The Boys showrunner explains why the series finale didn't go "scorched earth": "I really wasn't interested in a post-apocalyptic world"

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The Boys season 5 has brought the long-running Prime Video show to a final end – and the response has remained pretty mixed on how it all went down. The finale saw Homelander and Billy Butcher fight it out in the White House as Antony Starr's Supe was finally killed.

However, while the moment was a hit with some people, other fans had been expecting more, especially given the tease of "scorched earth" between the two heavyweights. Showrunner Eric Kripke has reacted to this in a new interview, explaining why he didn't go "post-apocalyptic" with the series in its final episodes.

"For whatever reason, there are definitely people that the show is not working for this season, whether it be pacing, whether it be lack of giant fight scenes," he told Rolling Stone, admitting that he reads all of the fan comments "obsessively."

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He added: "All I can say is I set out to tell a particular angle on this story. I did what we do every season, which is try to focus on the Boys and try to make it a world that's recognizable to the one we live in. I really wasn't interested in a post-apocalyptic world. That just wasn't ever gonna be in the cards."

Kripke, who created the show and its wider Vought Cinematic Universe added that he's at peace with his approach to the final episodes too. "I don't regret it. I'm happy with how it turned out. And luckily the majority of the audience agrees, and that was a very comforting piece of information."

Our own The Boys season 5 finale review gave it 3.5 stars, writing: "The Boys has ended not with a whimper, but not with a particularly big bang either. While the series finale resolves the story of Hughie, Butcher and Homelander in satisfying enough fashion, the small-scale action can't help but feel like a letdown after five seasons of build-up."

For more on the final episode, check out our The Boys season 5 episode 8 recap, our The Boys season 5 ending explained, and our breakdown of what's coming next in Vought Rising.

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Fay WatsonDeputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.

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