The Boys: 10 Things That Happened In The 1-Year Gap Before Season 5

Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Boys season 5, episodes 1 and 2.

Season 5 of The Boys picks up a year after the events of season 4, leaving fans wondering what’s happened in the interim. The previous season concluded with Homelander in a powerful position – essentially the President of the United States – and posing a threat to anyone who disagrees with his dangerous ideology.

Okay, so jumping into season 5 of The Boys, things pick up pretty much where we left off – total chaos. After the events of last season, Butcher’s gone completely off the rails with his newfound abilities, and the rest of the team is… well, spread thin. Hughie, Frenchie, and MM are behind bars, while Starlight and Kimiko are on the run. But let me tell you, a lot has shifted in the power dynamics since then, and it’s immediately clear things aren’t what they seem.

A year has passed since the events of the previous season when The Boys season 5 begins. This time jump brings significant changes, including the arrival of new Supes and resolutions to the cliffhangers from season 4. Here’s a rundown of what happened with the main characters during that year.

10. Homelander Has Consolidated His Power

One of the clearest changes after the year-long time jump in The Boys is Homelander firmly establishing his control. Season 4 hinted at his influence over the U.S., and Season 5 confirms he’s now effectively running the country through a president who acts as his puppet, giving him total power.

Homelander now has complete control, letting him do whatever he wants – from ordering police to harm people and creating detention centers he calls “Freedom Camps,” to labeling anyone he dislikes a terrorist. During the year between seasons four and five of The Boys, Homelander has fully transformed into the terrifying villain everyone always knew he could become.

9. Kimiko Got Therapy & Recovered Her Speech

A major development hinted at in The Boys season 5 came to light at the end of season 4: Kimiko has learned to speak. After being unable to talk for a long time, she’s been in therapy – including speech therapy – and has finally gained the ability to speak full sentences. With a little help from TikTok, Kimiko is no longer silent.

8. Ryan Has Been Missing Since The Boys Season 4 Ended

The fourth season of The Boys ended with Ryan, Homelander’s son, turning his back on his father. But Ryan also left Butcher and Mallory after they tried to bring him into their plans. Since then, a year has passed, and no one knows where Ryan is. While the trailer for season 5 hints at his return, his whereabouts remain a mystery. Because Ryan is one of the few people powerful enough to challenge Homelander, his absence is a major unknown factor heading into the new season.

7. Hughie, Frenchie, & MM Were Sent To A “Freedom Camp”

At the end of season 4 of The Boys, Hughie, Frenchie, and MM were captured and sent to one of Homelander’s “Freedom Camps.” Over the following year, they were held there and subjected to Vought’s propaganda in an attempt to brainwash them. As shown in the first episode of season 5, this year of confinement significantly changed each member of the team before they managed to escape.

6. MM Is Drinking, Frenchie Is Sober, & Hughie Is Hardened

Throughout The Boys, MM has always been the most dependable member of the team, acting as its anchor. But his time at a Vought “Freedom Camp” has deeply affected him, leaving him more negative and struggling with alcohol – a setup for his storyline in the new season. Meanwhile, after four seasons of battling addiction, Frenchie is now sober.

A major motivation for his actions is his feelings for Kimiko, which fuels his desire to get away. Hughie joins him, now much more self-assured, confident, and courageous. Whether it was protecting Frenchie from an attacker, helping others in their group, or even confronting Homelander, Hughie’s growth over the past year has been significant for him and the rest of the team in The Boys.

5. Ashley Got Powers & Became Vice-President

A major mystery at the end of The Boys season 4 involved Ashley and whether she had powers. She injected herself with Compound V to defend herself against Homelander, and it worked – not only did she gain abilities, but she impressed Homelander enough to become Vice President. This new position, given the time jump, allows her to further advance Homelander’s – and Vought’s – agenda.

No one was aware of Ashley’s abilities beforehand. However, season 5 of The Boys reveals that during the year-long time jump, she developed a second face on the back of her head. This new face can read minds and possesses a stronger moral compass than her original one, positioning Ashley for a significant part in the show’s ending.

4. Homelander’s Relationship With Firecracker Has Deteriorated

In season 4 of The Boys, Firecracker became a devoted follower of Homelander. She successfully joined the Seven and his closest allies by skillfully spreading his propaganda. However, what truly impressed Homelander was her ability to provide him with breast milk.

Between seasons four and five of The Boys, Firecracker stopped being able to produce milk, which has caused Homelander to lose favor with her. Despite this, she continues to be a key part of his and Vought’s propaganda efforts.

3. Starlight Formed An Official Rebellion (With A-Train’s Help)

Throughout The Boys, Starlight and her group, the Starlighters, have always represented the opposite of Homelander’s followers. After the events of season 4, Starlight started actively working to oppose him, building a resistance movement. She teamed up with A-Train and together they began openly challenging Homelander’s control.

2. Marie Moreau Has Her Own Resistance Group After Gen V Season 2

Gen V is a spin-off series connected to The Boys, centering around Marie Moreau, a young superhero with immense power comparable to Homelander. At the end of Gen V’s second season, Marie and her fellow students officially joined Starlight and A-Train’s fight against the corrupt Supes. The first episode of The Boys’ fifth season reveals that Marie is now leading her own division within the resistance.

He highlights successful operations carried out by Marie’s team in various US cities, which will likely be explored further in season 5 of The Boys as Marie takes on a bigger role. Before these events, Marie had already fully become Starlight.

1. Dr. Shah Recreated The Supe Virus

The most significant development between seasons 4 and 5 of The Boys centers around Dr. Shah, the husband of the late Victoria Neuman. He was instrumental in creating a virus intended to kill Supes in season 4, but the plan ultimately failed due to several issues.

Sometime between the events of the previous season and season 5, Billy Butcher located Shah and forced him to rebuild the Supe Virus. This time, Shah was successful, creating a version strong enough to kill Rock Hard and Jetstream, and even harm Soldier Boy. This is arguably the most important outcome of the show’s time jump, as the virus is central to The Boys’ plan to finally defeat Homelander.

2026-04-11 16:40