The Boys “King of Hell” Review

Season 5 Episode 4 – IN THIS HOUSE, WE BELIEVE IN HOMELANDER!

Please note, our reviews are based on likes and dislikes. These contain significant spoilers. If you haven’t already watched the episode, we recommend that you click off the article and come back once you have watched the episode. Enjoy!

What I Liked

1. You know Homelander is truly going off the deep end when Firecracker, of all people, begins to realise how much of a fruitloop he is. He explains to her that he’s the Messiah, sent from the Lord and that she needs to pass on the message of his coming. Her facial expressions are all you need to know. She’s extremely uncomfortable during that entire interaction.

2. We learn Annie has a younger brother, called Mason. In the last episode, she flew off and left Hughie. We now know she went to look for her father. She was successful in doing so. Her father looked genuinely shocked when she showed up. I don’t blame him either. They haven’t spoken in 20 years, plus she’s wanted by every supe working under Vought. I’d be a little too protective as well.

3. Frenchie throwing out “Last of Us is The Walking Dead with mushrooms” is hilarious. It does feel a little Last of Us-esque, considering the spores can cause uncontrollable anger. This appears to be a defence mechanism in Fort Harmony of sorts. Homelander and Soldier Boy turn up at the facility where the group are still arguing amongst themselves. I like the idea they’re going for with this sequence.

4. Mason called the police on Starlight, resulting in an officer attending the property. He and Annie’s dad are close and work together, so the tension is high almost immediately. The officer pulls his gun on Starlight, exclaiming she’s under arrest. She defends herself by showing her power. Thankfully, the officer backs down. What’s more terrifying here is how easy it’s been for people to be manipulated. The stories around Starlight about her being a trafficker and a terrorist are crazy.

5. Soldier Boy locks Homelander into a cell enriched in uranium, causing Homelander’s skin to almost fall apart. Soldier Boy explains he’s doing this to stop him from getting his hands on any V1. I wasn’t expecting this to happen as soon as it has. What a moment, though.

6. In the uranium-filled cell, Homelander is struggling. Butcher, who’s looking for Hughie, stumbles across Homelander. Butcher throws out a comedic line, asking if his daddy put him in a timeout. It genuinely feels nice to see Homelander in a weaker spot this time around.

7. We find out the source of these spores around the facility is from a Supe called “Quinn”. He was part of the trials with Soldier Boy. Frenchie attempts to play Soldier Boy against Quinn, so it stops all of this aggression. Frenchie actually succeeds as Soldier Boy tears Quinn apart. The rest of the group immediately calmed down. This scene honestly had me on edge the entire time. Brilliant.

What I Disliked

I think Kimiko and Frenchie splitting up again was a bad idea. We’ve been through this same story over and over again. After the disaster of last season, I really thought they’d make it work. Kimiko ends things, and I feel like it wasn’t needed whatsoever. I’ve enjoyed their dynamic since the beginning of the season.

Favorite Moment

Hughie vs MM. Kimiko vs Butcher. All hell breaks loose among the group as they struggle to contain their thoughts. It’s a great scene from the outside looking in. However, what I like about this scene more than anything is that everything they’ve said feels true, kind of like how much they’ve bottled it up. It needed to happen, even under these circumstances. Easily the best scene of the entire episode.

Standout Character

Honestly, I don’t believe any character fully stood out in this episode, although all of the characters shown were decent. Frenchie saved the day, so he deserves a mention. Soldier Boy, though, managed to finally stand up to Homelander by locking him in the uranium-filled cell. Although Homelander did escape the cell in the end, I’m glad Soldier Boy is doing what he needs to do to stop him from getting V1.

Verdict

A strong episode, though probably the weakest of the season so far, which really just highlights how exceptional the season has been overall. It felt more like a side story: fun and engaging, but it didn’t quite push the main narrative forward as much as I’d hoped. That said, it’s still an impressive 8.7. An excellent episode in its own right. I’ve got a feeling Season 5 could end up being the best one yet.

Rating 8.7/10

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