Welcome back to Godolkin University, a sprawling campus overflowing with unique budding superheroes and a chaotic underground plot to overthrow the power of Homelander. In the interim between seasons, a lot has changed for the denizens of Gen V. Most notably, Chance Perdomo, who played one of the leads, Andre, tragically passed away. This lead to a two-year hiatus in which much of the season had to be reworked entirely. With this in mind, the curiosity over how the creatives would be able to handle the deep loss of a major player subsides almost immediately. Andre’s importance hinges much of the story, becoming a key plot point instead of a forgotten footnote. Season two feels different, yet easily evolves into more than just another amusing The Boys side-story. Tracing back to the roots of Compound V, Gen V season two expands series mythology whilst boldly embracing the trademark gory absurdity we know and love so well.
In case the gap between visits has manipulated your mind, worry not—season two features a small time jump that introduces us to the awful new dean, Cipher (Hamish Linklater), and sees the entire crew freed from the sketchy confines of the foreboding Elmira Adult Rehabilitation Center. At first, the blood-powered Marie (Jaz Sinclair) tries to live off the grid since escaping Elmira. Bi-gender Jordan (Derek Luh and London Thor) and size-adjustable Emma (Lizze Broadway) are thrust back into the spotlight by Vought, but their unit is fractured perhaps irreparably. They hate Marie for leaving them behind, a factor that appears to have contributed to Andre’s death; additionally, none of them have any sympathy for Cate (Maddie Phillips), whose power to mind-control anyone she touches wanes significantly throughout the season.
There are plenty of The Boys alum that pop in to keep the momentum moving, namely Starlight (Erin Moriarty) and Sister Sage (Susan Heyward), who play into the storyline in surprising but vital ways. In fact, the former actually sets the gears in motion for the story. She implores Marie to return to Godolkin University to unearth the mysteries behind Vought’s “Project Odessa,” one which Cipher oversees. As far as villains go, Cipher is quite a master manipulator. He always seems one step ahead of our heroes as they scheme to figure out his secrets. He certainly leaves a far larger imprint that the school’s previous dean, who slit her own throat due to Cate’s powers. Linklater carries over his signature suaveness, perfectly weaponized in Mike Flanagan’s masterful Midnight Mass, to the stage of The Boys universe. The villainous Cipher savors every interaction with the supe-teens.
There are dozens of elaborate murders in typical The Boys fashion, often in unexpected ways. Creators Eric Kripke, Evan Goldberg, and Craig Rosenberg make sure that we will not soon forget them. The rising of the God U rankings and the whole angle about being welcomed into The Seven takes a backseat for Cipher’s sadistic training methods as he pushes Marie to the brink of her sanity. Playing up the ensemble cast angle, we keep a solid grasp on their strengths and weaknesses as the real villain hides in plain sight. It may not feel as epically explosive as the debut season, but Gen V most certainly justifies its existence by way of its captivating roster of characters.
As the season plays out, relationships are put to the ultimate test, and each supe gets a distinct arc that plays as a natural extension of their journeys in the first season. Andre’s father, Polarity (Sean Patrick Thomas), emotionally devastated by the death of his son, joins the faculty as a professor to get closer to Cipher’s grand plan. Emma’s fiery relationship with Sam (Asa Germann) grows even more twisty with the addition of a love triangle and a hunky new potential beau. Cate struggles to redeem herself as the others are resistant to her efforts. Marie and Jordan, only hinted to be romantically involved, fall more deeply in love with each other despite some questionable circumstances. Marie herself continues to be a harrowing lead to follow. Each time the creatives further explore her backstory and unpeel the layers of Marie’s family dynamic, Sinclair shines all the more.
If the first season was mostly confined to God U, this one does expand a bit further by exploring the backstory of Thomas Godolkin (Ethan Slater), the unfortunate catalyst behind much of this universe. A bit of familiar ground gets re-explored—like Sam’s manic puppet hallucinations—but recontextualized. Pop culture references fly out at rapid pace that only underline the understanding for what makes an audience giggle. Who wouldn’t want to see a Saltburn 2: Saltburnt? They have made this installment essential viewing, as it folds into The Boys by the time the eight-episode arc reaches its natural conclusion. But if Gen V does indeed continue, the preposterous antics, shocking burst of gory mayhem, and laugh-out-loud moments are more than enough to sustain itself well past the finish line of its father series.
The next generation of heroes builds the resistance high on Gen V when the first three episodes of season 2 debut for Prime subscribers on Wednesday, September 17th.
