Frenchie’s death in The Boys Season 5 has hit viewers like a truck, and Episode 7 did not leave much room for any doubt. We knew the penultimate episode of the series would be tough to watch, and indeed it was.
By the final few minutes, Frenchie is sadly bleeding out in the arms of Kimiko after facing Homelander all alone, and this is how Episode 7 plays Frenchie’s death like a permanent goodbye.
For a few fans who’re all still hoping there is a last-minute fakeout, the series makes it painfully clear that this is meant to be Frenchie’s final moment before The Boys Season 5 heads into its finale.
The second Frenchie and Kimiko start talking about a future together after everything comes to an end, things immediately end up going south. Instead of going out during a huge action scene, Frenchie dies protecting the people he loves most, which honestly feels very true to the character on the show.
Does Frenchie actually die in The Boys Season 5 Episode 7?
Yes, Frenchie’s death is real in The Boys Season 5 Episode 7. The episode ends with Kimiko holding him in her arms as he slowly dies from all of the injuries caused during Homelander’s visit to the team’s base.
Frenchie decides to stay behind after hiding Kimiko and Sage inside a zinc-lined space so Homelander cannot sense them. With nobody else around, he becomes the only person who’s standing between Homelander and the others.
Even then, Frenchie tries to bluff Homelander by claiming the team has successfully recreated Soldier Boy’s power. Then he throws a few insults at Homelander instead of begging for mercy.
This scene is Frenchie in his element because he has always hidden all of his fears behind jokes and a reckless amount of confidence.
The final punch comes later when Kimiko wakes up and finds him dying on the floor. The Boys Season 5 Episode 7 slows down there and lets the moment halt for a minute.
Hughie and Butcher arrive too late to stop anything, which makes Frenchie’s death feel even sadder. Season 5 has already given us major character deaths, but losing someone from the core group is as heavy as things can get.
Frenchie’s death turns Homelander’s war into something personal for The Boys
Frenchie’s death is a huge deal because the entirety of The Boys Season 5 Episode 7 seemed to revolve around desperation. Nobody in the group believes they can stop Homelander anymore, which is why Butcher pushes so hard for the Kimiko experiment.
The plan is to turn Kimiko into another Soldier Boy using the same methods the Russians once used on the immortal Supe all those years ago. Frenchie helps because he believes there is truly no safer option left anymore, and this is the only way Homelander can be stopped.
That experiment also does a great job at explaining why Frenchie dies in the first place. Kimiko starts to get extremely weak during testing, Sage completely panics, and when Homelander shows up out of the blue, while everyone is vulnerable, Frenchie sacrifices himself to buy some time.
Classic Frenchie.
Since The Boys Season 5 only has one episode left (the finale), Episode 7 wants us to know nobody is safe, and defeating Homelander has gotten to be 10x harder.
The show has spent a lot of time this season questioning if Butcher is becoming just as dangerous as the supes, while Homelander keeps gaining more and more control. And Frenchie dying right before the finale? The stakes are completely on fire.
On the other hand, Frenchie’s death also gives Kimiko a completely different position in the final episode. Her relationship with Frenchie has been one of the few soft spots left in this world, and taking that away right before the end feels intentional.
Stay tuned to SoapCentral for more updates on The Boys Season 5 and more.
Edited by Deanne Dsilva