After an Unfortunate Start, ‘The Boys’ Finale Ratings Hit an Unfortunate New Low

The season finale of “The Boys” has received a strong wave of mixed and negative reactions from viewers. According to IMDb user ratings, the episode is currently sitting at a 5.6 score. This makes it the lowest-rated episode in the entire run of the series so far.

This is a big change compared to earlier seasons. Previous finales were much more positively received by fans. Season 1 ended with “You Found Me,” which scored 9.1. Season 2 finished with “What I Know,” which reached 9.4 and became one of the highest-rated episodes in the series. Season 3 closed with “The Instant White-Hot Wild,” which held a strong 8.3 rating. Season 4 ended with “Department of Dirty Tricks,” which returned to a 9.1 score.

Because of this history, the drop to 5.6 has stood out even more to viewers following the show online. Many fans expected a strong ending, especially since the series has built a reputation for intense finales and shocking twists.

Much of the conversation is focused on how the story ends rather than technical quality. The acting, visual effects, and production values have not been the main issue in most reactions. Instead, viewers are talking about how certain character stories were handled in the final episode.

One of the most discussed parts of the finale is the ending of Homelander’s storyline. After years of being built up as the most powerful and dangerous figure in the series, he is eventually defeated when Billy Butcher kills him after he loses his powers. Some viewers felt this moment removed the long-awaited final battle they expected between the two characters in their strongest forms.

Billy Butcher’s final storyline also divided the audience. After killing Homelander, he tries to release a virus designed to wipe out all people with superpowers. This leads Hughie to stop him by shooting him. Many viewers said this moment felt rushed and did not give enough time for the emotional impact to fully land.

The pacing of the episode has also been widely discussed. Even though the finale runs for more than an hour, some fans felt it tried to wrap up too many storylines too quickly. Subplots involving characters like Starlight and Ryan were mentioned as examples of arcs that felt underdeveloped or rushed.

Another common topic is the tone of the ending. The finale continues the show’s usual dark style, but it pushes it further into a bleak direction. Instead of a more hopeful ending, the story closes with heavy losses on all sides. Some viewers felt this choice fit the series, while others felt it went too far and weakened the emotional themes that had been built up earlier.

Even with the criticism, the episode still brings closure to major storylines that have been building since the start of the series. It resolves the central conflict between key characters and brings the long-running narrative to an end, even if not all viewers agree on how satisfying that ending is.

Overall, the response shows a split audience reaction. Some fans appreciated the bold direction, while others felt disappointed by how quickly major plotlines were resolved. The IMDb rating reflects that divide, marking this finale as one of the most controversial moments in the show’s history.

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