The final season of ‘The Boys‘ didn’t shy away from heartbreak, and no death hit quite as hard as Frenchie’s. The emotional farewell instantly became one of the show’s most talked-about moments.
But Frenchie’s final chapter was just as difficult behind the scenes. Showrunner Eric Kripke has now revealed that he was the hardest character for the writers to kill off and opened up about what ultimately convinced the team.
‘The Boys’ Creator Says A Major Death Was Always Planned For Frenchie
‘The Boys’ cast, along with showrunner Eric Kripke, recently sat down for an Exit Interview with The Hollywood Reporter. When asked about the show’s most difficult moment, Kripke admitted that Frenchie’s death was the hardest scene he had to write.
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“Frenchie was the hardest to kill off. That was just such a heartbreaker, you know?” Kripke said, “And the way Karen and Tomer play it, it just rips your heart out.”
Despite the emotional difficulty, Kripke believed that such a major sacrifice was necessary for the story’s conclusion. In a separate interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he explained why the final battle needed some tragic consequences.
“We knew we had to kill off one of The Boys,” Kripke said. “You can’t have a shot at victory unless it costs your heroes something that’s really hard.”
Kripke explained why the greatest fantasy story is around this principle. “I always think ‘The Lord of the Rings’ was so good at that, and ‘Game of Thrones’ was so good at that,” he said. “For narrative momentum, your heroes have to pay a steep price because that’s how it works in the real world.”
The showrunner had to pick Frenchie for that ultimate sacrifice. “So, I was going through each character and deciding what was going to be the most heart-wrenching,” he continued. “I think we knew early on it was going to be Frenchie. In so many ways, Frenchie and Kimiko are the heart of the show.”
Frenchie’s Death Leaves A Lasting Scar On The Final Season
While we will always mourn Frenchie’s loss, Tomer Capone revealed in the Exit Interview that he sees the character’s ending as a fitting conclusion to his journey. “I feel it was inevitable,” the actor said. “I couldn’t be more thankful that my beautiful Frenchie didn’t go like the rest of the characters in the show. If you know, you know, he didn’t get his head blown up.”
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Capone also reflected on filming the emotional farewell scene, revealing that it was a strangely peaceful experience despite the heartbreak. “For that specific moment and that specific scene, it felt like there was this beautiful but awkward quietness,” Capone said. “I literally gave Frenchie the key for the scene, and I said, ‘Go ahead, buddy.’”
For Capone, Frenchie’s death honored his growth and, most importantly, his relationship with Kimiko. He praised Kripke and the writers for giving the character such a meaningful final goodbye. Looking back on his time with the series, Capone seems to have no regret. Instead, he describes it as a dream come true.
“Five seasons, eight years of our lives,” he said. “Not once has someone not come in and punched their card with so much passion and love and put their A game on. It’s like the best sandbox an actor can ask for. It was a dream job, 360 all around.”
Kripke also admitted that Frenchie’s connection to Kimiko made his death especially painful, but that same emotional attachment convinced the writers it was the right choice. The team believed that no other death would have the same impact or push the story toward its conclusion as powerfully.
He said, “We knew this would have real maximum destruction, and I think it had to happen. They would not have a chance of winning if Frenchie didn’t sacrifice himself.” Frenchie’s death now leaves a massive emotional hole as the series heads into its final chapter.
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