The Boys’ Eric Kripke reminds fans why the Frenchie backlash is wrong
Prime VideoFollowing the divisive reaction to Frenchie’s new love story in The Boys Season 4, Eric Kripke has reminded fans why the backlash about his relationship with Kimiko is wrong.
Although Frenchie’s bisexuality has been implied throughout the superhero show, this was confirmed in the Season 4 premiere when he strikes up a relationship with Starlight House worker Colin.
The storyline has been the topic of much discussion online, with a number of fans asking, “But what about Kimiko?”
The implication that he’s cheating on Kimiko is particularly frustrating given that in Season 3, the pair established that they are in a loving but platonic relationship.
Kripke has now decided to take matters into his own hands. Taking to X/Twitter, he shared a montage image of The Boys Season 3 in which Kimiko and Frenchie discuss why their kiss felt so weird.
Kimiko explains that it’s because they’re “more than” just lovers. “You are my family now,” she says. Alongside the image, Kripke wrote, “Just putting this here. #TheBoys Season 3.”
The post has received hundreds of comments, with many thanking the showrunner for pointing this out. “Thank you,” wrote one, while another said, “Been screaming this from the rooftop since the episodes premiered.”
“Thank you for this, I was fighting for my life out here,” added a third, and a fourth chimed in, “I’m so sorry this fandom is so pathetic. Y’all deserve better.”
A fifth said, “They always struck me as feeling more like siblings than lovers, especially early on. Is it so hard for people to process that a man and a woman can be close without getting together?”
But not everyone is happy with the decision after shipping Frenchie and Kimiko since Season 1.
“The issue is when you build romantic tension between your characters just to blue ball the audience with a different partner,” commented one. “Sexuality has nothing to do with it. It’s creating a whole subplot just to end it with a bandaid explanation like this.”
“You made me ship them for the past three seasons just to ruin it,” said another, while a third added, “He’s posting this like they shouldn’t be together lol.”
Frenchie’s new relationship isn’t the only talking point from The Boys Season 4, with many accusing the show of going too “woke.” But Kripke has advice for those people: go and watch something else.
“I clearly have a perspective, and I’m not shy about putting that perspective in the show. Anyone who wants to call the show ‘woke’ or whatever, that’s OK. Go watch something else,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
“But I’m certainly not going to pull any punches or apologize for what we’re doing. Some people who watch it think Homelander is the hero. What do you say to that?
“The show’s many things. Subtle isn’t one of them. So if that’s the message you’re getting from it, I just throw up my hands.”
The Boys Season 4 Episodes 1-3 are streaming on Prime Video now. You can catch up on our recaps for Episode 1, Episode 2, and Episode 3, and find out when the next episode comes out with our The Boys Season 4 release schedule.
You can also find the best new TV shows heading to streaming this month, as well as binge-worthy series and how to watch them.