Firecracker sold out the people who raised her for Homelander, and how did he pay her back? By murdering her at the end of The Boys season five episode five. It’s the fifth and final chapter of the flagship superhero series, and so we shouldn’t be surprised about the bloodshed. But we didn’t expect so much midway through. First, there were a lot of celebrity cameos thanks to a Supernatural and Superbad reunion. Every single actor who made an appearance was killed off in ruthless fashion (including Seth Rogen, hence the fake rumour that the actor had died irl. Side note: he’s alive and well). As for Firecracker, she goes through a moral quandary with the pastor from her old church when they meet in secret. He tells her that the place that raised her is struggling to survive thanks to Homelander’s Democratic Church of America. Credit: Prime Video He asks Firecracker to speak to Homie for him and maybe put a stop to the raids, leaving her torn in her faith: Homelander or Jesus? Out of fear, she sells out and denounces her old congregation on the Truthbomb channel. Despite this display of loyalty, Homelander later confronts Firecracker about her sexual relationship with Soldier Boy, questioning her dedication. She insists that he’s a god and she loves him. Homelander, with tears in his eyes, caresses the side of her face, only to then use his supe strength to impale her head on the wing of an American eagle statue, killing her instantly. It’s all a little confusing. Yes, Homelander clearly wasn’t happy with the fact that she slept with his father, but it still doesn’t make sense why he’d want to kill Firecracker when she’s one of his few remaining supporters. However, according to showrunner Eric Kripke, Firecracker’s death wasn’t just about betrayal or jealousy – it was meant to reflect something far more unsettling in real life. Credit: Prime Video Kripke told The Hollywood Reporter that anyone in Homelander’s orbit is ultimately disposable, even if they’ve sacrificed everything for him. And her went on to compare the supe to the POTUS. “There’s this breed of people espousing Trump’s message who are more hardcore than him – the Marjorie Taylor Greens of the world,” Kripke continued. “[When we wrote the episode], her sort of banishment hadn’t happened yet. But we were like: ‘But it’s only a matter of time before it does.’ So we were like: Let’s write that. Because, I mean, Firecracker had it coming.” He elaborated on this further with TVLine, saying, “We always knew he was going to kill Firecracker, maybe as long back as when we introduced the character,” comparing her not just to Greene, but to Megyn Kelly, Lauren Boebert, and Pam Bondi. “It’s the most predictable pattern in the world, which is Trump demanding ultimate allegiance, making someone compromise every value they’ve ever had, and then kicking them out into the cold.” Kripke said her death was to drive home the point that it doesn’t matter how much anyone kisses Homelander’s ass. Credit: Prime Video “It doesn’t matter how much you give up. Nothing will ever be enough, and you’ll eventually get hoisted on your own petard, which just means stabbed on your own spear, and that’s what happens to her,” he added. But there’s another driver that’s worth mentioning here: the use of the word love. Homelander’s always been a sociopathic megalomaniac, but Vought also built in him a need to be loved. He hates this side of himself, and so when Firecracker reminded him of this – by saying even Gods need love – he simply swatted her out of his way. The only question to ask now is: Who is going to be next in the firing line? For all the latest film and TV updates and hot takes, like our Facebook page. Featured image credit: Prime Video Post navigation Next story
