15 Best ‘The Boys’ Episodes, Ranked
Warning: spoilers for The Boys forward!
Based on a comic book guide collection that was by no means thought-about notably distinctive, Prime Video’s The Boys took the world by storm in 2019 when it grew to become “the next big thing” on tv. A sensible satire of recent popular culture and the superhero style, The Boys is filled with intelligent social critiques and direct mockery of individuals and occasions extremely related to fashionable society; it instantly garnered a cult following and hasn’t died down in reputation since.
Throughout 4 seasons, The Boys has supplied followers loads of excellent episodes. Whether as a result of they’re notably humorous or thrilling or as a result of they present game-changing plot twists and immediately iconic moments, the present’s highest episodes by no means fail to take viewers’ breaths away. With visually gorgeous set items and brilliantly written scripts, these episodes are the height of what superhero media has to supply these days.
15 “We Gotta Go Now”
Season 2, Episode 5 (2020)
In any present as story-focused as The Boys — particularly one with as many characters because it has to maintain monitor of — setup episodes are vital. As far as these go, “We Gotta Go Now” is an ideal instance of what the individuals behind this present can do after they actually attempt to make a setup-intensive episode that is completely capable of stand by itself two toes. In it, Homelander, Maeve, Stormfront, and Starlight are capturing a brand new film collectively whereas coping with private drama. In the meantime, whereas Butcher tries to get away from Supe-fighting, Noir tracks him down.
There are a bit too many subplots to regulate for this to actually be as distinctive as Season 2’s finest episodes; however all of those storylines are enjoyable and interesting, making it each simple and entertaining to comply with them. Maeve’s romantic life, Starlight’s conflicts with Stormfront, Homelander’s decaying sanity, and Butcher’s tragic previous are all successfully steered within the route that the latter half of this season will take them in.
14 “Cherry”
Season 1, Episode 2 (2019)
After an distinctive first episode, The Boys gleefully (and gorily) proved that it wasn’t only a one-trick pony. The present’s second-ever episode, “Cherry”, sees the Boys attempt to determine a solution to kill Translucent (frankly, certainly one of The Boys‘ most underrated characters), whereas Homelander tries to trace down the lacking member of the Seven.
While taking viewers far deeper into the blood-and-guts-filled tone of the present, “Cherry” additionally completely establishes what makes the primary characters tick. Taking a more in-depth take a look at Hughie’s grief over shedding Robin, Butcher’s relentless strategies, and Homelander’s terrifying omnipotence, the episode is a enjoyable and sometimes scary expertise with a hell of an explosive ending.
13 “The Self-Preservation Society”
Season 1, Episode 7 (2019)
The episode earlier than any present’s season finale is normally the calm earlier than the storm, however “The Self-Preservation Society” is aware of its viewers, and it is positive to not give viewers a single break from all of the bloody mayhem. It follows the Boys as they be taught (the arduous method) to not belief a washed-up Supe, whereas watching Homelander cope with difficult revelations about his previous.
The episode completely units up the fiery finale, whereas ensuring to throw in a number of twists all of its personal. Characters are delivered to their breaking level in memorable moments such because the reveal of what occurred to Butcher’s spouse, Annie studying that Hughie is not fairly who she thought he was, and a sure scene involving the Deep that is positive to ship chills down anybody’s gills.
12 “Glorious Five-Year Plan”
Season 3, Episode 4 (2022)
One of probably the most extremely anticipated parts of Season 3 of The Boys was the arrival of Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy. “Glorious Five-Year Plan,” positioned proper in the course of the season, lastly gave followers what that they had been ready for. The episode sees the Boys on the lookout for a mysterious weapon in Russia whereas bother brews again residence at Vought.
“Glorious Five-Year Plan” brings loads of character arcs to their boiling level, from M.M. struggling to maintain the Boys collectively to Hughie experimenting with powers he is by no means felt earlier than. The episode balances these character moments with a few of the season’s finest motion sequences, that includes deaths by reasonably unconventional weapons and characters making an attempt out skills followers would by no means have imagined seeing them use.
11 “The Female of the Species”
Season 1, Episode 4 (2019)
The first season’s fourth episode introduces Kimiko, certainly one of The Boys‘ strongest and most vital characters. In “The Female of the Species,” the Boys run into this mysterious human weapon whereas monitoring a path of Compound V, whereas Deep struggles to seek out his objective, and Homelander and Maeve rescue a airplane that is been hijacked.
As bloody as it’s sentimental, “The Female of the Species” is an ideal midway level for the present’s excellent debut season. The introduction of Kimiko guarantees a very intriguing addition to the titular staff, and Hughie’s psychological struggles after killing Translucent two episodes prior make for some actually meaty drama. More than something, although, the episode is remembered for the tension-filled airplane scene the place Homelander decides to go away the passengers to die regardless of Maeve’s protests. It was the primary second when viewers noticed how genuinely disinterested the villain was in human lives, which made him appear to be all of the extra horrifying of a power.
10 “The Name of the Game”
Season 1, Episode 1 (2019)
The artwork of the tv pilot is a difficult one. Only a choose few reveals are capable of kick issues off with an episode that instantly makes followers out of newcomers. Even fewer are the reveals that may depend their pilot among the many finest episodes of the entire collection, like The Boys. “The Name of the Game” is a pitch-perfect introduction to the present’s world, characters, and tales, following a younger man who groups up with a vigilante hell-bent on bringing down corrupt superpeople after certainly one of them kills his girlfriend.
Fans will at all times fondly keep in mind turning into hooked on The Boys after seeing the bloody aftermath of A-Train working via Robin. Things have been by no means the identical after that second, which confirmed simply how unhinged and ruthless The Boys may very well be. Coupled with the pilot’s intriguing introduction to the primary characters and hilarious parody of The Boys‘ connection to franchises just like the MCU, that is an episode that ought to have all eyes glued to the display.
9 “Here Comes a Candle to Light You to Bed”
Season 3, Episode 7 (2022)
In the penultimate episode of Season 3, the stakes are excessive, and tensions have skyrocketed. “Here Comes a Candle to Light You to Bed” finds Hughie, Butcher, and Soldier Boy going after the latter’s former teammate. Meanwhile, Starlight has to evade Homelander’s threats to uncover a scary secret. “Here Comes a Candle to Light You to Bed” ends with one of many present’s most stunning and pivotal plot twists: that Homelander, meant to be Soldier Boy’s alternative, is definitely his son.
The present additionally spends time with the inner battle of M.M. and Frenchie, cementing them as two of The Boys‘ finest non-supe characters. Perhaps most memorable, although, are the scenes the place Black Noir hallucinates animated characters recreating scenes of his previous connection to Soldier Boy. The episode is concentrated way more on advanced character-building moments than on explosive motion, which masterfully units the stage for the jaw-dropping reveal.
8 “Wisdom of the Ages”
Season 4, Episode 4 (2024)
Smacked proper in the course of the latest (and controversial) season of the present, “Wisdom of the Ages” is way and away certainly one of The Boys‘ most stunning episodes. In it, Annie negotiates with Singer and Frenchie lastly reveals to his lover what ties their pasts collectively. The episode’s pivotal storyline, although, is Homelander’s go to to the place the place he grew up.
The episode’s facet tales all deliver one thing contemporary and attention-grabbing to the desk. Deep and Sage’s relationship takes a twisted but hilarious flip, A-Train reaches a degree of no return in his journey to redemption, and Butcher’s thoughts retains deteriorating. It’s Homelander’s story that basically makes “Wisdom of the Ages” one of many collection’ finest episodes, although. Terrifying, bloodily artistic, and increasing on Homelander’s backstory in horrific methods, this plotline gives quite a few of the present’s most memorable moments.
7 “Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men”
Season 2, Episode 3 (2020)
Probably finest remembered for the epic chase sequence the place Deep instructions sharks and a whale to go after the Boys’ yacht, “Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men” is the place Season 2 of The Boys actually picks up steam. In it, the Boys take to the excessive seas to safeguard their prisoner, Kimiko’s terrorist brother, whereas Homelander experiments with Becca and Ryan.
The finest episodes of The Boys are normally those the place the antagonists are a number of steps forward of the Boys, who’re in the end unable to save lots of the day. This episode does precisely that, exhibiting the titular staff on the lowest that viewers had seen them as much as that time. Revealing Stormfront’s true character, “Over the Hill with the Swords of a Thousand Men” makes her partnership with Homelander appear to be an impediment that might be not possible to beat.
6 “You Found Me”
Season 1, Episode 8 (2019)
One of the perfect TV season finales in recent times, “You Found Me” is the explosive fruits of all that Season 1 of The Boys constructed as much as. Answering questions and revealing secrets and techniques, this monumental episode sees the staff desperately taking part in their closing playing cards to defeat Homelander whereas Starlight lastly discovers what her position within the battle is meant to be.
Incredibly thrilling and suspenseful to the purpose of just about being scary, “You Found Me” has no downside tying up free ends whereas establishing loads of attention-grabbing plotlines for Season 2. Chief amongst them, maybe, is the stunning reveal that Becca is alive and hiding with Homelander’s youngster. Cliffhangers in season finales are arduous to drag off correctly, however this one is executed phenomenally, bringing a nearly-perfect debut season to a fairly excellent ending.
5 “Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker”
Season 2, Episode 7 (2020)
The closing three episodes in Season 2 of The Boys make for a finale that is extremely gripping, and “Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker” is an excellent center episode in that trio. In it, Mallory and the Boys flip to an unlikely ally to make a case in opposition to Vought, whereas Homelander and Stormfront additional their grasp plan for Compound V.
It’s episodes like this one which make Season 2 of The Boys one of many highest-rated seasons of tv on IMDb. Like all nice tv pre-finales, “Butcher, Baker, Candlestick Maker” units the stage for a riveting climax whereas being simply as compelling. With Homelander and Stormfront’s plan working easily, Lamplighter’s betrayal, and the notorious head explosion sequence within the courtroom that kills all hope for the Boys’ success, that is an episode that is not possible to look away from at any time.
4 “Season Four Finale”
Season 4, Episode 8 (2024)
Thankfully for followers, what was principally a reasonably disappointing season of certainly one of tv’s finest satires culminated with a finale that was much better than what most viewers have been anticipating. “Season Four Finale” follows the Boys as they race to cease the plan to make Homelander the Supe in command of the United States. As typical, although, the percentages are in opposition to them. Very a lot so.
For each glimmer of hope that it gives viewers, the episode crushes them with a number of of probably the most stunning and devastating twists the present has seen up to now. Bold, emotional, and as nail-biting as they arrive, “Season Four Finale” leaves issues off in a gap that the heroes can have a really difficult time getting out of subsequent season. The Boys is at all times at its finest when it is not afraid to skyrocket the stakes, and nowhere is that clearer than in the latest episode of the collection.
3 “The Bloody Doors Off”
Season 2, Episode 6 (2020)
“The Bloody Doors Off” kicks off an engrossing chain of occasions in what is perhaps the perfect season of The Boys. It finds the titular staff and Starlight following a result in Vought’s mysterious Sage Grove Center, the place they discover one of many firm’s darkest secrets and techniques and somebody even darker from their previous. Meanwhile, Homelander and Stormfront’s relationship deepens to factors which are nothing in need of disturbing.
The episode principally takes place in Sage Grove Center, the place Vought is imprisoning sufferers to conduct experiments to excellent Compound V. The scenes that happen listed below are among the many season’s most memorable, from the prisoners’ violent breakout that includes a selected abnormally lengthy physique half to Lamplighter’s introduction and his connection to Frenchie’s previous. “The Bloody Doors Off” completely balances quiet character moments with loud motion sequences, making it the proper starting to an excellent higher finish.
2 “Herogasm”
Season 3, Episode 6 (2022)
One of the highest-rated TV episodes on IMDb, in addition to many followers’ primary favourite The Boys episode, “Herogasm” is the long-awaited adaptation of the comedian books’ most infamously graphic story. It finds the staff attending a secret superhero intercourse celebration, the place they intend to have Soldier Boy defeat Homelander as soon as and for all. Of course, not all goes in line with plan.
Aside from having what would possibly simply be the present’s finest motion scene—and exhilarating battle between Homelander, Butcher, Soldier Boy, and Hughie—”Herogasm” dives deep into Homelander’s more and more damaged psyche and Frenchie and Kimiko’s evolving relationship. The present’s depiction of the Herogasm occasion is about as disturbing and vulgar as followers have been hoping, and the ultimate confrontation between Butcher, Soldier Boy, Hughie, and Homelander is simply the cherry on prime of a unprecedented piece of tv.
1 “What I Know”
Season 2, Episode 8 (2020)
“What I Know” brings the second season of The Boys to a powerful shut. It reveals Becca begging Butcher for assist. The Boys and Starlight comply with again him of their closing confrontation in opposition to Homelander and Stormfront, however issues go very badly, very quick. It’s a wide ranging season finale with about as many satisfying arc and plotline conclusions because it has stunning plot twists.
With gory motion, a brilliantly written script, and certainly one of The Boys‘ finest needle drops, “What I Know” is so gripping that it might need many viewers forgetting to breathe all the way in which till the credit roll. It units the story up for an extremely thrilling Season 3, permitting the Boys a number of wins whereas additionally handing out simply as many losses. Violent, thrilling, and really suspenseful, it is simple to name “What I Know” The Boys‘s finest episode to this point.
