Gen V Season 2 brings two important characters from The Boys to set up the inevitable battle against Homelander.
The spinoff’s sophomore season examines the fallout of Vought imprisoning Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair) and her friends, after they were framed for Sam Riordan (Asa Germann) and Cate Dunlap’s (Maddie Phillips) rampage across Godolkin University campus at the end of the first season.
So far, Marie has managed to gain further control of her telekinetic blood-bending powers thanks to God U’s new Dean, Cipher (Hamish Linklater), and there’s been plenty of talk throughout Gen V that she could be more powerful than Homelander (Anthony Starr) himself.
But Episode 6 sees the Gen V students on the run from the Elmira Prison when they get some much-needed backup from two important characters from The Boys…
Giancarlo Esposito returns as ex-Vought CEO Stan Edgar to save the Gen V team
Yes, Giancarlo Esposito saves the day in Episode 6 as ex-Vought CEO, Stan Edgar, along with his supe-granddaughter, Zoe Neuman (Olivia Morandin). This surprising dynamic duo save Moreau and co. from the Thor-wannabe supe, Vikor (Tate Fletcher), as Zoe uses her vicious tentacle mouth to rip his head clean off. Ouch.
Stan reveals to the team that he’s been hiding out in a cosy nuclear bunker since The Boys Season 4, while caring for Zoe after her mother was killed by Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and his weird tumor tentacles.
Not only do Stan and Neuman Jr. save the students, the disgraced CEO gives Marie some vital information about the origin of her powers and the mysterious Project Odessa. He reveals that the program experimented on embryos by injecting Compound V into them during the early blastocyst stage of development.
Thomas Godolkin (Ethan Slater) used this dangerous technique to create “god-tier” heroes. But it led to numerous baby deaths, and was only successful in creating two supes: Homelander and Marie.
This is what enabled her to resurrect her sister, Annabeth (Keeya King), after she bled out in Episode 5.
Stan effectively tells Marie that if she helps him defeat Homelander, he’ll protect her once things are safe for him to return as Vought CEO. For now, that battle feels quite distant in the future. But at least the Gen V squad have a new base to hide out in since Cipher is planning to cull 75% of God U’s students.
This all sets the stage for the final season of The Boys, and it’s clear that Marie will be a valuable asset in stopping Homelander alongside Billy, Hugh Campbell (Jack Quaid) and the rest of the gang.