The Boys Season 5: Ryan’s Absence From First Episodes Is Due To His Big Twist In Season 4 Finale

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Season 5 of The Boys is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, but many viewers are wondering what happened to Ryan Butcher, as he hasn’t appeared in the first episodes. His absence seems connected to a surprising choice he made at the end of Season 4. The new season kicked off with a two-episode premiere featuring the Boys escaping from prison, planning to test their virus that can kill superpowered people on Teenage Kix, and battling Soldier Boy.

As a huge fan of The Boys, I’ve been following Ryan’s story since the very beginning, and wow, the season finales just keep delivering! We found out in Season 1 that he wasn’t just gone, but hidden away with his mom, Becca, at a secret Vought facility. Then, tragically, he accidentally killed Becca while trying to protect her from Stormfront in Season 2 – talk about a gut punch. But the biggest shocker for me came at the end of Season 3 when Ryan just… left with Homelander, essentially choosing his dad over Billy Butcher. It was a seriously intense moment, and I’m still reeling from it!

What Happened to Ryan In The Boys Season 4 (And Leading Into Season 5)

Throughout the fourth season, Ryan was used by Vought as a prop to showcase Homelander as an ideal superhero father, and he lived at Vought Tower. This arrangement ended when Homelander discovered a photo of Ryan with his mother, Becca, her boyfriend, and their dog. Enraged, Homelander subsequently wrecked their apartment.

When Ryan entered the room, he found his father furious, yelling at him to come closer and angrily asserting his authority. Shaken, Ryan left to find Butcher and Grace Mallory, the CIA’s Deputy Director, at a safe house, but their meeting would only lead to devastating consequences.

Butcher and Mallory were already working on a plan to train Ryan to fight Homelander, but they disagreed on how to tell him. Butcher wanted to gently introduce the idea of fighting his father with a game, while Mallory believed in being direct, revealing Homelander’s horrific actions, including the fact that he assaulted Ryan’s mother.

Ryan, still struggling with his complicated relationship with both Homelander and Butcher, wasn’t prepared for what he heard. In a fit of anger, he attacked Mallory, who was secretly trying to confine him to a CIA facility, and tragically killed the long-time veteran of The Boys before the show could finish its run.

Sadly, Ryan disappeared after escaping the CIA facility and wasn’t seen for the rest of Season 4. Meanwhile, Butcher committed a shocking, super-powered murder with political implications right at the end of the season, setting the stage for a very dark and intense final season of The Boys.

Where Is Ryan In Season 5 of The Boys, Explained

Right now, it’s unclear where Ryan (Cameron Crovetti) stands. He’s figured out that both his fathers – Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and Homelander (Antony Starr) – are simply using him in their conflict with each other. As Butcher and Homelander get ready for war, Ryan might end up acting on his own in Season 5, since he’s been manipulated by both sides.

Ryan will be back for Season 5, as seen in the trailers. However, Amazon isn’t revealing much about what his role will be, having only released a couple of quick glimpses of him so far.

The Season 5 trailers show Ryan looking more prepared for a fight than ever before, leading fans to believe he might finally confront Homelander. Ever since the show began, it’s hinted that Ryan is the only one capable of defeating his powerful and ruthless father, making him a strong candidate to be the one to stop him.

Following a closer look at the marketing materials for The Boys Season 5, many fans now believe Ryan is the person Homelander violently attacks on the ground in the trailers.

Some viewers have expressed disappointment with Ryan’s role this season, with DiscussingFilm noting that the character feels underused and has limited screen time. However, since critics only previewed the first seven episodes, there’s still a chance Ryan will have a significant impact in the final episodes and potentially defeat the Seven.

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2026-04-09 14:05