One huge character death in the final season of The Boys fulfilled a redemption arc that seemed impossible at times. As the Prime Video superhero show heads towards its conclusion, we can expect a lot of character deaths in The Boys season 5. We got an early sign of this with the first major death of the season, arriving in episode 1 with the demise of A-Train.
It was sad to see such a key character who has been in the series since the beginning suddenly gone. However, A-Train’s death proved to be a fitting moment for the character and a wonderful resolution to the arc he had been on. The show managed to use his death to mark a satisfying redemption without going too far.
A-Train’s death mirrored his original crime
The Boys season 5, episode 1, ends with A-Train fleeing Homelander, one of the few characters who can actually match his speed. However, A-Train’s death is secured with a final act of heroism. When a young woman steps out into the road in front of him, A-Train dives out of the way, saving her but ensuring that Homelander will catch him.
As many fans will have noticed, the moment is similar to the scene in the pilot episode of The Boys when A-Train runs through Hughie’s girlfriend, Robin, killing her and setting this story in motion. Avoiding repeating the same brutal outcome, even at the cost of his own life, A-Train completes his redemption arc.
In the beginning, A-Train was a vain and self-centered supe just like all the others. However, the more recent seasons of the show have seen him trying to go down a better path and embrace being the hero he could have been this whole time. Leaving Vought in season 4 showed a commitment to his new path, and standing up to Homelander to save The Boys cemented it. However, true redemption still seemed unlikely for A-Train, which makes the handling of his death even better.
A-Train’s final sacrifice goes unnoticed (as it should be)
It was all but ensured that A-Train would have to commit to a sacrificial death in order to complete his redemption. There was too much blood on his hands to allow him to end his story unpunished. Even sacrificing himself to be the hero would not have really worked either, as it would have positioned him as a hero to be mourned when the true nature of his character was much more complicated.
A-Train’s death in episode 1 of the final season makes a very smart decision to avoid these complications by not letting anyone see his sacrifice. He’s moving so fast that the girl doesn’t even see him, and there is no one else around except Homelander. He dies with no one knowing that he chose to save an innocent life over his own.
A-Train doesn’t deserve to be praised for sparing the girl’s life, and now there is no one to praise him for it. It doesn’t forgive what he did to Robin, nor does he do it as a way to atone. He does it because it is the right thing to do, and that’s how he wants to act now. His most heroic act will not be remembered, and that feels more redemptive than any other death could have.
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