Jared Padalecki’s The Boys Character, Mr. Marathon, Explained

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for The Boys season 5, episode 5, “One Shots.”Ever since being cast in The Boys season 5, fans have eagerly been awaiting Jared Padalecki’s debut in the superhero show, and five episodes in, he finally appeared as Mister Marathon. Although it took over half the season to finally see Padalecki on-screen with Jensen Ackles again, the wait was certainly worthwhile.

With The Boys season 5 sneaking in Supernatural Easter Eggs in previous episodes, it was no surprise to see such a big emphasis put on Mister Marathon and Soldier Boy’s interaction, given that Padalecki and Ackles starred in the hit drama show together for 15 years, with The Boys showrunner, Eric Kripke, leading the project.

While this segment definitely acted as a form of fan service for Supernatural fans, Mister Marathon’s appearance was still very crucial to the story. The latest episode may not have done a whole lot in terms of plot development, but with Homelander and Soldier Boy continuing their search for The Boys‘ V-One, they were pointed in Mister Marathon’s direction.

He had a bunch of old Vought memorabilia, hence the assumption that he may possess this valuable substance as well. Unfortunately for the lead villains, this wasn’t the case, but Mister Marathon did claim that Bombsight likely had some, making the duo wait in his mansion for the supe to arrive.

This was all a trap to incapacitate Homelander, with Mister Marathon and several famous actors urging Soldier Boy to kill the Seven’s leader. Instead, Soldier Boy refused and ended up killing everyone else inside the house, but this whole segment gave us quite the insight into Prime Video’s version of this once-famous speedster.

What We Know About Mr. Marathron’s History & Powers In The Boys

Although Mister Marathon’s stint in The Boys was rather short, we did learn a little bit about his background as well as his powers. Like A-Train, Padalecki’s character is a speedster who has an almost identical skill set. He was once the fastest man alive before A-Train took this title alongside his place on the Seven after beating him in a race.

Mister Marathon claimed he never got the chance at a rematch, indicating that he was replaced swiftly with no chance of returning, proving why A-Train took his bout against Shockwave in season 1 so seriously. The newcomer is also able to kill someone simply by running through them, as seen by accidentally colliding with his celebrity friends while hunting Soldier Boy.

Like most of the Seven, he also starred in several movies; however, his weren’t part of Vought’s Cinematic Universe and struggled financially. His house is filled with several movie posters, as well as Vought collector’s items, which include cards, comics, and relics from Frederick Vought, many of which feature Nazi imagery.

While Mister Marathon wasn’t strong enough to kill Homelander himself in The Boys season 5, he clearly detests him from his time in the Seven. Despite being afraid of the villain, he was desperate to keep Homelander in his house so that he could incapacitate him and have Soldier Boy take away his powers, leaving the antagonist vulnerable.

The supe’s reasoning was that Homelander ruined his life, but Mister Marathon subtly hinted at wanting back on the Seven, despite claiming not to care. Overall, his skills seem to mimic A-Train’s, since he ran to Columbia and back in the time that Soldier Boy took to urinate.

That said, it’s his history that is far more interesting, since he is yet another person to have worked with Homelander and grown to resent him, so much so that he wanted his former leader dead.

How Mr. Marathon Compares To The Comic Version

Other than having speed-based powers and being original members of the Seven, both versions of Mister Marathon are rather different in The Boys. Prime Video’s depiction is undoubtedly afraid of Homelander, but he’s still wealthy, has famous friends, and is living a relatively decent life following his time working for Vought.

Accidentally killing his friends may hint otherwise, but Mister Marathon does seem largely in control of his abilities in the show, and was brave enough to go after Soldier Boy even though the supe is far stronger than he is. In the end though, he shares a similar fate to his comic counterpart, since he was killed by Homelander in both iterations.

The source material only features Mister Marathon briefly, appearing alongside Homelander and Queen Maeve as they attempt to stop a hijacked plane on 9/11. Initially, Homelander attempted to leave after burning the controls, leaving the passengers doomed, but Mister Marathon begged to be taken with him.

Reluctantly, Homelander let him cling on as he flew away from the plane, but upon attempting to redirect the falling vehicle, Homelander unintentionally decapitated the speedster, providing a swift end to his story.

Ultimately, he lasted much longer in the live-action series despite barely appearing, and he also seemed to have a slightly more confident personality, all things considered. Mister Marathon even had the potential to be one of The Boys season 5’s strongest supes before having his head stomped by the main antagonist.

Jared Padalecki’s character shares the same powers and an eerily similar fate to the comic version, but the actor gives this former Seven member far more depth and personality, making it feel like a slight missed opportunity to not have him around more often.

Who Misha Collins Plays In The Boys Season 5

Jared Padalecki isn’t the only Supernatural alumni to join The Boys in season 5, as Misha Collins also appeared during episode 5’s closing moments as Malchemical. Although he was hanging out with various celebrities at Mister Marathon’s house, Malchemical is, in fact, a supe who also appeared in The Boys comics.

However, Prime Video’s version is much different. Rather than having shapeshifting abilities, Collins’ character can make deadly gases that are strong enough to incapacitate someone as powerful as Homelander, which the episode proved. He claimed to have met Homelander on several occasions, yet the villain didn’t recognize him.

Not too much about his background is revealed, though it’s clear he is a friend of Mister Marathon, since he was willing to help try and take down The Boys’ antagonist. Sadly, his time on the show was cut short when Soldier Boy lifted him by his throat and snapped his neck, but it was fun seeing this comic character included.

Despite Collins’ role being little more than a glorified cameo, getting yet another Supernatural actor involved in The Boys did add to Padalecki and Ackles’ reunion, making him one of many actors from Kripke’s previous hit series to make this transition.

How Strong The Boys’ Mr. Marathron & Malchemical Are

In the grand scheme of things, neither Mister Marathon nor Malchemical were portrayed as overly strong throughout their short time on The Boys, but there were signs of promise. Mister Marathan was able to take a punch from Soldier Boy, and while it did knock him to the ground, he got back to his feet relatively unharmed.

He’s also able to run through people without injuring himself and could’ve outrun Soldier Boy if he opted to flee, rather than pursue the supe. Strength-wise, he was likely on a similar level to A-Train before his death in The Boys season 5, albeit without the same level of experience, seeing as A-Train used his abilities to actually save people.

The fact that Soldier Boy broke both his legs with ease and Homelander crushed his skull with one stomp indicates he wasn’t all that resilient, yet could’ve still been dangerous. The same applies to Malchemical, who was able to put Homelander to sleep, something very few supes are capable of.

Coming close to offing the villain indicates that his abilities are pretty powerful, yet outside of that, he seems extremely vulnerable, hence why Soldier Boy managed to kill him so easily. Therefore, it would be fair to say The Boys season 5’s newest supes are more crafty than they are strong, even if their personalities don’t immediately suggest this.

It’s likely these characters were introduced to pay homage to the comics and give Supernatural fans a fun reunion, rather than to seriously jeopardize either Homelander or Soldier Boy. As a result, they don’t quite rank among The Boys‘ strongest supes, even though they had serious potential.

Release Date

2019 – 2026-00-00

Showrunner

Eric Kripke

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