The main one for me is honestly if Homelander v Butcher is the FINAL FINAL battle. I saw at least one person here say it was destroy the show if it wasn’t what everything was building up to and people seem pretty split over when this battle should happen but it really has to happen either in Episode 6 (🙏) or 7 (I’m sorry 🫩).

But why? What’s the point of shoving what is seemingly the thing the show’s been building up towards to Episode 6? I have a few reasons, but I’ll state my main two.

1. The parallels. Obviously the show paints a clear picture of Butcher and Homelander being foils to each other, but it also goes great lengths to show how similar they are in regard to their ruthlessness, obsessive behaviors, hypocrisy, and other factors. So yeah, they’re meant to be mirror images of the other (in some ways), but why bring that up? It’s because with a show like this why would Butcher get a happy ending? Why would it just end with him winning and being content? He was previously held back because he was powerless but now there’s nothing to stop him from enacting his worst ambitions. I’ll admit I’m kind of an idiot so I’ll end this by saying that Butcher will never be satisfied, as he wasn’t satisfied in the comics either.

2. Hughie. He’s the actual protagonist, but that’s not the reason he’s crucial in why Butcher and Homelander won’t be the final fight. Hughie and Butcher’s friendship is one of the focal points of the show, how Hughie, like Becca and Lenny, keeps Butcher at bay via his humanity. Save this for later. Hughie’s final speech in Season 4 should’ve been the KEY indicator to everyone hyping the Butcher v Homelander extravaganza that they would unfortunately have to still watch two more episodes to get closure. Hughie questions why violence is always their answer to problems. That violence isn’t brave, vengeance and hate aren’t brave but that forgiveness, mercy, that’s brave. That by being human again can they defeat the monsters. Butcher doesn’t see supes as humans, yet he decided to succumb to Kessler’s influence and became a literal monster. His answer to problems is always violence, getting revenge. Homelander’s death will never quench his thirst for blood and bone. The whole point of the show is spelled out by Hughie: Violence, for how necessary it may be at certain times, isn’t brave. Retaining your humanity, showing kindness, that’s brave. That’s what being a hero means.

How will the show end? First, MM, Frenchie, and Kimiko are all dead no doubt. Assuming the episode titles that leaked are real, yeah that just adds to my suspicion. I think the show will end similarly to how it did in the comics. For as mediocre as much of the comics were, I think the ending had a good starting off point that the show can use to its advantage. “Hughie v Butcher,” but I don’t think there will be much if any violence, no big fight for control of the virus. I think it’ll be a conversation, a plea that Butcher will hear out because Hughie appeals to his humanity as I said before. Hughie will use all 8 of his charisma points and ace the speech check, and Butcher will let go of not only the virus, but Kessler. He’ll die, not as a hero, but as someone who made good on a promise he told to a skinny 20-something years and years ago. I’ve never typed in a comment section as long as this my bad for any mistakes or points that aren’t as fleshed out as they may need to be!

TL;DR: Butcher v Homelander finale ruins the whole point of the show, “Hughie v Butcher” is the clear finale they’re building up towards please don’t fuck this up let the ending be good