Prime Video's Gen V season 1 ending explained

In spin-off of hit Prime video series The Boys, Gen V, The Boys universe goes to college. The series follows a group of young supes attending Godolkin University, where they train the next generation of superheroes. But Godolkin U doesn't boast your run of the mill round of classes, but a Hunger Games-type competition where you battle your peers to prove you're the best and most popular student.

Play your cards right, and you could join the world's most prestigious superhero team, the Seven.

When we last left off with Gen V at episode 9, our protagonists were splintered across ideological and moral lines. On one side, you have Cate and Sam, who have been exploited and mistreated by humans and are ready for revenge. After learning of God U's true purpose and the development of a lethal anti-supe virus, they make their first victim the school dean, Indira Shetty.

On the other side are Marie, Jordan, and Emma, who are horrified by Shetty's murder. Can they talk some sense into their friends and prevent even greater bloodshed?

How does Gen V season 1 end?

At the end of Gen V season 1, Sam and Cate free the captives in the Woods, the secret lab where supes are experimented on, and together, they begin to kill any regular human on campus. Marie, Jordan, and Emma try to protect the community and convince their friends to stop but are unsuccessful. Even visions of his recently deceased brother, Luke, can't sway Sam. It takes the return of Andre from the hospital and, since there's blood everywhere, Marie's mastering of her hemokinetic powers to finally end the carnage.

In a last-ditch effort, Cate desperately reaches out to Jordan to control his mind, but Marie manipulates her former friend's blood and causes Cate's arm to explode.

Who died in the Gen V season finale?

It was definitely a blood bath at God U with Cate, Sam, and the former prisoners in the Woods attacking any non-supe they could find. Despite all those casualties, none of the main characters die. The most recognizable death is the university's social media manager, Jeff. Cate uses her mind control powers forcing Jeff to blow up his head while the board of trustees and Vought International executive, Ashley Barrett, watch the livestream.

What were the Gen V season finale surprises?

There are several surprises in the finale, beginning with the cameo of Anthony Starr's the Homelander (There's an additional cameo which we'll discuss in the next section). Marie had things under control after subduing Cate, but the leader of the Seven appears at the behest of Barrett anyway. However, Gen V flips the script, and instead of taking Cate away, the Homelander laser blasts Marie for attacking her own kind.

Post attack, the media praise Sam and Cate, the real perpetrators, for their heroism. The pair are even dubbed the titular Guardians of Godolkin. Meanwhile, Marie and her friends serve as the patsies and are considered the masterminds behind the violent attacks. Marie does survive the laser blast though, and she, along with Jordan, Emma, and Andre, are locked in a sealed hospital room. They might not know where they are or who imprisoned them, but at least they are all together.

Can this really be that unexpected? This is the twisted universe of The Boys, and the good guys don't always win. Plus, from what we know of the Homelander, his ideologies align more closely to Sam and Cate.

Were there any Gen V post-credits scenes?

There is one mid-credits scene in the Gen V finale episode. A lone figure roams the dark halls of the Woods, searching for something amongst the rubble. As he moves closer to the camera and his flashlight shines on his face, we see that it's Billy Butcher, the leader of the Boys. (He has some NSFW things to say before we fade out.)

Are there any ties to the larger The Boys universe?

Throughout the first season of Gen V, we have gotten multiple ties to the larger The Boys universe, and the finale is no exception. We have returning appearances of minor characters Ashley Barrett and Adam Bourke, the director to the film Dawn of the Seven and acting teacher at God U. Their presence represents the ever-present influence of Vought International, the corrupt conglomerate working behind the scenes of it all. Then the episode pulls out the big guns with cameos from the Homelander and Butcher at the end.

How does the Gen V finale set up The Boys season 4?

The plot for The Boys season 4 is unknown, but there are loose threads from season 3 to explore (Here's everything we know about season 4 of The Boys). In addition, the events from Gen V can also impact storylines from the flagship series.

Vice presidential candidate Victoria Neuman is in the crosshairs of the Boys because they know, secretly, that she has powers. Neuman's always scheming to advance her own agenda and even made an appearance on the seventh episode of Gen V. Neuman can exploit the incident at Godolkin University to further her public anti-supe policies and to garner more support on the campaign trail. Plus, we can't forget she is also in possession of the virus that kills powered people.

Speaking of the virus, it's probably not just fan service to have Butcher in the mid-credits scene. He could be scouring the remnants of the Woods for any clues or intel on the virus as a worst-case scenario if the Boys attempts to stop supes fail. He doesn't care about long-term repercussions since he's on borrowed time after taking V24, the modified version Compound V that grants superpowers.

Will there be a Gen V season 2?

Luckily for fans, we'll be able to return to Godolkin University for another year. On October 19, while the series was in the middle of its first season, Prime Video officially announced that they ordered a second season of Gen V. There are no plot details about the season. Hopefully, we'll receive answers regarding Marie and her friends' current state and how Sam and Cate adjust to their roles as "real heroes."

When we can expect new episodes is still up in the air. Though the film and television industry cleared one hurdle with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and Writers Guild of America coming to terms on a new agreement, the AMPTP is still negotiating a new contract with the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, and you can't begin filming unless you have your stars in front of the camera.

Want to catch everything from The Boys universe? Here's how to watch the flagship, spin-offs, and more.