TV Romance
Top 5 ‘The Boys’ & ‘Gen V’ Romances, Ranked
Romance is… complicated in The Boys universe. With so many villains and morally grey characters, it’s hard (or downright impossible) to root for some of them to find love. (We’re looking at you, Homelander.)
What’s more, many of the romances on The Boys are cut short. After all, the plot begins with Hughie (Jack Quaid) watching his girlfriend explode right in front of him, courtesy of A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) running through her. Since then, watching relationships be destroyed via death and betrayal has become a regular occurrence for The Boys fans.
Still, the show and its spinoff, Gen V, do have a few romances that we love (or that we loved for a time, at least). Without further ado, here are the best romances in the show’s universe, ranked from our least to most favorite. Let us know if you agree in the comments below!
(Note: Our picks might not be current couples. The characters might be on the outs right now, or one half of the couple died. Our options are limited.)
Gen V, Season 2, Wednesdays, Prime Video
5. Butcher & Becca
Obviously, we have to include the romance that spurs on Butcher (Karl Urban) to get revenge against supes.
Becca (Shantel VanSanten) loved Butcher despite his unhinged and violent nature. (A sign of true love if we’ve ever seen one.) However, it became clear once we discovered that Becca was still alive that he viewed their relationship through rose-colored glasses. Plus, he’s such a damaged and flawed character that he’s probably better off alone. Still, there’s no denying Becca and Butcher’s chemistry and bond, so they deserve a spot on the list.
4. Emma & Sam
We know this one is going to be controversial for some fans. There’s no denying that Sam (Asa Germann) betrayed Emma (Lizze Broadway) in Season 1, turning her over to Vought and siding with Cate (Maddie Phillips), but was it really his fault? He’s been traumatized and manipulated. We’re crossing our fingers for his redemption arc and reconciliation with Emma.
Before everything went downhill, Sam and Emma had a ton of chemistry. And they still do, based on their one and only interaction in Season 2 so far, even if it was hostile. Before, they had such a natural dynamic that we couldn’t help but root for them. Admittedly, even if Sam gets his redemption arc, he has a lot of growing up to do before he can be with Emma, but we believe in him.
3. Frenchie & Kimiko
We’re torn on the placement of this one. For most of the show, we thought the writers were heading towards a Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara) and Frenchie (Tomer Capone) romance, and we were totally here for it. They might even have the deepest bond in the show. They get each other in a way that no one else does. (Literally, because Frenchie learned her version of sign language.) They struggle without each other, as Frenchie’s stint in prison proved.
But when they kissed in Season 3, Kimiko said she just viewed Frenchie as family, and they lost a bit of their sparkle. Sure, she changed her mind in Season 4, but by the time they kissed again, the show had dragged it out for a bit too long.
Still, they’re up there! Here’s to hoping they’re reunited in Season 5. (Kimiko speaking for the first time when Frenchie was taken away? Gut-wrenching.)
2. Hughie & Annie
The OG love story of The Boys. We feel bad not putting Hughie and Annie (Erin Moriarty) at the top of the list, but hear us out. They’ve lost a bit of their magic as the seasons have gone on. We loved them at the start. How could anyone not? They’re so sweet together. But The Boys has put them through the wringer. As the plot gets bigger and bigger, their relationship has (understandably) taken a back seat. Still, we can’t deny that they’ve helped each other grow, so this couple still holds a special place in our hearts.
1. Marie & Jordan
Marie (Jaz Sinclair) and Jordan (Derek Luh/London Thor) haven’t had quite as much time to develop their relationship as Hughie and Annie have, but they’re already our favorite.
Sue us, we love an enemies-to-lovers arc! Or maybe rivals-to-lovers would be more accurate here, since The Boys they weren’t really that antagonistic toward each other. Jordan was annoyed by Marie and ignored her, but as they were put in more life-and-death situations, they started protecting each other. They bring out the best in each other, inspiring one another to do the right thing and be true to themselves.
Admittedly, we didn’t really like the fact that Marie broke out of prison and didn’t go back for Jordan between Seasons 1 and 2. (Jordan got over that way too fast.) But we’ll give them a pass, since other couples have done a lot worse to each other in this universe.
