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'The Boys': Jensen Ackles on Soldier Boy's relevance in 2026
09 Apr 2026

Jensen Ackles's portrayal of Soldier Boy in The Boys has become a defining aspect of the series.

As the show enters its final season, Ackles spoke to Hindustan Times about his character's relevance in today's world.

He described Soldier Boy, saying, "I do think there are so many different types of masculinity in the world at the moment that are either antiquated, outdated, or just toxic."

"And it does get handed from generation to generation."

'There aren't many people walking around actively doing bad things'
Character analysis

Ackles described Soldier Boy as a "layered character" with many real-world parallels.

He said, "Crazy people don't go: 'What's the crazy thing to do?' There aren't many people walking around actively doing bad things."

"Everyone's trying to survive, and everyone has a set of tools that they've gone out over the years that they employ to survive."

'He is obviously a troubled character...'
Character approach

Having played the righteous Dean Winchester on Supernatural for nearly two decades, Ackles's transition to Soldier Boy was significant.

He said, "He is obviously a troubled character. It's (all about) finding a center to that character, and trying to come at it from within, as opposed to from the exterior."

"You then see how he presents himself to the world, how he reacts with other characters."

About 'The Boys' and its final season
Show progression

The Boys, based on the popular graphic novel by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, is developed by Eric Kripke.

The final season premiered on Wednesday and will conclude with its series finale on May 20.

The show features a star-studded cast including Jack Quaid, Karl Urban, Erin Moriarty, Laz Alonso, Jessie T Usher, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capone, Karen Fukuhara, Anthony Starr, Nathan Mitchell, and Colby Minifie.