Ryan Could Be a Force Against Homelander in 'The Boys' Season 5 — But Where Is He Now?

When it comes to innocent casualties in The Boys, there aren't many characters who are actually completely innocent. However, Ryan comes close. At least, at first. He is Homelander's son, and after Homelander tries to manipulate him, while Butcher tries to keep goodness in him, Ryan is pulled in different directions.

So much so that, at the top of Season 5 of the Prime Video show, it's unclear where Ryan is. That has led some fans to speculate on what happened to Ryan in Season 4 of The Boys and what happens to him at the end of the series. Technically, he could be a solid foe against Homelander since they share many of the same powers. But his whereabouts have people concerned.

At the end of The Boys Season 4, Ryan accidentally kills Mallory when she refuses to let him go. His response to losing her, a family figure, isn't totally clear. Whether or not he feels remorse is a big deal because if he doesn't, then he could be just as evil as his father, Homelander. But after that scene, and after he walks out of the lab where he was being held, that's the last we see of him.

Sage asks Homelander where Ryan is when they meet up in Vought Tower in Season 5, but Homelander doesn't have an answer. And Ryan isn't shown in the Season 5 trailers, which makes it seem like the writers either have great plans for Ryan or they ran out of ideas for the character who once seemed a lot more important.

Ryan and Sage briefly talk about Ryan in the Season 5 premiere. They agree that the "story" about Ryan away at boarding school is being believed by the public. Other than that, there is no sight of him. And, according to some fans, Ryan might be out of the show completely as a casualty of just too much else to finish up in the final season.

"He is, so far, literally a MacGuffin," someone wrote on a Reddit thread about Ryan. "There's absolutely nothing interesting about this character besides being Homelander's son and the first natural supe."

"Meet Potential Boy!" Someone else joked. "He could become stronger than Homelander when he grows up, and he might turn against him for good!"

There is potential for Ryan to pop up on Gen V, however. It's the first spinoff of The Boys and, in some ways, the shows have crossed over into each other. Gen V focuses on a supe college, and if Ryan is aged up, he could be sent to the school as a way to continue his character. That, or the writers decided to let his character go completely.