For many fans out there, the fifth episode of The Boys represents a special moment in pop culture, as "One-Shots" will showcase the long-awaited Supernatural reunion between Soldier Boy portrayer Jensen Ackles and former co-stars Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins. Eric Kripke, who created both of the hugely popular series, doesn’t necessarily see the two projects as being all that different, at least thematically, even if they don’t share a similar level of on-screen lube and other fluids.
Kripke spoke with Comic Book Resources ahead of the key episode hitting the 2026 TV schedule, and he weighed in on the ways he thinks both The Boys and Supernatural stem from the same core idea, and it’s a link that seems perfectly clear in hindsight. As he put it:
The theme of a family sticking together through overwhelming odds against an entire world that is against you seems to be something I keep returning to over and over again. I think in that way, that The Boys is not so much like a sequel to Supernatural, but I'm just really interested in the [central] notion, which is whether it's your family that you choose or the family you're born into, however you define your family, that's the most important thing.
To be sure, it's a central theme that could easily apply to plenty of other TV shows and their characters, from Scooby-Doo (which got a Supernatural crossover) to the Buffy-verse to It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. (Maybe?!?) But it does absolutely hold true for both shows, even as it takes different approaches.
Article continues belowSupernatural is certainly more tied into the biological family is key idea, with the Winchester lineage also getting explored in the short-lived prequel series. That series also played into more religious bloodlines as well, such as Jack Kline's Nephilim origins, but the show never lost sight of the idea that Sam and Dean were the anchors, and those who joined them were family as much as those who stood against were not.
On the flip side, while The Boys has featured some complicated biological relations — the nightmare of Soldier Boy fathering Homelander — it's so much more about the idea of its titular found family. Hughie didn't grow up with Butcher, Starlight, or the others, but he doesn't know life without them at this point in the show's run. And they're slowly but surely all working towards one shared goal, although the various different sub-goals may destroy things.
Eric Kripke shared this thoughtful addendum to that idea, reinforcing the notion that nobody should feel like they have to face difficulties and tragedies alone. In his words:
As awful things from society or things that seem scary, difficult, or traumatic come at you, the tighter you get together and take care of the people next to you, the better off you'll all be.
Thankfully, despite an uncanny number of comparative situations between The Boys and our real world, it doesn't seem like we're ever going to have to deal with V-infused superbeings influencing the government, global commerce and the entertainment industry. So we don't all need to form Boys-esque groups just to cope. But if that time ever does come, I like to think I'd be the Frenchie of the group. Draw whatever conclusions you will from that.
Eric Kripke also shared a genuine response when asked by CBR how Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki's Supernatural brothers would fare if they lived The Boys' supe-filled world.
I would like to think that [Sam and Dean Winchester] would probably find their way to, you know, if not The Boys, then someone who is The Boys-adjacent. They're used to super-powerful creatures that are sons of b-tches, and I think they would [still be hunters]. I think they would fight the good fight, yeah, absolutely.
We'll soon see just how long Padalecki and Misha Collins' characters will survive when they arrive in the newest episode. We got our first look at the trio together again in a Season 5 trailer, which sparked some naughtier than usual fan requests. Join me in finding out of those requests pan out when the episode hits streaming via Amazon Prime subscription on Wednesday, April 28.
