Did Homelander Go Too Far? What Happens to Ryan on ‘The Boys’?

Pitting a father and son against each other isn’t exactly an uncommon plot point in television and film, but letting their differences push them so far apart that they’d be willing to end each other’s lives is a little left field. While viewers are already aware of the issues dividing Homelander and his son, Ryan, Season 5, Episode 3 of The Boys shows just how far each is willing to go to bring the other down.

In what will likely be considered one of the most notable scenes of the series, Homelander is seen punching Ryan as he lies on the ground, nearly to death. But would Homelander actually go as far as to kill his own son? Here’s a recap of the scene and what happens to Ryan.

In short, no, Homelander doesn’t kill his son Ryan, at least not yet. But he definitely leaves him knocking on death’s door after that brutal beatdown in Season 5, Episode 3. But Episode 4 could bring a new character arc for Ryan, though, because this fight feels like a major shift in his relationship with his father.

Here’s why it all goes down.

Butcher has long been vying to bring Homelander down, and Ryan’s been caught in the middle, going back and forth between sides and at times seeming willing to help. But it would come at a price, and that price is Ryan’s life. So is he willing to pay it to end Homelander? It seems like he might be based on what happens between him and Homelander before and during the fight.

Ryan is actually the one who prompts the meeting, which leads to the big fight, but what comes next is likely not what he expected. Homelander assumes Ryan called him there to ask for forgiveness and even tells him, “I put too much pressure on you to fill my boots, and I realize now that was impossible. I’m going to live forever now, I’ll realize my own legacy, and you, you’re off the hook.”

In case you missed it, Homelander is seeking immortality. He’s sending his men to find Stan Edgar in hopes of getting Compound V. While his father, Soldier Boy, was created with it, he wasn’t, and this just shows how far he’s willing to go to get the V1 strain and become immune to the virus.

Now, back to the fight.

After Homelander reveals to Ryan his plan to live forever, Ryan shifts the conversation to something more personal — his mom. He asks Homelander if he was brought into the world because Homelander raped her, which Homelander tries to deny and deflect. That’s when Ryan attacks. For a moment, it looks like he might have the upper hand, but Homelander quickly takes control, slamming him to the ground and repeatedly punching him in the face.

Just as it seems like he’s about to land the final blow, Homelander stops and calls him, “My sweet, sweet boy,” leaving Ryan looking like he’s on the brink of death. Homelander then walks away, and Butcher arrives shortly after to find Ryan barely breathing.

But that’s the catch, while Ryan’s life seems to be hanging on by a thread, he’s still breathing, barely, which means he’s still alive.