The Boys’ Heartbreaking Season 1 Supe Death Is Still One Of The Hardest Moments For Jessie T. Usher

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Beware, this article reveals major plot points from season 5 of The Boys! While The Boys is known for killing off characters, Jessie T. Usher is still particularly affected by a death that happened early in the series.

Jessie Usher, who played A-Train in the popular show The Boys, recently finished filming the fifth and final season. The series, which began in 2019, became well-known for blending superhero action with sharp social satire. The cast also includes Jack Quaid, Anthony Starr, Karl Urban, Erin Moriarty, and Chace Crawford.

While at the premiere of the latest The Boys episode, Usher spoke with ScreenRant‘s Tatiana Hullender. He shared that the episode he felt most proud of filming was the one featuring a particularly difficult scene for his character, A-Train—specifically, when A-Train travels to Mexico and kills Popclaw. Here’s Usher’s exact quote:

ScreenRant:

What scene made you the proudest after filming?

Jessie T. Usher:

Let me tell you, filming the scene where A-Train goes to Mexico and… well, takes care of Popclaw, was a real beast. It was early in season one, and honestly, it was one of the most technically demanding things I’ve ever done on The Boys. We broke it down into so many tiny pieces – over a hundred beats, I think – just to get it right. Between the practical effects, the visual effects, and then trying to stay emotionally connected for that long, it was intense. Plus, I hadn’t worked extensively with that actor before, so we had to create a whole backstory on the fly. It really felt like a masterclass in filmmaking. But that’s The Boys for you – you nail a four-hour scene, then you’ve got two more to shoot, so you gotta keep moving! I remember getting home that night completely wiped, but proud of what we accomplished.

Usher found this scene incredibly challenging from a technical standpoint, beyond just the emotional demands. It was filmed in many small parts – almost 100 separate shots – because of all the special effects. This made the shoot especially tiring, particularly since he had other scenes to film that same day.

Usher understood it was crucial to stay deeply immersed in his feelings throughout the difficult act of killing Popclaw. Viewers had watched Popclaw and A-Train’s relationship develop over several episodes, making her death particularly impactful. After Popclaw reveals information about Compound V, Homelander instructs A-Train to kill her.

Man, Popclaw’s death really got to me. Throughout the first season of The Boys, they showed us he was battling some serious addictions – not just to Compound V, but to heroin too. It was brutal watching A-Train use his speed to grab a ton of syringes and basically overdose him. It was a really tough scene, honestly.

This scene echoes a key theme from the first season – dealing with the loss of loved ones – and specifically connects back to A-Train’s story. In the very first episode of The Boys, Hughie’s girlfriend, Robin, is tragically killed when A-Train accidentally hits her at full speed, leaving only her hands remaining.

A-Train being forced to kill someone he cares about due to demands from the Supes creates a tragic, repeating pattern. Throughout the series, there’s a constant tension between wanting to defend the Supe characters and being afraid of their power.

Considering A-Train’s story from beginning to end makes Popclaw’s death even more impactful. In the fifth season premiere of The Boys, A-Train is ultimately killed by Homelander because he repeatedly betrayed him. Ironically, the man A-Train was willing to kill for is the one who ultimately causes his downfall.

A-Train’s storyline in The Boys season 5, and others like it, perfectly illustrates how much control Homelander has over everyone. No one is truly safe from him – whether they’re family or someone who desperately seeks his approval, they could easily become another victim, just like A-Train.

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2026-05-22 18:42