Interview – ‘The Boys’ Showrunner Eric Kripke on what THAT Death Means for Season 5

The Boys has found itself at the center of pop culture since its debut in 2019. It premiered as the most watched series on the platform, and is the highest viewed show on Prime Video. Of course, people quickly realized that Homelander (Antony Starr) is indeed not the hero. This season, the internet has been home to a shocking amount of conversation, even by The Boys standards, once certain people realized they were being satirized this whole time. The season finale, titled “Season Four Finale,” includes many jaw-dropping moments, with a lot to digest ahead of the upcoming 5th and final season.

POC Culture got to speak with series co-creator, director, and writer Eric Kripke, who also directed the episode, to break down the season finale.

Heavy spoiler warning for the season finale episode, as we discuss a major character moment from the last few minutes.

The article has been edited for flow and clarity.

The season 4 finale of The Boys is streaming now on Prime Video. Fans can also look forward to San Diego Comic-Con’s The Boys panel later this month as they await the final season of the series.  Spoilers ahead.

Jorgie Rodriguez: I really wanted to ask you about the decision to have Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) speak. Was that always the end goal for this season after she processes her traumatic past? 

Eric Kripke: Yeah, that was. I mean, we only wanted one word. She really starts the season with the goal of, “Okay, she’s been really socialized from where she’s come,” and the big meta story for Kimiko is a woman finding her voice. It felt like this was the season where she needed to literally find it. And in order to do that, she had to face, you know, the core reasons [why] she did have this psychological mutism, so that then she could overcome them. 

Jorgie Rodriguez: That’s beautiful. With this season, we’ve watched a certain crowd understand that they’ve misunderstood the characters and the themes of the show this entire time. For example with the Firecracker (Valorie Curry) scene that went viral on Twitter weeks ago. What is it like for you as a creator to see that happen? What is your reaction to that? 

Eric Kripke: It’s a good question. I mean – I confess that I don’t totally understand it. I feel like we’ve been pretty obvious about our political stance from, if not the first episode of season one, then for sure by the second or third. And I’m not totally sure what show they were watching. [Laughs.] You know, look, I’ll confess that every season, maybe we get a little more obvious with it. It’s not really intentional. We’re never really like, “Okay, now, we’re going to get really obvious so they really get it.” We’re just talking about the things happening in the world that are upsetting us, or scaring us. 

And for the last few years, you know, every year it gets a little crazier and a little more intense. And so you know, I think we’re reflecting the world, and I think the world is also starting to look a little bit more like The Boys. I don’t think we’re trying to be any more crazier on the nose than we’ve ever been. It’s just that the things happening lately are just so insane, that maybe we’re catching some of that energy.

Jorgie Rodriguez: It’s fascinating to see how prescient the show is, and it’s very relevant to things right now. I also wanted to dive deeper into spoiler territory now. 

Grace Mallory’s (Laila Robins) death was really shocking. She’s always been a key part of the show. What does that mean for these characters? And also I’m so scared for my boy, Ryan (Cameron Crovetti)!

Eric Kripke: [Laughs.] You know, without giving out any season 5 spoilers, I mean, I think what it really does is, it puts Butcher (Karl Urban) on a seeming point of no return. Because, you know, the one thing that has stopped him from truly and really literally turning into a monster, both in terms of what he is and what he wants to do – the only thing holding him back was Ryan and Becca (Shantel VanSanten) . You know, not wanting to release a virus that would kill the only living part of Becca still in the world.

And I think, whether it’s true or not, this shows him that Ryan is beyond rescuing, with this horrible act. And so therefore he’s going to completely surrender to the monster inside him. I don’t know if he’s totally right about Ryan, by the way, but that’s what he thinks in that moment, and that’s what he’s going to carry forward.

Jorgie Rodriguez: So you don’t think Butcher is necessarily right that Ryan is beyond saving? 

Eric Kripke: Yeah, I think very, very few people are beyond saving. I think Homelander (Antony Starr) is beyond saving. But beyond that – probably The Deep (Chase Crawford) is beyond saving. But I think beyond that, you know, I think salvation and forgiveness is possible in a lot of cases.

Jorgie Rodriguez: Speaking of forgiveness, that has been a major theme this season. Why was it important to you to make that a. central theme in the show’s story?

Eric Kripke: You know, it’s a really interesting question. It’s interesting that you bring it up. Sometimes you know the themes going into the season. Like we knew that we wanted everyone, or most characters, to confront their past in one way or another and the existential trauma that made so many of them who they are. I don’t think we knew going in as much that this core theme of letting go or forgiveness was going to become a big part of it. And but it has and I think that’s just really interesting.

I think it came out of the natural answer to, “How do you move on from something traumatic or horrible that’s happened to you?” is ultimately you have to let it go, and you have to forgive the people that put you in that situation. Not because they deserve the forgiveness, that’s completely beside the point. It’s for you. It’s because letting go of your hatred or anger or negative feelings, and moving on is good for you. I think that’s what Hughie (Jack Quaid) really comes to understand. It’s something Butcher I think is incapable of understanding. I think it’s how – and we could all use a lot more grace and forgiveness in this sort of polarized culture we’re in, like working a little harder to understand the other person, and forgiving them would, I think, go a long way.

Jorgie Rodriguez: Thank you so much for your time. I can’t wait for everyone to react to the finale and I can’t wait for season 5.

Eric Kripke: Thank you. Those were great questions. Good talking to you.