Why Homelander Lets The Legend Live In The Boys Season 5

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Be warned: This article reveals major plot details from episode 6, “Though the Heavens Fall,” of The Boys season 5. If you haven’t watched it yet, you might want to avoid reading further!

After being absent since season 3, The Legend reappeared in the sixth episode of The Boys season 5. Surprisingly, despite a difficult encounter with Homelander, the villain spared his life. Though he’s had a small part in the series so far, The Legend’s past with Vought makes him a valuable source for confidential information.

That’s why MM and The Boys found him and used his knowledge to locate Bombsight, hoping to acquire V-One. The Legend agreed to help, though unwillingly, as he had little say in the matter. However, he wanted to be done after providing initial assistance and decided to leave them to it.

Homelander soon found the man and demanded to know where The Boys were hiding. The man quickly led him to the location, but the team was already gone. Realizing he was likely going to die, the former executive decided to be honest with Homelander instead of trying to save himself.

After Homelander killed Firecracker in the previous episode of The Boys season 5, despite her loyalty, The Legend was understandably prepared for the worst. Surprisingly, Homelander let him go after they talked. It’s unusual to see Homelander show any self-control or compassion, making this moment particularly shocking, especially considering how much more aggressive he’s become.

It’s surprising The Legend survived his encounter with Homelander—Homelander easily could have killed him in season 5 of The Boys. It seems Homelander spared him because of The Legend’s honesty and courage, qualities Homelander, strangely, appears to value, even with his disturbed personality.

The Legend’s Honesty Saves Him From Homelander’s Fury

Instead of trying to deceive Homelander or flatter him, The Legend decided to be truthful, and that’s what ended up saving his life. Knowing Homelander probably wouldn’t let him leave, The Legend surprisingly gave him advice, pointing out that all superheroes eventually fade from public attention.

Okay, so this character really slipped up during his speech – he accidentally gave Homelander a key piece of intel on where to find Golden Geisha, and you could feel his regret afterward. But honestly, what was fascinating was that he didn’t seem intimidated by Homelander at all. He was direct and fearless, and you could tell that actually earned Homelander’s respect, because everyone else is usually too scared to even look him in the eye. It was a really interesting dynamic – a moment of vulnerability from the bad guy, and unexpected courage from someone who should’ve been terrified.

Honestly, what really got to me was when Homelander seemed to actually sympathize with the older hero, even calling him good at what he did. It sounds crazy, but that’s what convinced him to let the guy go – he could tell the veteran meant what he said. And thinking about it, that moment actually feels totally in line with Homelander’s whole character arc in The Boys. It’s not just a random act of kindness; it fits.

Homelander has surprisingly let people like Butcher, Stan Edgar, and Hughie go when they stood up to him and didn’t back down. Because he’s by far the most powerful super in The Boys, he’s not accustomed to people being genuine – most people try to tell him what he wants to hear.

The best way to deal with Homelander is to be honest and fearless. While disagreeing with him or failing to earn his approval could have dire consequences, as proven by The Legend, it’s a risk worth taking – it’s the only thing that saved his life.

Homelander Sees The Legend As Another Father Figure

Although being truthful was key to The Legend surviving Homelander’s anger, Homelander also responded to him as a father figure. Because Homelander had a troubled childhood, he’s always craved love and respect, especially from people he views as parental figures.

Look, as a huge fan of ‘The Boys,’ I’ve always found Homelander’s relationship with Stan Edgar fascinating. Even though Edgar constantly belittled him and pointed out all his flaws, it was clear Homelander craved his approval – that’s why he never just killed him. It’s the same messed-up dynamic at play with Soldier Boy. Despite their history and how much they clashed, Homelander brought him back, seemingly hoping to finally impress Edgar, or at least get some kind of acknowledgement. It’s a really twisted need for a father figure, honestly.

He desperately needs a role model, and even with his increasingly erratic behavior, a part of him just craves approval. That’s why he reacts so strongly to The Legend calling him talented – he’s not accustomed to receiving genuine praise from someone he respects and admires.

Despite gaining V-One in season five of The Boys, Homelander will probably never truly be satisfied. However, small moments – like his connection with The Legend – are what he craves. That’s why he wouldn’t harm this father figure. It’s unclear if The Legend realized this, but his kind, paternal behavior definitely worked to his advantage.

It seems unlikely that Soldier Boy will reappear, as he’ll probably try to disappear and live a quiet life. But if Homelander needs advice or a father figure in the last two episodes of The Boys, he might try to find him for one final conversation.

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2026-05-07 18:29