AceShowbiz - The Boys star Karl Urban has openly addressed the backlash surrounding season 5 of the Prime Video series just before the show’s finale. While critics have mostly praised the latest season, many fans have expressed disappointment, especially on social media platforms.

Some common complaints from viewers include the heavy focus on Soldier Boy, played by Jensen Ackles, the presence of several episodes regarded as "filler," and a perceived reduction in the number of fight scenes compared to previous seasons. This dissatisfaction culminated in episode 7 of season 5, titled "The Frenchman, The Female, and the Man Called Mother's Milk," receiving the lowest rating in the show’s history on IMDb, with a score of just 6.5 out of 10 as of this writing.

In response to a fan video criticizing season 5 posted by the Instagram account @soupypoop69, Karl Urban fired back with sharp humor. He remarked, "Stupid ass humor? Son ... Your handle is literally soupypoopy69 & FYI @erickripke1 wrote this s*** because it's what Clara would have wanted." The latter part of his reply references a line from Soldier Boy in episode 6, "Though the Heavens Fall," where the character explains why he is handing the V1 to Homelander, played by Antony Starr.

Laz Alonso, who portrays Mother's Milk, responded to Urban’s comment with three laughing and crying emojis, signaling amusement. Fans also noted that Urban’s reaction sounded very much like his character Billy Butcher, mimicking Butcher’s frequent interjection “Oi” and repeating variations of the line about Clara. Despite the humor, many fans continued to share their criticisms of the season.

A significant portion of the fan backlash centers on Soldier Boy’s expanded role and his references to Clara, feeling that the season prioritizes setting up a spinoff over providing a satisfying conclusion to the original series. The spinoff, titled Vought Rising, is set in the 1950s and will feature Jensen Ackles reprising his role as Soldier Boy decades earlier, along with Aya Cash returning as Clara Vought, originally introduced as Stormfront in season 2 of The Boys.

Despite the mixed reception, this pattern of fan disappointment with final seasons is not unique to The Boys. Other major series like Game of Thrones, Squid Game, and Stranger Things also faced harsh criticism upon their conclusions following years of widespread acclaim. For example, a petition to remake Game of Thrones season 8 amassed over 1.8 million signatures, and the viral "Conformity Gate" theory fueled speculation about a secret final episode of Stranger Things.

The final episode of The Boys season 5, episode 8, titled "Blood and Bone," will serve as the series finale and may influence ongoing discussions about the season. However, given the current fan sentiment and the fate of other high-profile series finales, turning the tide of reception is expected to be challenging.

Looking beyond the conclusion of the main storyline, the franchise continues to expand. Filming for the first season of Vought Rising has wrapped, with a planned release in 2027. Additionally, a spinoff set in Mexico is in development, ensuring the Prime Video franchise will evolve even after the end of The Boys original series.

The Boys series finale will be available on Prime Video starting Wednesday, May 20 at 3 a.m. ET / 12 a.m. PT.