Karen Fukuhara’s One-Word Line in ‘The Boys’ Finale Left The Crew Emotional: “Not a Dry Eye in the House”

Karen Fukuhara is reflecting on an emotional goodbye to The Boys after the series wrapped its five-season run, and she says one small word carried a huge amount of feeling.

Speaking in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Fukuhara discussed how her character Kimiko’s final moment became one of the most emotional scenes for both the cast and crew.

In the series finale, Kimiko says only one word — “bye” — during the final group moment with The Boys. It is also a meaningful return to speech for her character after being mostly mute earlier in the series. Fukuhara explained that the simplicity of the line made it even more powerful.

“There’s not much dialogue that happens, but there’s a lot behind those words,” she said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She added that the moment was not just about the character, but also about her own experience finishing the show after years of working with the cast and crew.

“It was truly saying goodbye to the cast, whom I love so much, and the crew and the whole experience and a chapter of my life. There’s so many emotions,” Fukuhara said.

Kimiko’s final arc in the series also ties closely to her relationship with Frenchie, played by Tomer Capone. The two characters shared a deep emotional bond throughout the show, and Fukuhara said it was important that the finale gave their story a proper ending. Capone returned briefly for the final episode in a cameo appearance after his character’s death earlier in the season.

“It meant a lot,” Fukuhara said, referring to Capone’s return. She explained that seeing him again for that final scene helped Kimiko’s emotional closure feel complete on screen. “It was really emotional to shoot,” she added.

Fukuhara also talked about how Kimiko’s journey comes full circle in the finale. After losing Frenchie, Kimiko temporarily returns to silence, reflecting her emotional trauma. But in the final moments, she finds strength again and plays a key role in the story’s ending. Fukuhara said this balance of vulnerability and power was important for the character’s growth.

She described Kimiko and Frenchie’s relationship as imperfect but deeply human. According to Fukuhara, their connection worked because both characters were flawed and trying to heal while learning how to love.

In the final episode, Kimiko’s goodbye with the rest of the team was filmed multiple times, and Fukuhara said the emotional weight of the scene affected everyone on set. She recalled that the atmosphere was very intense during filming.

“Even if it wasn’t my coverage, I made sure, when I said bye, to look at every single person there,” she said. Fukuhara added that every take was emotional and that many people on set were crying while filming the scene.

She said the moment felt like a real-life goodbye as much as a scripted one. For her, it marked the end of a long journey with the show and the people she worked with.

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