‘The Boys’ Series Finale Sees Major Drop in Rating

The finale of The Boys has sparked a strong reaction online after receiving a much lower audience rating than earlier episodes in the series.

The information comes from IMDb user ratings and online fan discussions tracking audience scores after the episode’s release. The episode is now reported to be rated 5.8, making it the lowest-rated episode in the show’s run.

This result stands out because the series had consistently high ratings for its finales in previous seasons. Season 1 ended with “You Found Me,” which scored 9.1. Season 2’s finale “What I Know” reached 9.4, one of the highest points in the entire series. Season 3 closed with “The Instant White-Hot Wild,” rated 8.3, while Season 4’s finale “Department of Dirty Tricks” returned to a strong 9.1. Compared to those numbers, the latest finale marks a noticeable drop.

Much of the audience reaction has focused on how the story concluded rather than the acting or production quality. Many viewers expressed disappointment with how key character arcs were handled, especially in the final episode. The show has always been known for its bold storytelling and unpredictable twists, which made expectations for the ending even higher.

One of the biggest discussion points is the ending of Homelander’s storyline. After being built up over multiple seasons as an extremely powerful and dangerous figure, he is ultimately stripped of his powers and killed by Billy Butcher. Some viewers felt this reduced the impact of their final confrontation, since it removed the long-awaited superpowered battle between the two characters.

Billy Butcher’s final arc also divided fans. After killing Homelander, he attempts to release a virus meant to eliminate all Supes. This leads Hughie to stop him by shooting him. Some viewers felt this moment happened too quickly and did not give enough time for the emotional weight of the decision to fully develop on screen.

Pacing was another common criticism. Even though the finale runs for over an hour, many fans felt it tried to resolve too many storylines at once. Character threads like Starlight’s resistance efforts and Ryan’s future were seen as rushed or not explored in enough detail.

The tone of the ending also became a talking point. Instead of a more hopeful or clear resolution, the finale leans heavily into a darker outcome where both sides suffer losses. While this matches the show’s usual style, some viewers felt it went too far and weakened the themes of teamwork and resistance that were stronger in earlier seasons.

Even with the criticism, the finale still brings closure to a long-running story that has been building since the beginning of the series. It wraps up the main character journeys and major conflicts, even if opinions are split on how satisfying those endings feel.

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