Gen V season 2 ending explained: Eric Kripke breaks down how it sets up The Boys season 5

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*Warning – contains full spoilers for all eight episodes of Gen V season 2*

Season two of Gen V has finished with a shocking finale, especially for one character who met a tragic end.

The latest installment of the spin-off featured Marie and her companions battling a resurrected Thomas Godolkin, and it also included significant clues about what to expect in the fifth and final season of The Boys.

So, how did the story conclude, and what does it mean for the larger world it’s set in? We spoke exclusively with executive producer Eric Kripke and actor Ethan Slater to get the full explanation.

Read on for everything you need to know about the ending of Gen V season 2.

Gen V season 2 finale: What happened with Thomas Godolkin?

Following last week’s shocking reveal that Cipher was actually just a man named Doug, controlled for years by Thomas Godolkin, Marie managed to bring Godolkin back to life.

I was completely shocked to learn that Sister Sage was the one who orchestrated Godolkin’s return – and that she and he were actually together! As they grew closer, she suggested he move in with her at Vought Tower, but she was very specific about how and when she’d reveal the truth about his revival to Homelander. It felt like she was playing a dangerous game, controlling everything.

She hadn’t expected him to announce his return publicly, especially to the students of God U. He declared that all student rankings would be wiped clean and that he’d be holding a seminar to re-establish them.

Marie helped Cate recover and restored her abilities, then she warned students on social media to stay away.

Despite the warnings, many ignored them and quickly discovered a horrific scene. Godolkin was controlling the students’ bodies, brutally injuring and killing them.

He explained to Sage that he was working to become more powerful so he could control Marie. His plan was that if he could control one of Odessa’s followers, he could also control Homelander.

He believed The Seven was filled with less-serious members, such as The Deep and Firecracker, because Homelander couldn’t handle anyone truly powerful challenging him. He wanted to seize control himself, instead of waiting to see what Sage’s mysterious ‘phase 2’ plan – which involved Homelander – was all about.

He needs to remain in charge. He essentially started this, and can’t give up control now.

Homelander, previously Odessa’s biggest asset, is now taking control and diminishing Thomas Godolkin’s influence. He essentially needs to replace Godolkin, and Godolkin likely sees himself as the one who puts people in power – the ‘kingmaker’ – but now Homelander is taking that role.

Things took a really dark turn. Polarity was trying to get Doug some medical help, but they ran into Black Noir, who just…killed Doug right there. Then, to make things even worse, Black Noir grabbed Polarity and took off with him, all on Sage’s orders. It was a brutal moment, honestly, and left me reeling as a viewer.

After he had been questioned by Sage, he realised the door to his cell had been left open.

Marie was at a seminar led by Godolkin when she was suddenly attacked by his followers. During the attack, she revealed a plan: her friends – Emma, Sam, Jordan, Ally, Harper, and Greg – had been secretly brought in using a bizarre and unconventional method involving Black Hole’s unique abilities (something you’d only expect in the world of The Boys!).

Harper was able to hold Godolkin back and keep them from causing trouble just long enough to help everyone else escape and bring Cate and Annabeth to safety.

Just when things looked hopeful, Godolkin seized control of Marie and forced her to fight against her friends. As they were losing the battle, Polarity arrived just in time, freeing Marie from Godolkin’s influence and turning the attack on him. Marie then unleashed her powers, destroying Godolkin with a final blast and declaring, “That was for Andre.”

Okay, so Christian Slater just talked about his character’s shocking demise, and honestly, he’s taking it like a pro. He joked that he had the most spectacular arrival and exit this season. Apparently, he’s seen the dailies – and it’s intense. He described a total bloodbath – think exploding people, tentacles, melting faces, everything drenched in fire. Basically, he says it’s exactly the kind of over-the-top gore that fans either love or can’t stomach about ‘The Boys,’ and he’s clearly embracing the chaos.

Finishing my time on the show with an explosive exit felt incredibly satisfying. When I read the final fight scene, I was thrilled – it was a dream come true! I’m a big fan of stunts and fight choreography, and I loved being involved in it.

How did the finale set up The Boys season 5?

Polarity warned Marie and her friends that Vought was coming after them, so they needed to escape. He chose to stay, promising Emma he’d reach out. Emma also shared a kiss with Greg before telling him to cause some serious trouble.

During a stop on their travels that night, the group met Annie January, also known as Starlight. She explained that she and other members of the resistance, who were fighting against Homelander, had been watching them and were impressed. She then invited them to join their cause.

A-Train showed up and surprisingly revealed he was working with the resistance, encouraging the God U students to fully embrace their roles as rebels. This suggests they’ll have a significant impact on the upcoming fifth season of The Boys.

Okay, so looking at this season, it feels very much like the showrunners were building the groundwork for what’s coming in season five. They’ve firmly established a truly frightening, almost fascist authority, and now we’re seeing a real resistance movement take shape, spearheaded by Annie. What I didn’t see coming was A-Train getting involved, and now they’ve brought in the younger heroes from ‘Gen V’ to bolster the ranks. It’s essentially a ‘Dumbledore’s Army’ situation – a growing force banding together to take on Homelander. It’s all about setting up the pieces for a major showdown, and honestly, I’m intrigued to see how it plays out.

The best thing about these standalone shows is that they each tell a complete story while also providing background information that I don’t have to re-explain in ‘The Boys’. For example, we can skip directly into season 5 knowing the audience already understands there’s a growing resistance and what they’ve been doing.

Season 5 picks up several months after the events of Gen V, showing us what’s happened since and how the resistance movement has been progressing. Let’s just say things aren’t going smoothly for them.

When questioned about whether the season 2 finale of Gen V hinted at a future conflict between Marie and Homelander, showrunner Eric Kripke responded that fans should keep watching. He explained that many characters are eager to challenge Homelander, and some have been waiting for their opportunity for a while.

Although I believe Marie is a very important character, we want to stay true to each individual storyline and its main characters. She’ll definitely be involved, but the outcome won’t depend solely on her. This isn’t about Marie being the one to defeat Homelander; it’s more complex than that.

In the season finale, Sage didn’t answer a call from Homelander, likely because he wanted to inquire about Godolkin coming back. This could be a clue about what’s to come in season 5 of The Boys.

She also had a second phase to her plan, initially meant to be carried out with Godolkin. It leaves us wondering if she’s still working on a big scheme, and whether Homelander might be involved somehow. We’ll just have to wait to find out what happens next.

You can currently watch all of Gen V seasons 1 and 2 on Prime Video. Plus, all four seasons of The Boys are available now – and you can try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days.

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2025-10-22 20:06