One of the most interesting parts of The Boys Season 5 is the Supernatural reunion Eric Kripke has cooked up inside the show, and with Jared Padalecki’s arrival, things are getting even more intense.
After months of speculation, the actor broke the news at the FACTS Convention in Belgium, confirming the role fans had long suspected him for. He also revealed that he’s been sitting on the secret since filming wrapped in April 2025, and joked that he has constantly been afraid of Jeff Bezos’ wrath. As fans celebrate his inclusion in the show, Kripke is giving us the details on how this happened.
Kripke has been open about wanting Padalecki on the show for a long time. Back in July 2024, he told Variety he had been texting with Padalecki, but we still did not know if he would make an appearance. However, he did not want a small role for himself. Talking to Entertainment Weekly, the creator stated,
“Enough people online were talking about it that I’m sure he saw it and he was like, ‘Oh okay! It must be out.'”
The specific role came from an unexpected place, as Kripke says writer Judalina Neira pitched Padalecki as Mister Marathon in the The Boys Season 5 writers’ room. He then added how he wanted to have him for a proper, meaty role as he continued,
“I’ve wanted to get him on the show for years, but he was busy shooting Walker and so our schedules never lined up. I knew that Walker was ending and so he would have a window that he could shoot. It was more like I walked into this season saying, ‘I want more than a cameo for Jared. I want a meaty, fun role that really turns the story.'”
Who is Mister Marathon on The Boys Season 5?
Mister Marathon is the speedster who held a place in The Seven before A-Train took over, with A-Train being in the group four years longer than his predecessor. The character has been floating around The Boys mythology for a while, although he is referenced but never seen, until The Boys Season 5.
In the original comics, Mister Marathon’s story is short and brutal, ending in a plane crash involving Homelander. In the TV adaptation, the character survived, though the show has never explained why he left The Seven. Whether season 5 follows the comics’ darker trajectory for him or carves its own path is still unknown, but the setup already promises something worth watching.
The Boys Season 5 is streaming on Prime Video.
Edited by Nibir Konwar