New Delhi, April 11 -- A major shock in the opening episode of The Boys final season has prompted its creator Eric Kripke to explain why one of the show's longest-running characters was written out so abruptly.

In the Season 5 premiere of The Boys, the character A-Train - played by Jessie T. Usher - is killed off in a dramatic turn that immediately set the tone for the final chapter. The death, which unfolds at the hands of Homelander, has drawn widespread reaction from viewers, many of whom described the moment as one of the series' most unexpected exits.

Showrunner Eric Kripke acknowledged that the decision was not taken lightly, particularly given A-Train's long arc since the first season. In an interview, he admitted, "I was initial...