This hour is just pure indulgence.
Shows are allowed to do that, and I support it for an episode or two, depending on the season’s episode count, but a show in its final season doesn’t have the luxury.
That’s why, while parts of The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 “One-Shots” are genuinely entertaining and push the story forward, one part feels like an unnecessary Hollywood circle jerk.
Who Do You Admire the Most?
This hour is dominated by POV storytelling as we explore different characters and their feelings about Homelander and the country’s descent into madness.
The common thread here is that while people will ignore logic if it benefits them, everyone has their kryptonite.
Not something, but someone who drags you back into reality and shows you what really matters.
For Firecracker, it’s her minister from the church she used to attend before becoming dedicated to the life and ministry of Homelander.
Proximity to The Seven has given her more than she could have ever dreamed of, but deep inside, she’s that little girl from somewhere in middle America who was saved by her minister.
He came through for her when she needed him most, earning her full trust. He’s part of her soul, and betraying him is like betraying herself.
Her struggle is the most emotional one, and while Valorie Curry has always delivered as Firecracker, oh, this episode is her best work hands down.
Behind the accent and exaggerated Homelander subservience, we see a person caught up in a mess and with no idea how to get out.
She’s so conflicted, and it feels like her soul is being starved of oxygen.
That scene where she sells it to peddle lies about her minister to give Homelander’s church a leg up is so good I could watch it a million times.
But sometimes, regret comes too late, and when it finds her, Homelander has no use for Firecracker anymore.
The facade falls for Black Noir when he loses his theatre director to The Deep’s antics.
Like Firecracker, theater gives him purpose and feels like his true calling.
But like everyone, he has a day job that kills him. It can’t be easy sitting all day listening to a buffoon like The Deep yap.
Losing theater is like losing part of his soul, and that ought to radicalize someone. He’s always been a man of few words, but the world is about to hear him loud and clear.
Sister Sage would rather no one hear her.
Sage has always been an interesting character to me because she’s sold to us as the smartest woman, but I’m yet to see how smart she is.
How did they determine she’s the smartest? Did they test every woman on Earth?
But the bigger concern is that her smarts don’t seem to translate into that world. All Sage does is speak, hoping someone believes her.
For example, is it really smart to use reverse psychology on someone, or is Soldier Boy too daft to understand when he’s being manipulated?
The biggest reveal this hour is what she’s been planning all along, and I knew the writers would never come up with something genius, but my god, this is underwhelming.
Basically, she wants everyone to kill everyone, and she’ll live happily ever after.
That’s the laziest, most passive plan I’ve ever heard and certainly not something a woman of her caliber is expected to come up with.
I once read somewhere that Sage is allowed to be as smart as the smartest writer in the room, which is quite the bottleneck.
Speaking of bottlenecks, the V1 hunt is still ongoing.
I have a feeling the show will end without it being found, and at this point, I don’t care because things seem to be falling apart on their own.
Through Terror, we learn that The Boys are almost giving up because they’ve been fighting for so long without ever hitting the mark; it’s starting to look like a vanity project.
Mother’s Milk is over it, Hughie is not sure, and Frenchie thinks it will be the end with Kimiko.
The hour reinforces what they’ve been feeling all along. There hasn’t been a decision made yet, but it feels like we’re there.
Butcher & Co seem to have taken a break from hunting for V1 after the fiasco in The Boys Season 5 Episode 4, but Soldier Boy and Homelander are far from done, and so Stan Edgar sends them to Los Angeles.
The fact that the search for the V1 continues to affect my interaction with the show.
I’ll just keep track of the new detour for you, but I don’t care if they find it or not. The ends don’t justify the means here.
This latest one feels like a contrived Supernatural cameo with several other Hollywood bros tacked in.
Supernatural fans might be elated to see their faces on the same screen, but as someone who has watched only a handful of the episodes, it doesn’t have the same effect.
And even the fans might not feel satisfied with how everything plays out after Soldier Boy murders everyone and joins Homelander.
Is it legit, or does he want to give Homelander a false sense of security before taking him out? We’ll see.
The Supernatural reunion gets a Hollywood boost from guys you’ve seen somewhere but can’t tell where.
They are almost instantly recognizable because they play themselves on television, but you have no idea where you last saw them.
Seth Rogen looks like he’s stepped from The Studios‘ set to this one, while Kumail Nanjiani was just shooting his scenes for Only Murders in the Building.
Gut Check
“One-Shot” was atypical, and that made it engaging.
However, some storylines were disappointing because the show keeps circling the same themes without escalation: V1, mutiny at Vought, The Boys’ fallout, etc.
The only interesting thing is Soldier Boy’s constant emotional trips.
Intrusive Thoughts
- Amen! Superheroes should protect America as God intended, not Whereverthefuckstan.
- That’s it! No more toilets for me.
- Another reason for me not to get a dog if that is what they dream about.
- Giancarlo Esposito could sell me anything with that authoritative voice.
Over to you, The Boys fanatics. What did you think of this hour? We’re halfway through the season, and I don’t know what’s happening here. Is this Season 4 all over again?
Let’s keep the conversation going — it’s the only way the good stuff survives.
Say something in the comments, share if you’re moved to, and keep reading. Independent voices need readers like you.
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