Stranger Things star’s cameo in The Boys Episode 5 explained

Stranger Things star Paul Reiser makes a brief, scene-stealing appearance in Episode 5 of The Boys Season 3.

Amazon’s grotesque, smash-hit superhero series opened its third season with an almighty cameo: Charlize Theron as Stormfront in a Vought motion picture, coming after Aya Cash’s character was revealed to be a racist extremist.

Ever since it returned to our screens, The Boys has been dominating the pop culture discourse, whether it’s praise for Antony Starr’s Emmy-worthy performance as Homelander, that horrific penis scene in the first episode, or theories about Jensen Ackles’ Soldier Boy and the upcoming “Herogasm” event.

That’s only bound to continue with today’s release of Episode 5, escalating the tension between Homelander and pretty much everyone else around him, revealing more about Soldier Boy, and boasting one of the show’s best cameos with Reiser, who plays Dr. Sam Owens in Stranger Things.

Who is Stranger Things’ Paul Reiser playing in The Boys Season 3?

Around halfway through Episode 5, Butcher (Karl Urban), Hughie (Jack Quaid), and Mother’s Milk (Laz Alonso) visit a Hollywood producer known as The Legend, played by Reiser.

While he initially believes it’s his GrubHub delivery of Clams Casino, he soon learns the trio are looking for information about Soldier Boy’s whereabouts.

MM explains to Hughie that The Legend earlier served as vice president of hero management before Elisabeth Shue’s Madelyn Stillwell came in, and now helps The Boys from time-to-time.

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While initially resisting – fearing Soldier Boy will come back and kill him – The Legend reveals that he came to see him to get his super-suit, as well as the address of the Crimson Countess (Laurie Holden), his former girlfriend.

Who is The Legend in The Boys Episode 5?

The Legend was originally conceived as a parody of Stan Lee in Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s original comics. While Amazon described Reiser’s role as “an iconic fan-favorite character from the original comic book series”, there are some notable changes.

In the newest episode, he’s more akin to a Hollywood producer – almost like True Romance’s Lee Donowitz for superheroes. In the comics, he’s a comic book store owner with an encyclopedic knowledge of all superheroes across the world.

In Episode 5, he smokes a cigar, snorts cocaine, and wears fairly normal clothes. In the comics, he’s a small, horny, elderly man who sports a red bowtie and suspenders.

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It’s unclear whether we’ll see Reiser’s character again in Season 3. The Boys’ official Twitter account wrote prior to his appearance that he’d “d**k kick & c**t punt you as The Legend (in a good way!),” but gave no further details about his future.