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Why The Boys Season 3 Finale Is So Divisive (Despite A Terrific Season)
The Boys season 3 delivered some of the show's greatest moments, scenes, and episodes, but the season finale has split viewer opinions.

Why The Boys Season 3 Finale Is So Divisive (Despite A Terrific Season)

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for The Boys season 3

The Boys season 3 was filled with exciting Supe action and shocking moments, but the final episode left viewers split. The Boys season 3 surpassed expectations, with the show’s alternative take on the superhero genre delivering compelling characters and memorable scenes. The Amazon original TV show continues to be popular among fans who are invested in Billy Butcher and the rest of The Boys’ mission to take down superheroes, including Vought’s world-famous group, The Seven.

The Boys season 3 continued to focus on Butcher’s desire to kill Homelander, leader of The Seven, but his means of doing so surprisingly saw him gain super powers by taking Temp V, a drug that gives users Supe abilities for 24 hours. The show also introduced interesting new characters, most notably Soldier Boy, a bravado-fueled parody of Captain America who was assumed dead decades ago. But while The Boys season 3 as a whole was great, the final episode, “The Instant White-Hot Wild”, was not so well received by everyone watching.

The Boys season 3 finale was filled with moments that will have long-lasting consequences for the show. The Boys is known for its violence and killing off characters, particularly those in The Seven, so it was inevitable that both would happen in the season 3 finale. While it was entertaining to watch, the final episode was also disappointing because of some of its writing decisions. The Boys missed out on storyline opportunities both within the finale itself and also future developments that now cannot happen.

Explaining The Boys Season 3 Finale Decisions

The death of Black Noir was one of the most divisive moments of The Boys season 3 finale. Early in the episode, Black Noir was disemboweled by Homelander after admitting that he always knew that Soldier Boy was Homelander’s biological father. Black Noir’s death underscores Homelander’s mental fragility because before that Black Noir was Homelander’s most trusted ally. But while Black Noir’s demise had shock value, it was a shame to see the Silent Knight’s story end when The Boys season 3 had done so much to develop his character. An encounter between Black Noir and Soldier Boy, the former Payback leader who he betrayed, looked set to be a certainty, but Black Noir’s death came before the two could meet again.

The confrontation between Homelander and Soldier Boy in The Boys season 3 finale also split viewers’ opinions. Arguably the highlight of season 3 was the Herogasm fight between Homelander and Soldier Boy, Butcher, and Hughie, so there was much anticipation for the next encounter. But instead of another Homelander vs Soldier Boy fight, it’s Maeve who squares off with Homelander while The Boys take on Soldier Boy, after the latter strikes Ryan. The two fights have big moments, including Starlight unlocking new powers, but it was disappointing not to see more action between Homelander and Soldier Boy, which is likely being saved for The Boys season 4.

Although the season 3 finale didn’t meet all expectations, The Boys did an excellent job of setting up future storylines. Starlight is now an official member of The Boys, Butcher has limited time left thanks to the effects of Temp V, Victoria Neuman is the group’s next target, and, most intriguingly, Homelander is set to become completely unhinged. The Boys season 3 has been terrific and there is plenty to be excited about, despite the finale disappointing some viewers.