Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 4Gen V Season 2 has officially raised the stakes. Though Marie (Jaz Sinclair) and the rest of the crew have already uncovered a massive conspiracy, the series’ return puts them in a worse situation as they navigate Homelander’s (Antony Starr) America. It’s become clear that they not only have to stop the school’s leadership from taking advantage of the Godolkin students, but also defy Vought’s entire system, which is especially concerning with Holemander in control. Gen V has long hinted that Marie might be as powerful as the franchise’s main villain, but Season 2’s best sideplot might have just revealed the real key to beating Homelander.
While things seem bleak for the heroes as animosity and division spread, not everyone is willing to accept Vought’s hateful messaging. In fact, a small group of God U students has formed their own resistance, showing that Marie, Jordan (London Thor and Derek Luh), Emma (Lizze Broadway), and Cate (Maddie Phillips) are not as alone as they seem. With the central team expanding, they are more powerful than ever, and however strange the new recruit’s powers are, Season 2, Episode 4, “Bags,” proves that they are capable members of the team, and at this point, Marie needs all the help she can get.
‘Gen V’ Season 2 Introduces the Secret Starlighters to the Team
While Season 1‘s heroes have continued to fight back, they aren’t the only ones. In Season 2, Emma finds some new allies in Harper (Jessica Clement), Ally (Georgie Murphy), and Greg (Stephen Thomas Kalyn). This is the same group that has been defacing the school’s signs of Homelander, urging people to resist. Of course, their poorly planned fliers did more to terrorize the human staff, as less open-minded students use them as an excuse to bully, even though the intentions were good. Lacking confidence in their powers, these three focus more on spectacle than outright defiance, but even that takes impressive courage. When Emma gets involved, she convinces them to be a more active team, hoping to lead them to sabotage their enemies rather than simply vandalize the school. And in Episode 4, all three choose to help Emma and Cate as they go up against Cipher (Hamish Linklater) by sneaking in a camera to trap the dean.
Harper, Ally, and Greg represent a rare group of people. They are Supes who reject the message of superiority that Homelander pushes and actively stand up for what they believe. They prove that the handful of heroes fighting against Vought in both Gen V and The Boysare not as alone as they seem. The franchise thrives as it follows a collection of underdogs working against an overpowered enemy, but this new group suggests there is a larger picture.
While Supes and humans are divided, these three have, on their own, seen through the division and chosen to defy Godolkin’s stance. Yes, Marie and her friends are fighting back as well, but they are a small portion of the student body, and had to experience loss and mistreatment from Vought before they questioned the system. These secret Starlighters hiding among the school’s overwhelming Homelander supporters demonstrate that there is so much more to the world than we see, and that in itself is refreshing.
‘Gen V’ Season 2 Expands the Team Just in Time
Gen V‘s original team seems to be shrinking. Not only did Andre (Chance Perdomo) tragically die between seasons, but Sam (Asa Germann) isn’t interested in being involved. The show’s heroes are dwindling when they should be expanding, and that’s where the secret Starlighters come in. Given the horrors that are taking place in the story, this small group of unlikely heroes is exactly what Gen V needs. Ally, Harper, and Greg may not have the most impressive powers, but they are willing to help in the conflict with Vought. When Emma needs to sneak a camera to Cate, she recruits their help, and with Harper’s ability to mimic powers, they seamlessly get inside the boiler room and get Emma into position. With Marie and Jordan as the distraction and Cate already with Cipher, this task would have been near impossible on her own, and when things went wrong, she wouldn’t have backup.
Marie may be more powerful than she realizes, but with the Guardians of Godolkin going against the entire Vought machine as well as Godolkin’s new dean, they need help. In moments like the Season 1 finale, any extra hands would make a major difference, and these secret Starlighters have jumped into that position, putting themselves on the line and proving that they can be heroes in their own right. The bonus members of the team make the heroes even stronger, and none too soon. Homelander is a formidable enemy, but with an ever-growing team, the Guardians of Godolkin might actually stand a chance against Vought.
‘Gen V’s Latest Additions Are Unlikely Heroes
With its setting, Gen V includes a lot of strange powers, and the new heroes are no exception. Greg’s flight is not out of the ordinary, though he isn’t among the top students; meanwhile, Harper is only able to replicate a power for a limited time, making it less impressive than it sounds. But Ally, in particular, is at a disadvantage with her ability to manipulate her pubic hair, which couldn’t even get her into God U without her father’s donation. Given their power set, these secret Starlighters may not be the most obvious heroes, but in Episode 4, they prove they can use their abilities for good, no matter how strange. Ally uses her abilities to subtly save Emma when the water is turned back on while she’s in the pipe, keeping the mission going and proving that, wherever their powers are, everyone can make a difference.
With a little inspiration from Emma, they have proven themselves to be useful, if unexpected, members of the team, adding a new twist to the season. Emma gets to pass on the encouragement she received from Andre as these insecure heroes join up, giving her something important to do even when she isn’t with Marie, Jordan, and Cate. Plus, their odd abilities make for a hilarious addition to the irreverent series. Bringing Ally, Harper, and Greg into the fold is the best thing Gen V Season 2 could do, creating more heroes even as the stakes build, reinforcing that the only way to succeed against an enemy as powerful as Homelander is as a team.
Gen V is streaming on Prime Video with new episodes on Wednesdays.
- Release Date
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September 28, 2023
- Network
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Prime Video
- Directors
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Nelson Cragg, Clare Kilner, Philip Sgriccia, Sanaa Hamri, Shana Stein, Steve Boyum
- Writers
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Craig Rosenberg
- Franchise(s)
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The Boys
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Jaz Sinclair
Marie Moreau
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Lizze Broadway
Emma Meyer / Little Cricket
