Entertainment
The Boys Finale Fizzles, Revealing The Limits Of Superhero Satire
By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
After five seasons of ups and downs, The Boys came to an appropriately brutal and bloody series finale. It delivers on certain fan expectations, including the inevitable final showdown between Homelander and Butcher. However, the whole thing feels like the writers are just going through the motions and speeding to a conclusion that feels way too rushed. It’s a paradox, really. Given the not-so-shocking (at least, if you’ve read the comics) third-act twist, it seems like the final season would have benefited from another episode. At the same time, it’s fair to say that another episode, like the episodes before it, would have been mostly wasted setting up the next spinoff.
It’s the final irony for The Boys, which has always been at its best taking the piss out of Marvel and DC’s superhero movies. While showrunner Eric Kripke and his team achieved success by deconstructing these more famous heroes, they eventually ran into the same problem that is plaguing Marvel and ultimately ruined the DCEU. Namely, the need to rush in and create as much spinoff material as possible. In focusing so much on the future, they botched the here and now, giving us a final Boys episode that fails to leap fan expectations in a single bound. Instead, it simply crawls limply across the finish line.
A Bloody Bad Time
The plot of this series finale is largely rote and predictable. After a funeral for Frenchie, it’s revealed that Butcher’s plan B worked. Kimiko can now shoot a blast that removes someone’s superpowers, something she does to a grateful Sage. After that, the team races to the White House to fight Homelander, who is scheduled to address the nation on live television. The bad guys are waiting, though, forcing our heroes to run a gauntlet to reach their final target. The ultimate goal is for Butcher to have one last go at Homelander, and an audience of millions will watch their final confrontation.
Without spoiling the very end (at least, not yet), that’s the gist of the final episode, and some of it is fun. For example, I found the final fight between Starlight and the Deep very satisfying, thanks largely to its horror movie-like ending. Also, the fight between Butcher and Homelander is engaging, thanks largely to its absolutely bonkers ending. Unfortunately, these fights are held back by an unfortunate reality that has plagued the entire final season of The Boys: a serious lack of onscreen budget. The Season 5 premiere had a very exciting set in the form of Camp Liberty. After that, each episode (including, shockingly, the finale) has looked as cheap as a bottle episode.
Nobody’s Really Having A Blast
Whether it’s bad writing, bad budgeting, or a bit of both, Homelander also seemed weirdly restrained this season. Sure, we see him casually kill civilians, including the president and, in this episode, a stand-in for Elon Musk. But he has seemed weirdly inept in his ability to kill the Boys, and never really matches his powers to his godlike ambitions. This season included marketing where Homelander watched a nuclear apocalypse from space, but that never happens, and everything ends with a grimy fight in a cramped White House set. Nerfing their Big Bad like this is just embarrassing, and it makes the Boys’ victories against Homelander that much less impressive.
The result of all of this is an episode that’s just, well, okay. It’s not the worst episode of The Boys, and it’s hardly the worst series finale ever made. But it fails to deliver on many of its promises (seriously, not a single scene of Homelander going crazy and lasering people en masse?), and this last episode will leave you screaming at your TV. You’ll mostly scream at Homelander: “Why did you not laser off Kimiko’s head as soon as she walked in? Why are you having trouble fighting Butcher’s hentai tentacles? Why do you seem weaker with the V1 than without it?” Don’t worry, though. You’ll keep screaming long after the fight is over.
Oy! Here Come The Spoilers!
Now, spoilers from here on, mates, so you’ve been warned. After Kimiko successfully de-powers Homelander, Butcher, and Ryan, we see Butcher abuse and ultimately kill Homelander. It’s pretty pathetic to watch, with Homelander begging to do anything to save his life. It doesn’t work, though, and Butcher opens his brain up on live television. Happy ending, right? Wrong. After his dog dies and Ryan refuses to reconcile with him, Butcher returns to his original plan: unleashing a virus that will kill every supe. That includes Starlight, so Hughie predictably shows up to stop his mentor. Butcher fights back and dies after Hughie repeatedly shoots him.
On paper, this is meant to be a very moving scene of The Boys. Butcher is so driven by rage that he can’t even enjoy his victory over Homelander and must move on to the next atrocity. Hughie, meanwhile, is forced to confront the mentor he respects in order to save the woman he loves. Sadly, none of this really feels earned. We haven’t really gotten much of “far beyond redemption” Butcher this season, so his heel turn feels more like a 180 than a natural payoff. We also haven’t gotten much substantial Butcher/Hughie bonding in a long time, effectively robbing this scene of its possible emotional weight.
The Writers Never Saw The Light
In a nutshell, that’s the problem with The Boys’ last couple of seasons: there is no weight to pretty much anything. The show still has the over-the-top fights and gross-out moments the franchise is famous for, but every character has become a Flanderized parody of themselves. Meanwhile, while The Boys achieved success early on as a parody of superhero franchises like the MCU, it eventually succumbed to the need to chase money through endless spinoffs. One of those spinoffs already failed, and the setup for the next one arguably ruined this past season.
Gen V was canceled after two seasons, effectively nullifying the plots and characters that it tried to set up. Some of those characters popped up in The Boys and were given so little to do that it was downright insulting to fans of that plucky spinoff. Meanwhile, Soldier Boy was brought back and dominated most of this last season before being frozen again to set up the upcoming spinoff, Vought Rising. Endless spinoffs? Storylines that never pay off? Screwing over a current project just to set up the next one? Congrats, The Boys, you’re not making fun of Marvel anymore. Instead, you’ve become Marvel in all the worst possible ways.
Ironically, that will be the real lasting failure of this final episode. As an episode unto itself, the series finale is merely average. But as the payoff to five seasons of storytelling, it’s a massive disappointment. Meanwhile, nobody is as disappointed as Gen V fans who watched their favorite show turn into nothing more than a commercial for The Boys, which itself is now just a commercial for Vought Rising. Unfortunately, Eric Kripke doesn’t seem to realize that you can only poison the well so often before people stop drinking. If this is the best ending he can give to his only successful show, then why the hell would anyone watch anything he makes, ever again?
THE BOYS SERIES FINALE SCORE
All five seasons of The Boys are streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
Entertainment
New Microsoft Defender exploits discovered. How to protect yourself
Microsoft has identified some nasty exploits that could affect your Windows machine if you let them.
Bleeping Computer reported on the exploits, which are specific vulnerabilities in Windows Defender, the built-in anti-malware software in Windows. The company has detailed reports on its security website for both vulnerabilities. While it can be a bit difficult for a layperson to understand what’s going on from those reports, the main thing to know is that vulnerable Windows machines can be subjected to denial-of-service attacks using these exploits.
The good news is that Microsoft has already revealed these exploits, and a fix is in the pipeline. If you have automatic updates for Defender turned on, it should have installed the Malware Protection Engine versions 1.1.26040.8 and 4.18.26040.7 to address these exploits.
Mashable Light Speed
Bleeping Computer also included a helpful set of instructions for making sure these updates are turned on:
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Open Windows Security
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Select “Virus and threat protection”
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Click “Protection Updates” and then “Check for updates”
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Select “Settings” and then “About”
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Check the Anti-malware Client version number and make sure it matches the two numbers above
Hopefully, everything is properly set up, and your machine is good to go.
Topics
Cybersecurity
Microsoft
Entertainment
Spotifys new Reserved feature could make concert ticketing less miserable
These days, scoring concert tickets can feel like entering a digital Hunger Games. Fans log on the second tickets go on sale, only to watch seats disappear instantly — many of them seemingly snapped up by scalpers and resellers before actual fans ever get a chance.
Now, Spotify wants to change that by rewarding the people who stream the most.
Today, May 21, the streaming platform announced Reserved by Spotify, a new ticketing initiative aimed at helping dedicated fans access concert tickets before they go on sale to the general public. The program is launching for Premium subscribers in the U.S. who are 18 or older.
Credit: Spotify
The idea is simple: Instead of forcing fans to battle through chaotic on-sale queues or complete elaborate fan-verification games, Spotify will identify an artist’s most dedicated listeners through streaming activity and reserve tickets specifically for them. Eligible fans will receive a purchase window before the public on-sale begins, with up to two tickets held in their name.
Importantly, Spotify says the reserved tickets will not include additional Spotify service fees.
Mashable Trend Report
The company says the number of fans selected — and the number of tickets available — will vary depending on the artist, tour, and market. But Spotify says allocations are intended to be substantial and to scale with an artist’s fanbase.
Credit: Spotify
The move reflects the growing importance of superfans to the music industry, where artists and platforms alike are increasingly trying to reward the fans who engage most deeply. In recent years, fandom has become one of the most powerful forces shaping touring, chart performance, and even marketing strategies, particularly in pop and K-pop spaces where highly organized fan communities already treat streaming like participation.
Reserved by Spotify also expands the company’s broader ambitions in live music. Spotify says it has already driven more than $1.5 billion in ticket sales through its platform via partnerships with more than 40 ticketing companies, alongside features like Concerts Near You and Venue Search.
The bigger question, though, is whether programs like this can meaningfully combat the frustrations fans increasingly associate with modern ticket-buying in the U.S. As ticket prices continue to climb and resale markets remain difficult to control, many fans have grown cynical about whether fair access to concerts is even possible anymore.
Spotify is betting that listening history — not luck — might be the closest thing to a solution.
Entertainment
The Greatest Action Movie of All Time Is Leaving Streaming Platforms
By Douglas Helm
| Published
There are quite a few action movies that could be considered the “greatest action movie of all time,” and Die Hard is always in the conversation. The classic 1988 film is Bruce Willis and Alan Rickman at their best, and it’s a highly entertaining thrill ride throughout.
If you somehow have missed out on this one, or if you want a rewatch, now may be your last chance to stream it. The movie’s been available on budget streaming platforms like Philo for a while, but it’s leaving in less than two weeks. Once it’s gone, you’ll be forced to pay video-on-demand fees to rent it on Amazon if you want to watch.
Die Hard is directed by John McTiernan from a script by Jeb Stuart and Steven E de Souza based on the Roderick Thorp novel Nothing Lasts Forever. It features a cast that includes a young Bruce Willis alongside Alan Rickman, Alexander Godunov, and Bonnie Bedelia, as well as Reginald VelJohnson, William Atherton, Paul Gleason, and Hart Bochner. The film follows NYC police detective John McClane, who gets caught in an LA skyscraper being taken over by terrorists during a holiday party.
McClane is the quintessential everyman hero, and his scrappy battle to stop the terrorists and save the hostages makes for the perfect action film. Bruce Willis gives a great performance in every scene, and Rickman’s charismatic Hans Gruber is the perfect antagonist. Almost everything has been said about Die Hard, and it’s an easy recommendation for anyone who appreciates a well-directed, well-acted, and well-paced action flick.
Stallone And Schwarzenegger Turned Die Hard Down
Funnily enough, no one expected Die Hard to be such an iconic hit upon its release. First, both Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone turned down the role of McClane, leading Willis to be offered the role despite being mostly known for TV work. However, he was paid a hefty sum of $5 million, leading to controversy as the film was painted as a bad investment.
Critics Didn’t Get It At First
Leading up to the release of Die Hard, Bruce Willis was largely absent from marketing materials. When the film hit theaters, the reviews were pretty mixed, so it was far from the critically acclaimed film it’s known as today. However, the film overcame these obstacles at the box office, grossing an impressive $140 million and earning four Academy Award nominations.
Of course, we now know that Die Hard is a cinematic treasure and one of the undisputed action movies of all time (along with one of the best Christmas movies, depending on who you ask). It defied expectations and showed that action heroes don’t have to be invincible shining paragons of oiled muscle. It also spawned a ton of sequels that never captured the magic of the original.
In a far cry from the original thoughts critics and industry pros had of Die Hard upon its release, in 2017 the United States Library of Congress deemed the film worthy of being preserved in the National Film Registry. Its preservation and its place in action movie history is well earned, and a film that will forever be one of the peaks of Bruce Willis’ illustrious acting career.
Jessica Shepard logs triple-double as Wings sink Sky
New Microsoft Defender exploits discovered. How to protect yourself
