The Boys Cast Knows Which Character Has Changed The Most Before The Show's End

4 days ago 14

Both Erin Moriarty and Jack Quaid agreed that this one character from The Boys has changed more than any other.

Published Apr 6, 2026, 12:30 PM EDT

The Boys is back on April 8 for its swan song final fifth season, almost two years after Season 4 ended. With it comes the return of all your favorite Supe (and other) characters. Though creator Eric Kripke has been quick to warn that we shouldn't get too attached to them, since the season will be an all-out "bloodbath" where no one is safe.

Sean O'Connell interviewed members of the cast for CBR ahead of the final season of one of the best Prime Video original shows. In examining all the characters' trajectories, he inquired about which one they feel has changed the most. Both Erin Moriarty, who plays Annie January/Starlight, and Jack Quaid, who portrays Hughie Campbell, were in sync with their answer: A-Train.

"I would choose A-Train," says Moriarty. "I would choose A-Train and his redemption arc. When you look at it, the fact that he switched sides that drastically, I don't think there's another character that compares to that."

Quaid added that "I have really enjoyed A-Train's arc over the years... love that he started out as this character who…he ran through Robin. He didn't really feel sorry about it. He was making fun of her. He’s the thing that thrusts Hughie into this world. And by Season 4, Hughie forgives him, because he can see that he's making an effort. I'm here for a good redemption arc. I'm here for a good face turn, and I think Jesse's done a wonderful job bringing that to life."

A-Train Goes From Heel to Hero

A-Train stands in front a lake in The Boys Season 4

Unlike every other Supe who starts as a villain more than a superhero (a few outliers, like Starlight, excepted), A-Train/Reggie Franklin, played by Jessie T. Usher, has the power of being the fastest speedster in the world. But he's also a complex character who suffered from an addiction to Compound V when he felt that his title was threatened. He needed it, he felt, to maintain his status. This led him down a dark path that begins in the jarring opening scene of the series, oddly not one of the most shocking scenes in the series, when he runs right through Hughie's girlfriend Robin (Jess Salgueiro), obliterating her instantly.

While the other Supes are pretty black and white in their allegiances, Homelander (Antony Starr) is at the top of the villainous food chain, and Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott) is one of the few with a conscience; A-Train is more layered. He lets his power and status consume him until a point when it doesn't. When he begins to see the real-life implications of his actions, and those of The Seven, the cracks begin to show. Once his own family is impacted, and he becomes more aware of the disingenuous nature of his dedication to the Black community, he turns a corner.

By the latter seasons, A-Train has started to make moves that prove he's an ally, covertly helping the other side, marking a significant character arc. By the end of Season 4, as well as in the Season 2 finale of spin-off series Gen V, he has officially become a defector who risks his life to stand up for what he believes is right.

Moriarty and Quaid hit the nail on the head with this one. While one might argue that Billy Butcher's (Karl Urban) arc has been just as significant, his is more of a descent, and his core beliefs have never changed. It's clear A-Train has had the most significant arc on the show to date, and we can't wait to see how his story ends.

The Boys Season 5 is out on April 8, with its first two episodes followed by a new episode weekly through May 20.