Published May 9, 2026, 9:00 PM EDT
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It has been four years since The Boys featured its greatest action scene, and, even to this day, the show has not been able to top it. Like all superhero movies and shows, Prime Video's The Boys is packed with many rivalries and action sequences. While some of its fight scenes that feature overpowered supes like Homelander are primarily one-sided, others show head-to-head battles between strong supes.
Unlike most additions to the superhero genre, though, The Boys is not always about massive action set pieces and CGI-fueled showdowns. Instead of delivering polished superhero spectacle like the Marvel and DC movies, The Boys often uses CGI to highlight the brutality and absurdity of its world.
Its characters often die in the most shock-inducing and grotesque ways imaginable, making its action scenes feel far more chaotic and disturbing than traditional superhero battles. However, in season 5, it seems like The Boys has forgotten what made it supe showdowns work. Compared to the best action scene in the series, which was featured in season 3, The Boys season 5's fights seem dull and boring, which is surprising since it is the show's final installment.
The Boys Season 3’s Herogasm Showdown Makes Season 5’s Fights Look Boring
Up till The Boys season 3, Homelander seemed untouchable. The Prime Video sci-fi show had made it evident that even in a world full of overpowered superheroes, Homelander reigns supreme as the strongest man alive. However, in season 3, the show finally gradually started hinting at how Homelander might finally face a worthy threat by introducing Soldier Boy.
As the season progressed, even Billy Butcher and Hughie experimented with Temp-V, setting the stage for them to go head-to-head with Homelander. While The Boys season 3 ended up under-delivering the absurdity expected from its Herogasm arc, it did not hold back on giving one of the greatest superhero showdowns.
Every moment in the Herogasm fight seems perfectly timed. It begins with Billy Butcher getting lasered by Homelander and falling to the ground, making Homelander believe he has easily killed him. However, as he gets busy fighting Soldier Boy, Butcher rises from the gravel and gives him a taste of his own medicine.
After Butcher attacks him, Homelander seems more vulnerable than ever as he stands with his jaw dropped. For almost three seasons, viewers saw Homelander show no fear and brutally murder many supes. In the Herogasm showdown, however, Homelander seems scared and helpless for the first time.
Butcher, Hughie, and Soldier Boy even manage to take him down, and Soldier Boy nearly kills him with his heat blasts. Luckily, for Homelander, his ability to fly comes in handy and helps him escape.
The Herogasm fight still seems levels above the ones featured in both seasons 4 and 5 because it had real stakes. Even when it comes to CGI, it never went overboard but also ensured that it made good use of its characters' supe powers. The showdowns in season 5, in contrast, are portrayed as regular fistfights where supe characters barely use their abilities.
Even characters like Ryan, Homelander, Bombsight, and Soldier Boy, who possess myriad abilities, stick to throwing punches instead of using the full scale of their powers. This makes it hard not to see how the quality and scale of action in The Boys has significantly declined after season 3.
The Boys Season 5 Really Needs To Up The Ante Of Its Action Sequences
With only two more episodes left to end its run, The Boys season 5 is gradually heading towards its final chapter. In the last two episodes, the show really needs to elevate its action sequences and bring back all the elements that made the Herogasm fight so iconic. With Homelander acquiring V-One in The Boys season 5's episode 6, the stakes are higher than ever.
Like The Boys season 3, seasons 4 and 5 have also been slowly building up to an ultimate showdown between an invincible Homelander and all those who dare to stand against him. As the final showdown unfolds, The Boys should not merely rely on brute-force brawls but finally embrace the full scale of its superheroes’ destructive powers.
After taking V-One, Homelander has become the strongest version of himself. If he just throws fists and kicks and only relies on the heat waves from his eyes, the final battle risks feeling disappointingly grounded for a show that has spent years hyping up godlike superheroes capable of leveling entire cities.
Hopefully, the final stretch in The Boys season 5 will not be a letdown and make up for all the underwhelming arcs that have unfolded so far.
English (US) ·