The Boys’ upcoming spin-off is splitting into two directions. Creator Eric Kripke hinted that Vought Rising may not stay locked in the past. While Season 5 wrapped up with a definitive finale, the door for Soldier Boy remains wide open.
How The Boys Season 5 sets up Soldier Boy’s Vought Rising spin-off
Kripke downplayed the idea that The Boys Season 5 finale directly tees up the spin-off. “I don’t think the finale episode itself sets up Vought Rising,” he told Deadline. “I think what we saw of Soldier Boy and meeting Bombsight and some references to some of the other original Supes, is about the only setup we’re doing.” That subtle groundwork introduces the first generation of Compound V subjects, planting seeds without derailing the main story’s ending.
When pressed on whether Vought Rising will operate across two timelines, Kripke said, “No comment.” Before adding a cryptic tease, “We have a few surprises and tricks up our sleeve in V Rising.” That refusal to deny a dual-timeline structure speaks volumes, especially given Soldier Boy’s unique narrative position in the franchise.
The character’s current status makes a split narrative a possibility. In the current timeline, he remains contained in a cryo chamber, a weapon waiting to be reactivated, and Vought is back under Stan Edgar. Furthermore, the 1950s storyline will give viewers an unfiltered look at Soldier Boy before he became a “fish out of water.” As Ackles explained to Entertainment Tonight, “In The Boys, in modern times, he’s a fish out of water. He’s an analog guy who’s trapped in a digital world. So now we see him in his element. We see him kind of… what made him who he was.”
This creates a unique structural opportunity for Vought Rising. Jensen Ackles’ character is biologically frozen in the present timeline, meaning the spin-off can logically cut between his 1950s origin story and a modern-day awakening without breaking canon.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on SuperHeroHype.com.
