Amazon Prime Video’s The Boys has once again sparked controversy after the show’s finale featured a billionaire tech tycoon who was widely interpreted by viewers as a parody of Elon Musk.
In the finale, a satirical character, named Gunter Van Ellis, was introduced as the “world’s richest man,” an “amateur astronaut,” and someone with 17 children. The details given for the character are somewhat similar to some of the details of Elon Musk, and many fans quickly linked the character to Musk. The character was later killed in a brutal sequence involving Homelander. The character and its end triggered major reactions online.
Also read: The Boys Season 5 finale: Will there be a Season 6? All about possible spin-offs
Musk reacted to the finale: ‘Pathetic’
Musk later reacted to criticism surrounding the finale on X, responding to a post criticizing the show’s ending with a one-word response, “Pathetic.”
The backlash quickly evolved into an online feud between Musk and The Boys’ creator Eric Kripke.
Reacting to Musk’s “Pathetic” comment, Kripke mocked the criticism publicly on X and Instagram.
“OMG this is his review of what @TheBoysTV did to Homelander,” Kripke wrote. “I’ll never get a better review ever.”
Musk later intensified the criticism by mocking the finale and making additional comments about the showrunner online.
“Kripke probably got flack from his wife’s bf for Homelander being used in based memes and had to write that ending as a groveling apology,” Musk wrote.
Kripke shared screenshots of Musk’s posts and said “I have notes on his joke writing.”
How The Boys parodied Elon Musk
Fans immediately noticed similarities between Musk and the Gunter Van Ellis in the finale episode.
The character was portrayed as a wealthy space enthusiast obsessed with futuristic discussions and political themes, including comments about “white fertility rates.” In one scene, Homelander casually takes the character into space and returns alone, implying the character died in the vacuum of space.
Social media reactions quickly flooded X and Instagram, where many viewers openly described the character as a direct Musk parody.
Also read: Homelander
Why the controversy gained attention
The Boys has long been known for politically charged satire aimed at celebrities, corporations and public figures. Over recent seasons, viewers and critics have increasingly linked Homelander’s storyline to real-world political movements and media figures.
Musk’s reaction drew even more attention because the billionaire has previously criticized Hollywood and mainstream media over political portrayals and online narratives.
In another post, Musk wrote, “I’m not upset, just remarking that the ending sounds fake and gay.”
Despite backlash, Kripke is treating Musk’s criticism as praise for the show’s provocative ending.