The day Marie got her powers was…not a good day.
The superhero genre has often been parodied and mocked for its tropes and reliance on archetypes, and it’s been deconstructed and analyzed time and time again. However, when it comes to this subgenre of superhero fare, nothing has matched the energy and insanity of Amazon’s The Boys. The show premiered on Amazon Prime on July 26th, 2019, and was produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and developed for TV by Eric Kripke. The series is based on the 2006 comic of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, and since its premiere, it has captured the attention of people everywhere with its memorable characters, insane violence, and pure absurdity. With its immense popularity and some time before we get Season 4, it made sense when Amazon announced a spin-off set in the same universe and taking place at the same time as the main show. Gen V was developed by the same team behind The Boys and premiered on September 29, 2023. The show stars a young ensemble cast that includes Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, Lizze Broadway, Maddie Phillips, London Thor, Derek Luh, Asa Germann, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Shelley Conn.
Chucks even made it into the Godolkin University “diversity” video.
Gen V is set in the same world as The Boys. In this world superheroes exist, but they’ve been privatized and work for a mega-corporation known as Vought International. Vought runs heroes locally, nationally, and internationally with their premiere group being known as The Seven. The Seven is a group of supes that every supe dreams of being on, and they are led by The Homelander, the most powerful superhuman clad in the American flag’s Stars and Stripes. The general public has always thought of supes as true heroes, but because of the events of The Boys, many have grown to resent and despise the super-powered community. At Godolkin University, founded by Thomas Godolkin, young adult supes compete for the university’s top ranking and a chance to join The Seven.
Jordan knew about Golden Boy’s “troubles” a long time ago.
The newest student at Goldolkin U is Marie Moreau (Sinclair), a hemokinetic (able to psychically manipulate blood) supe with a tragic past. She comes from the Red River adoption facility and needs to succeed at Goldolkin U to avoid being sent to Vought’s “adult facility”. In her first week at school, she quickly befriends her roommate Emma Meyer (Broadway), a supe who can alter her size by “purging” or eating. She also meets a group of some of the most popular and powerful kids on campus: Luke Riordan (Schwarzenegger) a student known as Golden Boy who has pyrokinesis and superhuman strength. He is known as the next Homelander by students, staff, and Vought. There’s also Andre Anderson (Perdomo), Luke’s best friend with magnetic manipulation capabilities, Cate Dunlap (Phillips), a supe with telepathic abilities, primarily in the form of tactile mind control, and Luke’s longtime girlfriend. Finally, there is Jordan Li (Thor and Luh), a supe gender-shifter. Thor portrays Jordan’s feminine form which can fire energy blasts and Luh portrays Jordan’s masculine form which has superhuman durability. This group will soon uncover the secrets of Goldolkin and change the course of this world forever.
Andre wears black leather chucks as the group steps into a strange place.
This show keeps up the fun and absurd nature that The Boys has become known for. There is also plenty of violence and creative powers displayed. The Boys has always worked because of its stellar cast and Gen V is no different. Jaz Sinclair is a revelation as Marie and she keeps the show grounded with an emotional and charming performance. Lizze Broadway also shines as Emma, bringing a sharp wit and excellent comedic timing. The setting of Goldolkin also feels so real and the students seem authentic, wearing chucks and forming different cliques. The show also helps expand on the world of The Boys, showing the sides of being a supe that don’t involve crimefighting. The finale ties up the overarching mystery incredibly well and perfectly leads into Season 4 of The Boys, tying the two shows together for what should be a killer season.
Spoiler: This will not end well for this guy.
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