The Boys Season 4 finale just ruined one of the best parts of the series

The Boys just wrapped up Season 4 with a deliciously dark finale, but it’s left the taste of sour milk in my mouth by ruining one of the best parts of the show – and it’s got nothing to do with Homelander. 

I’m talking about Kimiko and Frenchie, aka Kimchie. One is a former terrorist weapon who can beat humans into a bloody slushie with her bare hands, while the other can whip up a virus strong enough to kill Homelander using nothing but scraps (and a leg).

There’s just something so relentlessly sweet about these two dangerous, fleshy weapons finding each other in the madness, opening up about their vulnerabilities to no one else in the world but each other. 

I’ve loved watching their love story unfold, but The Boys Season 4 finale went and ruined it. Warning: spoilers ahead!

Kimiko and Frenchie were always more than lovers

Why? Well, my favorite thing about the deadly duo is that their relationship is platonic… or at least it was until now. Yes, after four seasons of the grossest superhero show on TV, Frenchie and Kimiko shared a (proper) kiss. They’re officially a thing, meaning poor Colin was nothing more than a plot device. 

Remember when everyone was kicking off about Frenchie’s sexuality in Episode 1? I was a staunch defender of this arc. Firstly, a character’s sexual preference really shouldn’t matter (and there’s a lot to be said that The Deep getting a blowie from an octopus is fine, but Frenchie being bisexual is where some viewers draw the line). 

However, most of the critics raised the issue that Frenchie and Kimiko should be together. Taking to Reddit following the Season 4 premiere, one wrote, “God, I shipped them for three whole seasons, man.”

“Yeah this was so weird, I thought they loved each other,” said another, while a third added, “I really hope they’re taking the long way round to eventually getting to him and her being a thing.”

But this misses the whole point of their relationship. Kimiko even spelled it out after the pair shared an awkward kiss in Season 3. 

Things get weird between the two before Kimiko decides to address the elephant in the room. She explains that their smooch felt off, not because it was bad or that they don’t love each other but because they’re more than lovers; they’re family. 

This thread has continued throughout The Boys Season 4, with Frenchie and Kimiko helping each other to work through their past traumas. It’s been so refreshing to see a platonic yet loving couple on screen, showing that deep emotional connections don’t always need to turn romantic. 

Not everyone has sex, you know?

As much as it’s fun to ship on-screen couples, sometimes I grow weary of Hollywood’s idea that if you hang out with someone long enough, eventually you’ll bang. As someone who has friends of all genders and sexualities who I love, I can confirm that I haven’t jumped into bed with all of them – and I’m sure you’re the same. 

So why is this such a rarity in TV and film? Although it couldn’t be more different from The Boys, it was one of the things I loved about Broad City. I lived for Ilana and Abbi’s relationship in the same way I did for, say, Ross and Rachel’s (without any of the ‘will they, won’t they’ BS), and the same can be said for Frenchie and Kimiko.

Their romantic path would’ve been easier to swallow if it weren’t for the fact that Kripke has spent so much time developing their platonic bond. In the same way first kisses are often egged on in the school playground, it felt like their Season 4 kiss was shoehorned in to please fans, especially as their relationship is platonic in The Boys comics. 

It’s no secret there are plenty of fans who won’t agree with my opinion, and have been gagging to see Kimchie develop in this way since day dot. But why does it have to be this way? They can still be Kimchie even if they’re not hooking up, you know?

And there’s one thing that makes this situation even worse… 

Why now?

Why wait until the finale? I understand these things need to be dragged out to some extent to keep viewers guessing, but up until now there was no indication Frenchie and Kimiko would be anything more than close pals. 

As such, to throw in them professing their love for each other, only to have this ripped away a couple of scenes later, just feels cruel. 

Don’t get me wrong – The Boys is cruel. In Season 4 alone, we’ve seen Homelander tear Webweaver like a piece of paper, Butcher ripping Victoria Neuman in half with his Temp V tentacles, and Hughie surviving not one but two sexual assaults (and having to deal with the aftermath alone). 

Much like the latter example, Kimchie sharing a kiss before being separated and incarcerated by Gen V’s Sam and Cate just felt unnecessary. 

This may, of course, be part of the reason for my bitterness. But I just hope for my broken heart’s sake that Kimchie will get to be together again in Season 5 – preferably platonic, but I won’t get my hopes too high. 

For more from The Boys universe, we’ve got guides on Gen V Season 2, Starlight’s powers and origins, and Homelander’s sinister backstory. You can also take a look at all the TV shows heading to streaming this month.