Gen V's Soldier Boy Comeback Suddenly Goes Full Jojo Rabbit Mode

Given the huge cliffhanger that ended last week's episode 5 of the Gen V spinoff TV series, many fans have been eagerly waiting to see where it all went.

Now, episode 6 is finally out, and while it didn't really advance the main plot of the show and The Boys TV franchise in general, it was a surprisingly heartfelt experience that focused mostly on character development.

After Cate Dunlap's betrayal, which fans have been speculating about since the show's debut episode, was finally revealed, she was confronted by her friends who demanded answers.

However, restoring all of their memories proved to be a bit too much for the young supe, who immediately passed out in critical condition, forcing Marie to use her blood-controlling powers in an attempt to save her life by performing a sort of "internal CPR".

This proved successful, preventing Cate's heart from stopping, but it also briefly showed the true extent of her powers (which fans had long suspected), as Cate incapacitated everyone around her in an unintentional outburst.

As a result, Cate, Marie, Andre, and Jordan unexpectedly created a link that merged their minds and allowed them to see each other's memories while their bodies lay on the ground.

Gen V Brings Jensen Ackles Back

While exploring Cate's mind, the team stumbled upon a familiar face to all The Boys fans, Soldier Boy, once again brilliantly portrayed by Jensen Ackles.

It has been known for quite some time that he would be making a cameo appearance, but given that the spinoff takes place after the third season of the main series, many fans were wondering how it would be possible after the season 3 finale.

The answer is quite unexpected and unique, as the iconic superhero has been Cate's imaginary friend since childhood.

This is somewhat similar to Taika Waititi 's 2019 comedy-drama Jojo Rabbit, about a young German boy, Johannes Betzler, who creates an imaginary friend in the form of Adolf Hitler himself in the midst of the ongoing World War II.

Although Cate's case is obviously different, she also romanticizes a problematic historical figure (as in the world of The Boys, Boy fought in World War II) while ignoring his significant real-life flaws.

However, as the supe points out himself, the term "boyfriend" is much more appropriate, as he was the subject of many of her sexual fantasies, voicing many hilarious synonyms for "playing with yourself."

No Nasty Clichés

Thankfully, the show's creators decided against painting Cate as a one-dimensional traitor willing to throw her friends under the bus just to get some material reward from Vought, as the sequence also provides several flashbacks that highlight her tragic past.

Neglected by her parents, who were afraid of Cate after an accident involving her younger brother, the poor girl had no one to rely on, giving Dean Indira Shetty the perfect opportunity to gain control over her through emotional manipulation.

Avoiding a number of annoying movie clichés, our heroes act maturely and find the strength to forgive Cate and reunite to fight against Shetty's sinister plan to create a virus capable of wiping out all supes on the planet, as the episode's finale clearly suggests.

Gen V episode 7 will premiere on October 27, 2023.