The challenges faced by adolescents are revitalizing the somber world of The Boys.

This article was written by Brontë H. Lacsamana, a reporter.

TV Review
Gen V
Prime Video

To keep fans entertained while they wait for season four of the incredibly cynical and violent hit superhero satire series The Boys.

Prime Video has chosen to emulate the actions of previous successful franchises by launching a spinoff series.

The positive development is that Gen V, a spinoff, stands out from other similar projects by being successful in its own right. It follows the journeys of the exceptionally gifted students at Godolkin University (also known as God U), combining the excitement of being a seemingly flawless superhero with the relatable struggles of being a teenager in today’s world.

The story centers around main character Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair), who is a “bloodbender” and unintentionally causes the death of her parents when she discovers her abilities. The beginning of the show, where Marie experiences her first menstruation and her parents rush to the bathroom to assist her, sets the tone for the rest of the series. Creators Eric Kripke, Evan Goldberg, and Craig Rosenberg make it clear that Gen V is a formidable opponent to The Boys with its lack of limits.

Marie is determined to overcome her troubled past and prove herself at God U’s School of Crimefighting. Her ultimate goal is to join Vought International’s prestigious superhero team, The Seven (a parody of DC’s Justice League), as the first black woman. But as she becomes more popular both online and on campus, she uncovers a dark underbelly at the school and faces jealousy from her peers, putting her dream in jeopardy.

This spinoff show succeeds in expanding upon the established world of its source material – The Boys’ comics and TV series – by presenting a graphic, overtly sexual commentary on society, now set in a college setting. It also explores the theme of personal growth and development through the challenges faced by its diverse cast of students.

Marie’s power involves her having to cut herself so she can use her own blood as a weapon to fight others, though it also shows how her self-harm has become her way to cope with inner demons. Her roommate, Emma Meyer (Lizze Broadway), has the power to shrink, but she can only do so by purging, an eating disorder characterized by self-induced vomiting.

Even though they live together, there is a scene in the series where they both engage in their destructive habits separately, avoiding confiding in each other and causing harm to themselves. These moments of isolation and self-harm are interspersed throughout Gen V, adding depth to the graphic content and showcasing its superiority over the source material.

This is especially noticeable in the plot of Jordan Li (portrayed by Derek Luh and London Thor), a character who can change genders and experiences discrimination because of their abilities. Thor plays Jordan’s feminine form, which can shoot energy blasts, while Luh portrays Jordan’s masculine form, which is impervious.

If you haven’t seen The Boys but want to give it a try, you can still enjoy it without any background knowledge. However, if violence, crude humor, and unsettling sexual content are not your taste, then it may not be for you. Otherwise, it’s an invigorating series that tackles thought-provoking themes and has exciting action scenes.

Fans of The Boys will enjoy it tenfold, though, thanks in large part to cameos from the original cast plus the well-thought-out world-building. It shows the aftermath of the Compound V revelation in season one, where a large-scale experiment gave infants superpowers with the consent of their parents.

Although the combination of satire, teenage drama, and superheroes may appear forced, Gen V (specifically the four current episodes) effectively demonstrates that it possesses both flair and substance. The setting of Godolkin University and its inexperienced students, as they navigate the harsh realities of life and make errors, serves as a great platform for further exploration of The Boys’ bleak universe.

The advertisement for the school promotes a “community of supportive teachers and classmates who will embrace your individuality as a culturally diverse catalyst for change” – a jumble of comical corporate jargon intended to create an idealized image of an exceptional community.

Similar to the previous installment, it will be exciting to witness how Generation V challenges and contradicts this statement.