From the very beginning, The Boys has trained its audience to know that no character is safe. Season 5 has had no shortage of massive deaths, either, and that is before the much-anticipated finale. The entire series has also been built around the ongoing war between The Boys and superheroes – namely Vought and Homelander.

If you want to know how The Boys finale is going to play out, here are our predictions for who will win and who will die:

When does The Boys Season 5 Episode 8 come out?

Season 5 Episode 8 will premiere on Prime Video at 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday, May 20. The episode, which is titled Blood and Bone, is expected to have a runtime around 1 hour 5 minutes. Amazon is also screening the episode in select 4DX theaters, with showtimes scheduled for 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19. But considering there are only about 50 4DX theaters across the United States, most people will have to watch from home, per usual.

The fifth season, like the previous four, will consist of eight episodes, making this both the season and series finale.

(Warning: Spoilers for The Boys Season 5 Episode 7 ahead.)

Who will die in The Boys finale?

• Homelander: Barring a complete subversion of all expectations, the Boys will probably defeat Homelander before the end of the series. At this point, he is really the only main antagonist remaining, and even a bittersweet finale would involve his death. If the Boys can find a way to depower and kill Homelander, they will almost assuredly jump at the opportunity. That being said, don’t rule out the possibility of Homelander surviving after Kimiko fries the V-One out of his bloodstream. There would be a lot of dramatic irony in the leading supe-supremacist living out his days as just another human, finally held responsible for his actions.

• Billy Butcher: The rivalry between Butcher and Homelander has anchored the entire show. Homelander could have taken Butcher out any number of times, but something in the villain secretly wanted the perfect foil. They even promised each other way back when that they would fight to the death. For the past two-plus seasons, Butcher has had powers too, meaning he can actually go head-to-head with Homelander. And yet, those same powers have been slowly killing the anti-hero, who has mended his relationships with Hughie and Ryan alike. On a thematic level, there wouldn’t be any more fitting end for Butcher than going down swinging and sacrificing himself for the cause.

• The Deep: Outside of Homelander and Oh Father, the only other true villain left on the board is The Deep. The toxic alpha-male is completely devoid of redeeming qualities, and now he can’t even use his powers since the creatures of the sea have vowed to kill him if he ever gets in the water again. The Deep is now facing public embarrassment after refusing to save a drowning citizen for that exact reason. Since Homelander disbanded The Seven, The Deep probably won’t have a massive role in the finale. The show’s writers will almost certainly give him his comeuppance, though.

• Mother’s Milk: Frenchie already kicked the bucket in Episode 7, but that doesn’t mean the other Boys are safe. MM finally sharing the emotional backstory behind his nickname was a classic pre-death soliloquy. As the heart and soul of the team who has finally come to terms with his anger and his relationship with his family, MM’s death could be a narratively satisfying one.

Who will win at the end of The Boys?

As previously mentioned, Homelander emerging from the finale on top of the world just doesn’t seem incredibly likely. At the same time, a storybook ending doesn’t seem like it would fit into The Boys‘ cynical universe, either. So while Homelander probably won’t be a god, president and ruler of the planet by the time the finale comes to a close, it’s hard to imagine all evil simply disappearing.

Looking back to Stan Edgar’s first appearance earlier this season, the former CEO of Vought agreed with the Boys that it was time to take out Homelander and move on from supe-domination. However, he also wanted to re-establish himself as the head of Vought, keeping the capitalistic wheel turning in whatever form it takes.

It is also worth noting that even though Amazon canceled Gen V after two seasons, there are two new spinoffs in development. Vought Rising, which is set to come out in 2027, will take place in the 1950s. But since Soldier Boy – the show’s leading character – is still alive and in cryosleep in the present day of The Boys, there’s always the chance that future seasons of the series could jump back to the 2020s. There’s also The Boys: Mexico, although there aren’t many details publicly available regarding the plot, cast, setting or release date.

The Boys FAQs

When does The Boys finale come out?

The Boys Season 5 Episode 8 will premiere at 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday, May 20. It will stand as both the season and series finale. It will also be showing in 4DX theaters at 9 p.m. on Tuesday, May 19.

Where can I watch The Boys?

Season 5 is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. The first four seasons are also available on the streaming service if you are looking to catch up, as are both seasons of Gen V.

Will there be another season of The Boys?

The show’s creators have confirmed that there will not be another season of The Boys after Season 5. However, there are multiple spinoffs in the works. While Amazon canceled Gen V after two seasons, spinoff series Vought Rising and The Boys: Mexico are both in development. Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy is confirmed to be returning for Vought Rising, which is set to release in 2027.

Which characters have died in The Boys?

A-Train, Firecracker, Black Noir II, President Calhoun and Frenchie are among the major characters who have died in Season 5 alone.

Who is most likely to die in The Boys?

Billy Butcher and Homelander are our picks for the characters who have the highest chance of dying in the series finale. Additional options include Mother’s Milk and The Deep.