We're less than 24 hours away from the series finale of The Boys, and Karl Urban is the latest cast member to respond to criticisms of the Prime Video series (following Homelander actor Antony Starr).
While reviews of The Boys Season 5 have been largely positive (it's worth noting that critics weren't sent the finale), the reception from fans has been largely negative. Complaints have ranged from what many have argued is a meandering story to obvious signs of budget cuts, a lack of epic action, and too much time setting up the upcoming spin-off, Vought Rising.
While showrunner Erik Kripke has hit back against the "filler" claims, the complaints do appear largely valid, even if they come with the usual social media hyperbole.
When an Instagram user, @soupypoop69, shared a video criticising The Boys' final season, Karl Ubran replied, "Stupid ass humor? Son ... Your handle is literally soupypoopy69 & FYI @erickripke1 wrote this s*** because it's what Clara would have wanted."
It all seems to be in good fun, and Laz Alonso, who plays Mother's Milk, responded with three laughing face emojis. Still, as is so often the case, it's being interpreted in various ways, with some fans perceiving it as the Billy Butcher actor agreeing with the complaints.
That's because he included the line about Clara. Soldier Boy said that in episode 6, "Though the Heavens Fall," when he gave Homelander the V1. Since then, it's become a meme and a rallying cry for those who felt the seemingly random mention of Stormfront was all to serve Vought Rising.
Can The Boys stick the landing with tomorrow's finale? Many series are defined by disappointing final episodes, including Stranger Things, which is now best remembered for the negative reception to how the long-running story ended.
Whether The Boys will escape that same fate is hard to say, but with only an hour and five minutes to wrap up the season, the pressure is definitely on it to deliver.
In the fifth and final season of The Boys, it's Homelander’s world, completely subject to his erratic, egomaniacal whims. Hughie, Mother's Milk, and Frenchie are imprisoned in a "Freedom Camp." Annie struggles to mount a resistance against the overwhelming Supe force. Kimiko is nowhere to be found.
But when Butcher reappears, ready and willing to use a virus that will wipe all Supes off the map, he sets in motion a chain of events that will forever change the world and everyone in it. It's the climax, people. Big stuff's gonna happen.
The Boys stars Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Nathan Mitchell, Colby Minifie, Cameron Crovetti, Susan Heyward, Valorie Curry, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jensen Ackles, and Daveed Diggs.
The series is based on The New York Times best-selling comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, who also serve as executive producers, and was developed by executive producer and showrunner Eric Kripke.
The Boys Season 5 is now streaming weekly on Prime Video.