‘The Boys' Takes Apparent Shot at Elon Musk in Series Finale
The series finale of The Boys delivered the kind of brutal, politically charged satire the show has built its reputation on-including in its final hour a seemingly pointed jab at Elon Musk through a thinly veiled on-screen parody.
‘Blood and Bone’…and Elon?
In the last episode of the Prime Video hit, titled "Blood and Bone," Homelander, the show’s villain, played by Antony Starr, comes face-to-face with a tech billionaire character who would be an “amateur astronaut.” While Musk is never named, the resemblance to him is stark, and the character, Gunter Van Ellis, is referred to as the “world’s richest man.”
Gunter also has 17 children, a number not far off from Musk’s 14, and in the episode, Gunter is wearing a hat that looks very similar to the dark MAGA hats Musk was known to wear when he was an adviser in President Donald Trump’s White House.
During the finale, Oh Father, who’s played by Daveed Diggs, tells Homelander that he needs to spend time with Gunter because he needs billionaires on his side since they’re the “ruling class of America.” Homelander appears to be acquiescing to the request and takes Gunter into the garden. To viewers, it seems like they’re going to just take a normal walk together to discuss his ideas.
But, suddenly, Homelander flies off with Gunter and returns alone.
"He's an astronaut. I took him to space," Homelander tells Oh Father when he returns alone, implying that Gunter was killed.
The moment serves as one of the finale's most overt political statements. The scene also fits into the episode's larger arc, which sees Homelander spiraling further into authoritarian control before ultimately meeting his downfall. The finale wraps up multiple storylines in violent fashion, including Homelander's defeat after being stripped of his powers and killed by longtime rival Billy Butcher.
Politics and The Boys
Throughout its five-season run, The Boys has incorporated real-world parallels into its narrative, often using exaggerated characters to reflect public figures and political dynamics. The Musk-like character in the finale continues that tradition, acting less as a literal depiction and more as a satirical stand-in for tech billionaires wielding significant influence.
Showrunner Eric Kripke has previously leaned into that approach, framing the series as a critique of modern power structures-from celebrity culture to corporate and political influence. The finale's depiction of a wealthy elite attempting-and failing-to control Homelander underscores that message, suggesting that even those accustomed to influence can lose their grip in the show's chaotic world.
The moment is brief but impactful, adding to a finale packed with numerous deaths and symbolic confrontations. It also highlights what The Boys has done throughout its run: blend ultraviolence with pointed satire, using its fictional universe to comment on real-world figures without naming them directly.
Politics In Other Shows
The show isn’t the only one to take digs at White House administrations-South Park has been one of the more notable ones to do it for years, despite complications between the administration and CBS.
The longtime animated powerhouse has often used exaggeration and shock humor to target real-world figures and during Trump's first term, the show largely used the character Mr. Garrison as a proxy, allowing creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone to mirror the president’s rhetoric and behavior without depicting him directly.
Over time, that buffer disappeared, with later episodes portraying Trump more explicitly-often as a volatile, lawsuit-driven figure whose exaggerated traits reflect real-world controversies. The speed of production-episodes can be turned around in under a week-lets South Park respond to headlines almost in real time, making its satire feel immediate and pointed rather than symbolic.
That approach came to a head in more recent Trump-era episodes, which didn't just mock the president but the media ecosystem around him. Recent episodes have drawn backlash, including criticism directly from the White House.
“This show hasn’t been relevant for over 20 years and is hanging on by a thread with uninspired ideas in a desperate attempt for attention. President Trump has delivered on more promises in just six months than any other president in our country’s history-and no fourth-rate show can derail President Trump’s hot streak,” White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers told Rolling Stone after one episode.
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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 2:09 PM.