Warning: There are spoilers ahead for The Boys season 5, episode 4, “King of Hell.”Erin Moriarty shines a light on how Annie January’s reunion with her father sets up the rest of The Boys season 5.
Previous seasons of The Boys revealed that Annie/Starlight grew up believing that her father, Rick (Tim Daly), had abandoned her after losing theie family savings. Her mother, Donna January (Ann Cusack), eventually admitted that it had to do with how he felt about their daughter being injected with Compound V. In season 5, episode 4, Annie reunites with her dad for the first time in the series and learns the full truth, which is that Rick could not support Donna’s insistence on raising their child to believe she was a superhero chosen by God.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Moriarty was asked about the reunion and how, if at all, it affects Annie’s relationship with her mother. She explains that the reunion comes at the perfect time, as Rick gives her the strength she needs to rediscover herself and be a true hero again moving forward in The Boys season 5. The timing is also ideal because of how Annie has emotionally matured, and the reunion is about father and daughter instead of creating more problems in the relationship with her mother. Check out Moriarty’s comments below:
Annie’s dad gave her exactly what she needed in this episode to keep going without it fueling more toxicity with her mother. He really galvanizes her and catalyzes her to find herself and her heroism for the remainder of the season. There’s this kismet alignment with these characters at this moment in time. If she had previously gone to her father for this information, it would’ve fueled further resentment toward her mother, and that would’ve eaten away at her and negated her ability to move forward in her story. She would’ve confronted her mother about how she lied to her. But right now, she’s like, “You know what? Mom did the best she could. ” It’s a testament to Annie’s emotional maturation at this point.
While “King of Hell” largely focuses on the Boys racing against Homelander (Antony Starr) to find V1 at Fort Harmony, the heart of the episode is Annie’s scenes with her dad. Her time with him provides some much-needed clarity and closure about her own life, especially when she finds out the truth, sees how much Rick loves her, and how he risks his own safety to stand up and protect her. This reenergizes Annie at one of her lowest moments, reminding her of who she is and to not run away from her loved ones as her father did.
Vought International · Classified
Which Member of The Boys Are You?
“With great power comes the absolute certainty that you’ll turn into a right c***.”
⚡
Homelander
America’s Hero
🔨
Butcher
The Boys’ Leader
✨
Starlight
The Real Hero
🎵
Hughie
Just Some Guy
🌸
Kimiko
The Female
ENTER VOUGHT TOWER →
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01
It’s Friday night and you’ve got no obligations. What’s your move?
AStaying in, listening to music, avoiding anything that could go wrong
BGoing somewhere I’ll be recognized — I need to be seen
CDrinking at a dive bar, planning my next move against someone who wronged me
DMeeting with people who actually want to make a difference — there’s always work to do
EWatching a musical or dancing alone in my room — the quiet moments are mine
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02
A Supe goes rogue in the middle of the city. Civilians are in danger. What do you do?
ARun toward the danger — powers or not, someone has to help these people
BFinally. This is what I’ve been preparing for. Time to put the plan into action
CThis is MY city. I’ll handle it — and make sure the cameras are rolling
DMove fast, move silent. Get the civilians out first, deal with the Supe second
EI’m terrified, but I’m not leaving. Someone hand me something I can use
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03
Someone you trusted has been working with the enemy. How do you react?
ARage. Pure, white-hot rage. They’re going to pay for this
BIt guts me. I trusted them. But I need to understand why before I react
CBetrayal? No one betrays ME. They’ll regret the day they were born
DIt hurts, but I can’t let it break me — there are bigger things at stake
EI say nothing. But I remember. And when the time comes, they’ll know
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04
How would the people closest to you honestly describe you?
ASomeone who always tries to do the right thing, even when it’s hard
BThe most powerful person in the room — and they’d better not forget it
CQuiet, but absolutely not someone you want to cross
DA bastard, probably. But a bastard who gets results
ENervous, a little awkward, but surprisingly brave when it counts
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05
You discover that a powerful institution has been covering up something horrific. What do you do?
AExpose it. Go public. The truth is the most powerful weapon there is
BBurn it to the ground. Scorched earth. No half-measures
CGather evidence carefully — we need to do this the right way or they’ll bury it
DDepends. Is it MY institution? If so, the cover-up continues. If not, I’ll weaponize it
EFind the people responsible. Personally. No press conference needed
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06
Vought offers you a deal: power, money, and protection — but you have to look the other way on something terrible. What do you do?
ATake the deal. Power IS the point. Morality is for people who can’t afford ambition
BRefuse. Loudly. And then figure out how to bring them down from outside
CRefuse, but quietly — then start gathering evidence from the inside
DTake the deal, use their resources, then double-cross them spectacularly
EWalk away silently. I’ve been someone’s weapon before. Never again
← BACKNEXT →
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07
After everything you’ve been through, how do you cope with the darkness?
ABadly. Whiskey, grudges, and the promise of revenge keep me going
BI lean on the people I love — they’re the only reason I haven’t completely lost it
CI remind myself why I’m fighting. The anger becomes purpose
DArt, music, expression — the things they could never take from me
EI don’t cope. I dominate. If the darkness scares you, become the thing they fear
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08
When the fight is finally over and Vought is gone, what matters most to you?
AThat we did it the right way — that we didn’t become the thing we were fighting
BPeace. Real peace. A life where I choose who I am, not what I was made to be
CThat the truth came out and people finally know what was done to them
DThat every last one of them got what they deserved
EOver? It’s never over. There’s always someone who needs to be reminded who’s in charge
REVEAL MY CHARACTER →
Vought Psychological Profile Complete
Your Boys Alter Ego
⚡
Homelander
“I can do whatever I want.”
You crave control and validation in equal measure. On the surface, you project confidence and power — the kind that makes people either worship you or cower. But underneath? There’s a void that no amount of adoration can fill. You demand loyalty but struggle to give it. You’re at your most dangerous when you feel cornered, and at your most human when you realize that all the power in the world can’t make someone genuinely love you. You’re not the hero — you’re the cautionary tale.
Narcissistic
Terrifying
Charismatic
Unstable
🔨
Billy Butcher
“I’m gonna f***in’ kill you all.”
You’re a wrecking ball with a grudge, and God help anyone standing between you and your target. Your rage is legendary — but so is the pain that fuels it. You’d burn the world down for the people you love, and that’s both your greatest strength and your fatal flaw. You don’t play by the rules because the rules were written by the people you’re fighting against. Underneath all that bravado is someone who’s terrified of losing anyone else.
Ruthless
Driven
Self-Destructive
Loyal
✨
Starlight
“I’m done being controlled.”
You walked into a corrupt system believing you could change it from the inside — and against all odds, you might be right. You’ve been lied to, manipulated, and betrayed, but none of it broke your moral compass. You fight not because you enjoy it, but because someone has to stand up. You’re the kind of person who sees the worst in people and still chooses to believe in the best. That’s not naivety — that’s courage.
Brave
Principled
Resilient
Compassionate
🎵
Hughie Campbell
“I don’t want to be a person who can just let things go.”
You never asked for any of this. You were living a quiet life, and then the world showed you something so unjust that you couldn’t look away. You’re not the strongest or the loudest, but you have something most people lack: the stubborn refusal to accept that this is just how things are. You’re terrified most of the time, but you show up anyway. That’s not weakness — that’s the definition of bravery. You fumble, you doubt, but you never quit.
Anxious
Resourceful
Moral
Brave
🌸
Kimiko
“You are my heart.”
You’ve been through horrors that would destroy most people, and yet here you are — still fighting, still caring, still protecting the ones you love. You don’t need words to communicate what matters; your actions say everything. You’re a contradiction in the most beautiful way: capable of devastating violence, but driven by an overwhelming tenderness. The world tried to make you a weapon, but you chose to be a person. That choice is the bravest thing anyone can do.
Lethal
Gentle
Protective
Traumatized
↻ PLAY AGAIN
She and Hughie Campbell (Jack Quaid) are now better able to move past some of the unresolved tension and emotional distance between them, making them more united in their romantic relationship and as they continue playing pivotal roles in the ongoing war against Homelander and Vought. Annie has been one of the most important figures in resisting these powerful forces and will be needed if there is any chance of the revolution succeeding, which makes it all the more important for her to be in the right headspace again.
Annie’s importance does not guarantee her safety, though. Showrunner Eric Kripke previously emphasized that Reggie Franklin/A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) was only the first of several major deaths this season, and Antony Starr teased more major character deaths, telling ScreenRant that “Nobody’s safe” in season 5. Moriarty also shared with THR that by the time the series finale is released, “the audience will have been heartbroken by many characters that are lost along the way.”
After reuniting with her father, Annie is now refocused on making the world a better place and protecting those she cares about, which, along with Hughie, includes Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara), Frenchie (Tomer Capone), and Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso). Their ultimate fates in The Boys are uncertain for now, as is that of Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), who Annie has had a fraught and complicated dynamic with in the past.
The Boys season 5 releases new episodes on Wednesdays on Prime Video.
Release Date
2019 – 2026-00-00
Showrunner
Eric Kripke
