I've articulated an answer,” and then offered up her first official take on the topic:

“I feel like she's going to be the kind of mom that, based on her own experience in the pageantry world and her own experience with her mom really pressuring her to fit a literal superhero mold, she's going to be the kind of mom who really encourages her child to figure out who they are independent of who she is. She's going to be very, very fully supportive of that. Do you know what I mean? She was forced into this world and this archetype from such a young age without any choice, and she was forced to become an adult really early on, which I think is just always the case when you're forced into the pageantry world and such an optics-oriented environment, so I think as a result, she's just going to be very mindful about letting her own child be a kid and be independent and just be supportive no matter where that independence leads them.”

Looking for even more from Moriarty on The Boys Season 5, including Annie’s final showdown with The Deep (Chace Crawford), her game-changing scenes with Marie, and loads more? You can find just that in her full Collider Ladies Night interview in the video at the top of this article.