The Boys Creator Confirms Long-Suspected Theory About Gen V
The events of the spin-off, especially its final episode, directly set up the events of the upcoming fourth season of the main series.
Summary:
Unlike its predecessor, The Boys Presents: Diabolical, which was the first spinoff set in The Boys TV franchise, Gen V left a much bigger impact on the overall narrative, affecting even the main series as well.
The final episode of the first season of the show, which was released on November 3, 2023, was particularly important for the whole franchise, as it featured cameos by two of the most important characters from The Boys.
Gen V Finale Wasn’t Just Fan Service
Both Billy Butcher, portrayed by Karl Urban, and his arch-nemesis, Homelander, played by Antony Starr, briefly appeared in the spinoff, making fans wonder how it will affect the upcoming season 4 of the main series, or will the story be resolved in Gen V season 2, which has already been confirmed.
In an interview with Variety the creator of the TV franchise, Eric Kripke, confirmed that the spinoff directly sets up the events that we will see unravel in The Boys season 4.
Given that the show introduced the anti-supe virus, that was featured in the original comics as a part of Billy's plan to destroy all supes in the world, most fans expected the storyline to reappear further in the franchise, as Gen V ended it on a cliffhanger.
It's All Part of a Bigger Picture
According to Kripke that was the plan all along, as by the time the finale of Gen V was developed, they were already working on season 4 of The Boys and wanted the virus to be a huge part of it.
The creators planned the events of Gen V as a prelude to things to come, and the mid-credits scene with Billy Butcher was necessary to show that he is now aware of the weapon capable of wiping supes from the face of the planet.
As for Homelander, his immediate attack on Marie for trying to stop the massacre of the university staff was necessary to establish how much more unhinged he has become, and that a supe turning on another supe is "one of the biggest sins you can commit in his eyes."
With all of this in mind, it is now clear that not only will season 4 of The Boys feature some major events, with the very existence of the supes now at stake, but also that watching Gen V will be crucial to fully understanding the upcoming events.
The release date for The Boys season 4 has not yet been announced.
Source: Variety