'The Boys' Officially Has a New Main Character After Homelander's Brutal Ending

Kendall Myers is a Senior Author with Collider. As part of the TV and Movies Features team, she writes about some of the most popular releases before, during, and after they premiere. In three years, she has written over 900 articles with topics ranging from classic sitcoms to fantasy epics. Despite the ensemble cast, The Boysalways hinged on Homelander (Antony Starr) as both the primary antagonist and the ultimate target for Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and his crew. As his ambitions grew, Homelander became an increasing threat until the Season 5 finale, when Butcher finally depowered and killed him. Though the finale received a mixed reaction from fans, there is one thing everyone can likely all agree on: the once-powerful supe can no longer be the central figure of the franchise. However, The Boys' next spin-off already has the perfect character to replace Homelander. Even before the original show ended, The Boys had already produced a few spin-offs, namely, The Boys Presents: Diabolical and Gen V, both of which include Homelander in some of their most pivotal moments. However, with his story wrapped up so definitively, it's time for the franchise to move on, and Prime Video has already announced a plan to do just that. The Boys' next spin-off, Vought Rising, is set to premiere in 2027, and there is one character perfectly positioned to step into Homelander's role. 'The Boys' Final Season Sets Soldier Boy's Story Up for 'Vought Rising' One advantage of Jensen Ackles' Soldier Boy officially stepping into the spotlight is that fans already know him, especially after his major role in The Boys. However, the version of the character in Vought Rising will be different, given that the spin-off will explore the origins of Vought in the 1950s. Soldier Boy will be joined by another familiar face in Season 2's Stormfront (Aya Cash), who originally goes by the name of Liberty in this time period. With Ackles and Cash both reprising their roles, the new series will connect to The Boys while offering something new. Without a specific release date confirmed, fans still have to wait for Vought Rising, but that hasn't stopped The Boys' final season from setting up the prequel's story. Soldier Boy becomes a central figure in the season, with his general dislike of Homelander becoming a highlight, as well as the character's return to Fort Harmony, a location he knows all too well. Additionally, Soldier Boy's allusions to his past relationship with Stormfront lead to even more tension between him and Homelander, given Homelander's previous connection with her and direct hand in her death. Soldier Boy Is the Perfect Homelander Replacement for 'Vought Rising' Homelander may have raised the bar for the franchise's antagonists, but if anyone can live up to those expectations, it's his father, the character who is quite literally Homelander's predecessor. Before the events of The Boys, Soldier Boy was known as the greatest Supe and even led his own team that predated the Seven, known as Payback, which has been depicted via flashback. With Vought Rising, Soldier Boy is poised to fill a similar role, though his grounded personality will likely prevent him from taking quite as big a leap as Homelander declaring himself God. COLLIDER Collider · Quiz Collider Exclusive · Marvel Personality QuizWhich MCU Hero Are You?Spider-Man · Daredevil · Iron Man · Punisher · Thor · Cap Six heroes. One destiny. Answer 10 questions to discover which Marvel Cinematic Universe hero shares your personality, values, and fighting spirit. 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In a world full of people taking the easy road, you're the one who picks up the shield and stands up — every single time. While he isn't quite as cruel as Homelander, The Boys has already established that Soldier Boy is capable of similar behaviors. Perhaps the most obvious example is his role in killing MM's (Laz Alonso) family members across multiple generations, unrepentantly turning them into collateral damage, but his egotistical comments and brutal violence reinforce his status as an antagonist, making him the perfect character to fill Homelander's shoes. As Vought Rising returns to the character in his prime, Soldier Boy can serve as the new lead that fans love to hate, and that's really what any good The Boys spin-off needs.