Warning: the following article contains spoilers for the season 1 finale of Gen V.
From the world of The Boys, Gen V swooped in to fill in the void that the main series’ third season left before — and it accomplished exactly that. Between all the gore, intrigue, and debauchery, we barely had time to miss Butcher and his crew.
During season 1, the students of Godolkin University were faced with enough problems to last a lifetime, while they attempted to uncover the secrets of their institution. As the plot thickened, some were brought closer together (I’m talking about Jordan and Marie, yes), while others had their trust betrayed by Cate. Unfortunately, betrayals have serious consequences in this superpowered universe, and the season 1 finale proved that.
What happens in the season 1 finale of Gen V?
The season 1 finale, “Guardians of Godolkin,” picks up right where the previous episode left off, with Indira Shetty dead on the ground. While Marie, Jordan, and Emma freak out and debate what the best course of action is, Sam takes Cate’s side, convinced that freeing the supes in the Woods is the right thing to do, despite the chaos it would cause.
The two follow through on that plan, and what does it lead to? The supes going on a killing rampage after hearing Cate’s speech about how they’re superior to other humans. After being caged and experimented on for years on end, it’s hard not to empathize with their anger, but we must draw the line somewhere. This is the exact thought process of Marie, Emma, and Jordan, who decide to take on the challenge of stopping Cate and Sam by themselves.
Emma’s attempt to help Sam fails, but something is gained
With a game plan, Emma finds Sam and tries to convince him to stop. She doesn’t believe that Sam wants to hurt people, but he cannot simply ignore all the hurt that others have caused him during his time in the Woods. After affirming that Emma only wants what’s best for herself and that she’s no hero, Sam leaves his crying friend/lover behind, who starts shrinking. Did Emma just unintentionally unlock a new way to use her powers? It sure seems like it. Perhaps they’re more tied to her emotions than to her calorie intake and outtake, huh?
Despite everything that Sam says to Emma, he starts questioning if there’s really a need to kill innocent people. However, not even seeing his deceased brother, who attempts to reason with him, is enough to make Sam put an end to Cate’s plan. Instead, he accepts her help to stop feeling emotions, and the two continue with what they’re doing.
While chaos reigns on campus, where’s Andre?
As the supes from the Woods wreak havoc, Andre is at the hospital with his father, who suffered from a seizure in episode 7. Andre learns from a doctor that his dad’s condition derives from his superpowers and that while there’s medication that can help manage the symptoms, there’s no cure. The more Polarity uses his abilities, the worse things will get for him, and the same can unfortunately be said about Andre.
From the student’s conversation with the doctor, we can conclude that he’s starting to suffer from the same condition, so limiting the use of his powers would probably be Andre’s best course of action. With a father who expects him to follow in his footsteps as a hero and the people of God U in danger, though, it’s difficult for Andre to prioritize his health. After getting a call from Cate and learning what she’s doing, he rushes to campus, just in time to prevent a helicopter from crashing… using his powers.
How does Gen V season 1 end?
Toward the end of the episode, Marie takes her powers to another level, tuning into Maverick’s circulatory system to locate him, killing a supe with her blood daggers, and eventually, exploding Cate’s arm to protect Jordan. This all comes to a stop with Homelander’s appearance, though, who immediately berates Marie for hurting her kind, and attacks her with his lasers.
In the end, Marie, Andre, Emma, and Jordan are framed for the disruption on campus, while Cate and Sam are painted as the heroes of the story. This outcome is in line with the injustice, lies, and manipulation of public opinion that Vought has built up over the years, so it should no longer surprise us. Honestly, any other conclusion would not have felt like The Boys‘ universe, where everything ends up just a little bit worse than it started.
Before the credits roll, we’re assured that Marie survived a direct hit from Homelander’s lasers (don’t ask me how), but she’s stuck in a white room with no doors, along with Jordan, Emma, and Andre. While there’s no way to tell for sure who put them there, it’s safe to assume that Vought is behind it because… well, when is Vought not responsible for everything bad that happens in this universe? Also, given the hospital-like vibes the room gives off, there’s a strong chance that the students were taken there to be experimented on and contained.
How the Gen V season 1 finale sets up The Boys season 4
Just when we thought it was over, though, Butcher is seen investigating the Woods in a mid-credit scene, setting the stage for season 4 of The Boys. It looks like Shetty’s talk with Grace Mallory in episode 7 wasn’t in vain, after all, and our main crew will be dealing with the aftermath of Gen V season 1. Hopefully, this will include freeing the God U students and getting their hands on the supe-killing virus that is currently in Victoria Neuman’s possession.
While you wait for The Boys season 4 and Gen V season 2, feel free to rewatch both shows on streaming and recall all the details you may have forgotten. With the amount of mind-blowing content this universe provides, I’m sure there are some, even for the most avid fans.
