In a short span, Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy has become one of the most discussed characters in The Boys. As the show returns for its final season, the superpowered anti-hero re-enters the narrative with the same rigid mindset that defines him. Despite Ackles’ natural charm, the character continues to reflect a deeply flawed worldview rooted in another era.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, about Soldier Boy, Jensen describes him through a simple lens: “Hurt people hurt people!” He explains that the character’s troubled upbringing, especially his inability to meet his father’s expectations, plays a key role in shaping his actions and beliefs.
Finding the character from within
For an actor known for portraying the morally upright Dean Winchester in Supernatural, stepping into Soldier Boy’s shoes required a different approach. Jensen shares, “He is obviously a troubled character. It's (all about) finding a centre 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.”
The role demanded an internal exploration rather than surface-level performance, allowing the character’s contradictions to emerge more naturally.
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Masculinity and moral conflict
Jensen points out that Soldier Boy does not see himself as a villain. “His moral compass is probably non-existent at this point. And then it's his own compass, but again, he doesn't feel like he's a bad guy. He just feels like he's doing what he thinks is right,” he says.
Drawing parallels with real-world behaviour, he adds, “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.” In Soldier Boy’s case, those “tools” are his powers, which intensify his toxic traits.
He also notes similarities between Soldier Boy and Homelander, particularly in how both reflect different shades of masculinity that persist across generations.
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A Supernatural reunion, with a twist
The final season also brings together familiar faces from Supernatural, including Jared Padalecki and Misha Collins, alongside Jim Beaver and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Jensen reveals there was an attempt to add meta humour referencing their earlier roles. “There was one take where we tried that out, and it was a complete disaster. So we were like, no, let's not do that. Let's just keep with what we got hired to do,” he says with a laugh.
While The Boys heads toward its conclusion, Soldier Boy’s journey does not end here. The character is set to return in the upcoming prequel Vought Rising, placing him at the centre of a new storyline.
