In Prime Video’s The Boys, season 5, episode 5, titled “One-Shots,” is the best episode of the season so far. Endlessly creative, devilishly funny, and oh so thrilling. This episode perfectly encapsulates why the visceral series is such a gleefully grotesque ride, elevated by standout performances, razor-sharp satire, and a dark, ominous humor.
In the opening scene, Homelander (Antony Starr) is being briefed on his new status as a messiah to the world. Supe Nation has created “The Democratic Church of America” and the Homelander Bible, which includes the Old and New Testaments, plus scripture from the man himself—written by artificial intelligence, of course.
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Please read our complete review and spoiler-filled recap of The Boys, season 5, episode 5, titled “One-Shots,” of the hit streaming series on Prime Video!
Prime Video’s The Boys Season 5 Episode 5: Who Calls Firecracker?
Jensen Ackles, Antony Starr, Nathan Mitchell, Chace Crawford, Valorie Curry, Colby Minifie, Susan Heyward, and Daveed Diggs in The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 (2026) | Image via Amazon MGM Studios
Valorie Curry and Colby Minifie in The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 (2026) | Image via Amazon MGM Studios
Karen Fukuhara and Erin Moriarty in The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 (2026) | Image via Amazon MGM Studios
Erin Moriarty and Laz Alonso in The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 (2026) | Image via Amazon MGM Studios
Chase Crawford, Antony Starr, and Nathan Mitchell in The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 (2026) | Image via Amazon MGM Studios
Jensen Ackles, Antony Starr, Nathan Mitchell, Chace Crawford, Valorie Curry, Colby Minifie, Susan Heyward, and Daveed Diggs in The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 (2026) | Image via Amazon MGM Studios
Tomer Capone in The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 (2026) | Image via Amazon MGM Studios
Jensen Ackles and Antony Starr in The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 (2026) | Image via Amazon MGM Studios
Jensen Ackles, Antony Starr, Nathan Mitchell, Chace Crawford, Valorie Curry, Colby Minifie, Susan Heyward, and Daveed Diggs in The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 (2026) | Image via Amazon MGM Studios
After Homelander tells Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) they will bring Supes overseas back home to stop uprisings against the Democratic Church of America (to protect us domestically instead of “Who-Gives-A-Fuck-A-Stan”), Firecracker (Valorie Curry) notices a number that causes her angst, and even Oh Father (Daveed Diggs) takes notice.
Missy then meets the caller at a restaurant, wearing a hat as a disguise. It is her former pastor who tells her that his church is being harassed for not converting to the new Democratic Church of America. (Now, they just had the meeting about this, so it fails to make sense how this happened so quickly.) He asks for her help, so she turns to Ben.
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Firecracker asks Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) for help because the pastor practically raised her. Ben says to himself, “What the fuck?” during the meeting. Now, in bed with Missy, he ignores the request, telling her there’s no way a “god” came out of his balls. Oh Father then confronts Missy about why she lied about the Bibles not being able to be printed by Easter.
She tells him it must be a misunderstanding. Moments later, Firecracker is asked to denounce her hometown church as a “hotbed” of Starlight propaganda. She then makes up a story that her reverend made sexual advances toward members and invited underage girls to his house for some child grooming on Fish Fry Fridays.
Prime Video’s The Boys Season 5 Episode 5: Who is Mister Marathon?
Jared Padalecki in The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 (2019) | Image via Amazon MGM Studios
Jared Padalecki plays Mister Marathon, a former Supe-turned-actor who was replaced by A-Train (Jessie T. Usher). Homelander and Ben visit him in Los Angeles, where he’s hosting a poker game. Misha Collins, another Supernatural cameo, plays the evil Supe Malchemica. Legend has it he was injected with Compound V in the womb.
Homelander and Ben are sent to them as a trap, thinking Marathon has information on Compound V. Marathon tells them that Bombsite does, and that Bombsite is Marathon’s best customer. At Marathon’s home are also Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Will Forte, Seth Rogen, and Kumail Nanjiani. Malchemica sprays Homelander with a gas from his mouth.
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Homelander is now unconscious and incapacitated. They’re about to kill him when Soldier Boy suddenly feels a paternal bond and decides to save his “son” from the Hollywood elite. They ask Ben to help kill him, but he instead chooses to save his asexual, freakish offspring. Ben hilariously kills Mintz-Plasse, Forte, Rogen, Kumail, Malchemica, and Marathon.
Of course, this all seems to have been set in motion by Sage. The series flashes back to after the meeting. Sage contacts Barrett—well, specifically, the back of her head, where the Compound V has created a second face that represents her “repressed consciousness.” She can read minds, so Sage wants to know if Ben is warming up to Homelander.
Prime Video’s The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 Ending Explained: (Question)?
Jensen Ackles in The Boys Season 5 Episode 5 (2019) | Image via Amazon MGM Studios
Sage tells Ashley the plan: Phase one is for Homelander to take control of the country. Phase two is the end of the world. That’s when the Supe-killing virus will be released, and all hell will break loose. Sage will watch the world end from a bunker in Colorado Springs. Just reading, in peace and quiet, with no one bothering her.
The Boys Season 5, Episode 5, “One-Shots,” ends with Soldier Boy telling Homelander he has been having sex with Firecracker, along with her concerns to Ben about his narcissistic son. He fires her, she tries to get his job back, telling him how she loves him. Big mistake, because the new Messiah then seeks his revenge.
Homelander then shoves her head onto the pointed end of a statue that is the symbol of Homelander, and Eagle with red wings, killing her instantly, after hearing, again, that Missy loves him.
You can stream The Boys season 5 on Prime Video starting April 8th! All eight episodes were reviewed.
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