The first three episodes of Gen V – the long-awaited spin-off of super-hit The Boys – has arrived on Amazon Prime. Prior to Gen V‘s release, some fans were sceptical about the viability of Gen V as a spin-off. However, we are pleased to confirm that, so far, Gen V is a resounding success. Its opening instalments deliver all the gore, sex, black comedy, and corporate conspiracy we’ve come to expect from its parent series. And we were also happy to see some returning characters from The Boys to help tie the shows together.
Gen V runs parallel to The Boys and follows a group of young superheroes at Godolkin University, otherwise known as “God U”. Told from the perspective of blood-bender Marie Moreau, it focuses on the trials and tribulations developing supes must face, as well as the impact their challenging and often traumatising childhoods had on them.
Marie is a freshman at God U with aspirations of joining The Seven and becoming a genuine superhero. During her early-teens, she inadvertently killed her parents when she discovered her superpowers. She subsequently lived at Vought’s orphanage known as the Red River Institute before joining God U.
Despite big hopes that God U would put her on the path to The Seven, Marie quickly realises that life (and success) as a supe isn’t quite what she thought. This is largely thanks to the dysfunctional student supes she meets, as well as the shadows of characters from The Boys looming large over the events of Gen V.
The Boys characters featured in Gen V
Numerous characters from The Boys are either mentioned, shown, or provide cameos in Gen V‘s first three episodes.
This includes footage of A-Train, The Deep, and Madelyn Stillwell, numerous mentions of Homelander, Starlight, Queen Maeve, and Black Noir, and cameos from Ashley Barrett and Adam Bourke.
Thankfully, these references to The Boys help frame and provide context for Gen V‘s narrative. Given the worldwide stardom of The Seven in the show’s universe, it would be hard to imagine its members not at least being mentioned. Likewise, with Godolkin University being a Vought-owned institution, it’s no surprise that key figures from the company show up from time to time.
With five episodes of Gen V‘s first season remaining (released weekly on Amazon Prime and concluding on 3rd November 2023), we are excited to see how other familiar faces from The Boys might factor into the show’s storylines.
Are you enjoying Gen V? Let us know in the comment section below and don’t forget to check out our other Film & TV articles…
