The Boys Season 5, Episode 4: A Fungal Homage—With Bite

The Boys Season 5, Episode 4 delivered a strikingly familiar atmosphere—evoking The Last of Us with uncanny precision. As the team infiltrated Vought’s secretive facility, Fort Harmony, viewers encountered eerie fungal spores, wall-embedded “zombie” hosts, and grotesque, pulsating infected growths—all in pursuit of V-One.

A Blunt Nod to a Legendary Franchise

The episode included a direct, albeit brutally irreverent, reference to The Last of Us. Warning: spoilers for The Boys Season 5, Episode 4 follow. Proceed only if you’ve watched the episode.

The Horror Unfolds at Fort Harmony

As Billy Butcher and the team advanced toward the abandoned Vought compound, the dread intensified. Corpses littered the approach—and inside, Frenchie made a chilling discovery: the deceased had turned on each other in violent frenzy.

“Toxoplasmosis—it’s a parasite found in cat feces. It can infect humans and trigger explosive aggression,” Frenchie explains. “If V-One leaked into the groundwater, it could mutate local flora. Their spores flood our systems with rage—driving us to kill one another. And then? We become plant food for these vines.”

Hughie cuts in: “Okay… so, like The Last of Us?”

It was indeed the thought echoing across every viewer’s mind—as the camera lingered on thick, vein-like fungal tendrils clinging to lab walls. Frenchie’s retort landed like a scalpel: “No—that’s just The Walking Dead with mushrooms.” Ouch.

Why the Comparison Lands—and Stings

Frenchie isn’t entirely off-base. Both franchises center on infection-driven collapse—but while The Last of Us grounds its horror in scientifically inspired cordyceps mutation, The Boys amplifies absurdity through satire and escalation. Fans embraced the meta jab: on Reddit, one user praised the timing: “Hughie mentioning The Last of Us a second after we all thought it was lampshading done right.” Another quipped: “Frenchie just traumatized the entire The Last of Us fanbase.”

Explore Further

For deeper analysis of all Easter eggs and pop-culture references in this episode, read our full The Boys Season 5, Episode 4 recap. While you’re catching up, be sure to consult our The Boys Season 5 release schedule and ongoing The Boys Season 5 recap series.