How Gen V‘s finale perfectly sets up the next season of The Boys
Thanks to a critical Homelander cameo, Gen V's season-one sendoff paves the way for the fourth round of The Boys
TV Features The Boys
Of course it all came down to Homelander, The Boys’ loathsome supervillain, who is remarkably rendered by Antony Starr. The superhero drama’s most noteworthy character flew into the season-one finale of Gen V, the YA spin-off of The Boys, helping tie both shows together in exciting ways and setting up season four of The Boys. Obviously, Gen V was steeped in Boys territory from the get-go, with the series taking place at the Vought International-run Godolkin University, where teen supe students learn how to use their powers. Except, as the series eventually reveals, it’s the students who are being studied and experimented on, and Vought remains as nefarious of a corporation as ever.
The two shows link up without creating a huge lift for the viewer. That’s a markedly different approach from other pop-culture franchises, including Marvel, Star Wars, DC, and even The Walking Dead, where everything feels like homework is required. Gen V is more nuanced as it expands on The Boys’ mythos with notable cameos, curious bits of information, and savage action. And Gen V still develops a singularly wicked voice in season one—something less satirical and more self-aware—that deals with these complicated coming-of-age characters.
It’s really only in the last two episodes that Gen V embraces its position in the larger universe and lays the groundwork for season four of The Boys. Smartly, it ties back to Homelander’s actions in The Boys’ pilot. Remember when he gave zero fucks and crashed a plane full of civilians to reveal his true sinister nature? That flight was carrying the husband and child of God U Dean Indira Shetty (Shelley Conn), and she’s been hell-bent on revenge ever since, working with a doctor to create a virus that will kill supes.
The biological weapon will certainly play a big role in The Boys’ future, especially as a potential way to stop a misogynistic, racist, and increasingly popular Homelander from continuing his violent reign. (That is, unless he knew about it all along? We’re just theorizing here.) Homelander immediately displays his bigotry in Gen V, too. He lands on campus and straight-up asks Marie if she’s an animal because she accidentally blows up Cate’s (Maddie Phillips) hand to stop her from using her powers and manipulating Jordan (Derek Luh). Homelander can’t stand that a bold, brave Black woman is fighting for what’s right and harming fellow supes in the process. So he does what he does best and uses his strength to weaken her.
It’s a move that paves the way for Gen V and The Boys’ biggest crossover. Marie, Jordan, Emma (Lizzie Broadway), and Andre (Chance Perdomo) are now captives of Vought, held in a sterilized room without doors or windows. (This has to be in the main tower where the Seven operate, right?) There’s no better way to keep an eye on them. Meanwhile, Homelander smugly watches a news clip that declares Cate and Sam (Asa Germann) as God U saviors, even though they’re the ones who destroyed everything.
These surviving Gen V characters will evidently show up in The Boys now that Homelander is involved. They’ve got insider knowledge of Indira’s plans and are the only ones who can help start or stop the virus from entering the world, with Cate being the key. Plus, Vought needs new members of the Seven. And while Ashley (Colby Minife) was willing to offer a position to Marie if she attacked her friends, it’s likelier that Cate and/or Sam—Homelander’s faves—will now get included in the superhero group. And let’s not forget the post-credits scene: Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) arrives to explore the ruins of The Woods. It’s clear he’s the person Mallory called after meeting Indira, and his discovery will also lead to The Boys further investigating what God U’s former Dean was up to.
Gen V isn’t without its issues, as you might’ve read in The A.V. Club’s recaps, but this finale feels like a seamless transition of storylines. The show carves a distinct space for itself while forging ahead with The Boys, creating a franchise that stands out from similar genre content. And unlike most Disney+ Marvel shows, for instance, The Boys universe doesn’t require nearly as much effort to connect the dots. Hopefully, the journey continues in a similar fashion when The Boys returns in 2024.
15 Comments
Not that it really matters much in the grand scheme of things, but that plane crash was NOT the one in the pilot. It was the one halfway through the season where Homelander switches gears halfway through a rescue to killing everyone rather than leave witnesses to how he couldn’t save everyone. And the episode review made this same mistake, which was corrected in the comments, so what the fuck?
a rescue to killing everyone rather than leave witnesses to how he couldn’t save everyone.Not because he couldn’t “save everyone”, it was because he killed both pilots AND destroyed the flight controls
What issues does Gen V have? The scores it got in the recaps were way too low. It was fun, funny, watchcable entertainment. The kind of thing Disney have forgotten how to do with thier shows. 8 episodes flew by and I want to spend longer with all these characters.
You know that people have different opinions, right, and that something you think is great may be something that someone else thinks is bad or merely okay? Good for you that you enjoyed it, but don’t get your panties in a twist if you think a subjective review didn’t score it high enough for you
I think it’s acceptable for someone to say they don’t agree with a review score. I think it was an engagaing, well made, show and I shouldn’t be told my opinion isn’t valid, especially as I tried to explain why I liked it so much.
Yes sure, but it’s all about framing, my dude. Disagreeing with the review and the score is fine. But you said “the score is too low” as though there was an objective correct score and the reviewer was wrong – kind of like claiming their opinion wasn’t valid.
Agreed. I don’t want to have a “cheat sheet” to prepare for a new movie, so the way The Boys continues and expands its story works much better for me
Absolutely. Every show has its ups and downs, but Gen V has been really good overall.
I can’t speak to the recaps since I haven’t read them, but I do think the show has some real issues. The writing is often really lazy and tends to throw “shocking” bits in and then conveniently forgets about them moments later (give or take a “blew that guy’s dick off” joke). A guy they were walking around with literally exploded and was never mentioned again.
“And unlike most Disney+ Marvel shows, for instance, The Boys universe doesn’t require nearly as much effort to connect the dots.”I’ve been thinking about this a bit. Besides being fun and generally well made, The Boys (and Gen V) are enjoyable because they don’t feel like homework. I saw a trailer for The Marvels the other day, and thought it looks fun.. but I don’t want to watch 2-3 TV shows, 3-30 movies, etc. before watching a two hour popcorn flick. It’s just madnessThe Boys and its “extended universe” are much more accessible
This article assumes a lot of facts not in evidence. Why would you assume that characters from this show are now going to cross over into The Boys? That’s a really big stretch. I can see maybe the virus being a plot carryover, but I would be surprised if any of the main cast of Gen V even make an appearance on The Boys. Why would they? They have their own show.
With any other outcome it would’ve been hard to explain why the core characters wouldn’t have a role to play in The Boys S4, but it seems like they literally locked them away so that they can’t. And while Cate and Sam are both still at large and now famous “heroes”, it’s easy enough to hand-wave away why either of them might not be considered suitable candidates for the Seven.
The wild thing about however this ties into The Boys is that Marie & Co. aspired to be th next wave of The Seven but the events on campus show us they may have been destined to be future recruits of The Boys.
YA stuff has gotten a lot more raunchy if this was YA.
The in-story logic behind the new status quo is convoluted.
The set-up for season two will be the heroes escaping from the lab,
which sounds fairly generic. The school is a more unique setting, but I
fear they’ll never use it to its full potential. Whether it lands depends on how successful they are at sidestepping sinister sophomore slump.https://mattthecatania.wordpress.com/2024/06/08/is-gen-v-all-its-cracked-up-to-be