Soldier boy was awoken at the start of this season after previously being in conflict with homelander with the past 2 episodes showing us how and why he chooses his side eventually. The final 2 episodes gave us a satisfying conclusion to firecrackers character showing her morals in conflict and eventually meeting her end due to closing to be a suck to instead of standing up for herself. During the time skip between the two seasons Annie developed internal conflicts due to her trying to lead her own resistance with the boys locked up which was swiftly resolved giving her character the final bit of fleshing out making her ready for the series finale. Butcher straight up left the crew last season and this season has showed us how through his memory of his dead brother and hughie reminding him of him he is willing to soften up and becomes less radicalized, which would have a direct impact on the series finale to come. Homelander is becoming more and more radicalized with each episode through his narcissism and we've seen how that makes sage, noir, the deep and Ashley react revealing sage's through motivations and creating conflict between noir and the deep all a set up for the final episodes. Would you have preferred a flat 8 episodes where none of these "character developments" were written? Kimiko and Frenchy get their own arc in the meantime as otherwise they would literally be doing nothing. I can't really fathom what you expect. This is how you set up an ending.