‘The Boys’ Season 5 has finally introduced Jared Padalecki into the fray, as Mister Marathon, and just as swiftly, has removed him from the list.
It is an introduction that is both entertaining and infuriating: a character who has the potential to be so much, but is instead a short, violent footnote.
‘The Boys’ Season 5 Gives Mr. Marathon Potential, But No Time To Use It
Mister Marathon is not just any other random supe thrown into the mix. His background is an intriguing twist to the Vought world. He was once the fastest man alive, but later he was overtaken by A-Train and was pushed aside without ceremony, without a rematch, and apparently without closure.
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Such a fall is something that remains with an individual. When we first encounter him, Marathon is living in the shadow of his former self. His mansion, with its collection of Vought memorabilia and relics, is not a home but a shrine to a past that he is unable to forget. And when Homelander comes into the fray, that bitterness spills.
The fact that he intends to trap and neutralize Homelander shows that it is more than revenge. It’s desperation. One final effort to be significant. He does not merely desire Homelander to go; he desires his place in the world returned.
Mr. Marathon’s Story Ends Too Soon
Mister Marathon is dangerous on paper. Similar to A-Train, he is super-fast, he possesses lethal momentum, and can transform his body into a weapon. Flashes of that power are present in the episode; there are times when you can imagine what he could have been.
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However, that’s the problem; he isn’t. The show does not take him as a serious threat, but rather as a stepping stone in the journey of Homelander and Soldier Boy. His grandiose trap, which would have been a turning point, fails miserably within a short period. And his death? Quick, bloody, and abrupt.
It works well in demonstrating how inaccessible Homelander remains, however, at the expense of a character who might have contributed more to the narrative. There’s still enjoyment to be found in the moment, especially for fans who recognize the on-screen reunion.
But when the excitement dies away, there remains a residue of thought: why bring a person this interesting, only to get rid of him so fast? That’s been a pattern in ‘The Boys’, big personalities, short lifespans. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it feels like a missed opportunity. Mister Marathon comes in between.
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