Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for Season 5, Episode 7 of “The Boys”, available now on Prime Video.
In a deadly final season, “The Boys” killed off another main character in the penultimate episode.
Frenchie (Tomer Capone) fights Homelander (Antony Starr) in a final battle to protect his beloved Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara), but he is no match for the all-powerful Super. In their final moments, Frenchy and Kimiko shared a kiss before dying from their wounds surrounded by their friends.
The episode begins with Homelander reaching maximum power. He murdered the president in the Oval Office, dissolved Congress, and dissolved all boundaries between church and state. He even abolishes the Seven, prompting Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles) to leave the country, but Homelander strangles him and returns him to cryonics. Meanwhile, the Boys investigate a pro-Homelander propaganda film being produced at Vought Studios, thanks to information from “Gen V” heroes Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair) and Jordan Lee (London Thor). Huey (Jack Quaid) and Butcher (Karl Urban) are captured by a shapeshifter who transforms into Butcher’s old colleague Joe Kessler (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), but they are able to kill the super and escape.
Back at the Boys’ headquarters, Frenchy, Kimiko, and Sister Sage (Susan Heyward) are experimenting with radiation as a way to weaken Homelander. Frenchie is disappointed, but Kimiko instructs him to continue with the radiation tests, and the two dream of defeating Vought once and for all and starting a family together. But that day will never come. Homelander attacks the hideout and Frenchie tells Kimiko and Sister Sage to hide. He confronts the evil super and sets a radiation trap, but to no avail. After Homelander flies away, Kimiko finds Frenchie bleeding on the floor. The lovers share a final farewell, and the episode ends with Kimiko heartbroken when Huey and Butcher return.
In an interview with Variety, Capone talked about Frenchie’s death scene, dancing with the star between takes, and why he still can’t bring himself to watch the final episode.
Tomer Capone (French), Karen Fukuhara (Kimiko)
Jasper Savage/Prime
This is a sad episode that should be discussed with you. Your last scene brought tears to my eyes.
Can I be honest? I haven’t seen that episode. Too close, dude. You’re too attached. This is the longest character in my career. Frenchy has been there for five seasons, but it feels too close to watch at this point. I’m glad to hear that you were impressed.
Do you think you’ll watch the episode once it’s streamed?
I don’t know. I’ve never experienced anything that makes me really nervous to watch and how I feel about it. We still see and talk to each other. I feel like it’s still going on. I don’t think it ever crossed my mind that this was the last season and it was over. Maybe I’ll expand on it a bit and ask what other people think about this episode. There are times when actors have the most ridiculous moments after they finish a project, like when they’re taking a shower or doing the dishes, and they think about a particular scene they did a year ago. “Okay. Wait a minute, can I go back? How can I do it again?” But obviously, you can’t go back to the last episode of Frenchie. So, that’s new to me. I have done my best and there is no going back. Karen and I obviously talk about Episode 7 a lot. We’re excited, but bittersweet.
Was this scene shot on the last day of filming?
Now I need to be careful what I say. I don’t think it was the last, but it was a great day. It was quite late at night, so all the staff and cast members made this block. Everyone knew the scene was coming. I remember it being different. There was silence and people were really emotional about it. I started to get a little nervous about having to perform. But it quickly became magical. It felt like I handed the keys to Frenchie and he drove and did everything and I was gliding behind him with the rest of the crew and cast. It was a very beautiful and emotional moment on set.
When did you find out Frenchie was going to die this season?
Every time a new season begins, we join Eric Kripke on Zoom to take a look at the character’s arcs. Usually we chat for 10 minutes about life and everything before we start work. But something was serious on that Zoom call, and I felt it. I know how Frenchy’s story ends in the original story and the original comics, but I didn’t quite understand it. Kripke says, “I can’t take it anymore. I have to say something. It’s happening.” He didn’t need to say anything more. I knew where it was going and we had a moment of silence. Then I had an epiphany: “This is great. This needs to happen.” I’m not going to lie, in my mind I’m like, “The Boys is a crazy TV show. He was doing stuff like Supernatural with people coming back. Who knows?” I walked back and forth around my apartment for probably two hours thinking about the last few seasons and my journey with Frenchie.
Just before Homelander kills Frenchie, you flip him over and say, “Gargle my hairy nuts,” and Homelander says, “I’ve never danced a day in my life.” Which of these three insults do you think hurt Homelander the most?
It has to be a dance. I loved the scene in season 3 when Frenchy and Kimiko danced. With a tragic past, Frenchie was always thinking about surviving the next day, and dancing was a big part of that. For Homelander to use something like that right before defeating him is very sincere and meets Homelander in the right place in terms of who he is and what he’s after.
The camera does not show Homelander attacking Frenchie, only a trail of blood leading to his body. Was there anything left out of their scenes?
Honest answer: We were dancing between takes. Listen, it’s dark out there. I had to keep it light. Anthony and I are very good friends. I’m not going to lie, it was a lot of fun behind the scenes. When they yelled, “act,” we got into character and did what we were supposed to do. So we kept it light and danced, and I think they have footage of that. It’ll come out, I’m sure.
What kind of music did you dance to?
we sang. I gave him a French song. I think he did some Frank Sinatra stuff. We kept it light.
How many takes did you do for the final scene between Homelander and Kimiko?
There aren’t that many. The shortest shooting times are always the big scenes, the waiting scenes. We arrived very, very late. It was almost dawn. We were very much in line with what we needed to achieve. Blood Trail was probably the most difficult in terms of continuity. It took a few times because I had to crawl. But other than that, everyone worked really well together, and I think it was probably three takes for Homelander, but for Kimiko it was one and a half or two takes.
Frenchy’s last words to Kimiko really stuck with me. When he says, “You saved me,” what does that line mean to you?
That’s a huge part of the show. Will you choose love, connection, and compassion? Frenchy and Kimiko’s entire story is about finding that one person who will save you, save you, and accept you without judgement. It’s just pure love.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
