Gen V episode 6, “Jumanji,” contains a final twist that sets up The Boys season 4. While it has been known that the shows were interconnected, this is the first time a Gen V development threatened to change the entire shared universe of The Boys fundamentally.
***SPOILER ALERT: This post discusses the events of episode 6 of Gen V.***
The latest episode was filled with many surprises and twists, considering that Marie (Jaz Sinclair), Andre (Chance Perdomo), and Jordan (Derek Luh and London Thor) are accidentally transferred into Cate’s (Maddie Phillips) mind. In her mind, they run into bursting blood vessels, a perfect cameo from one of The Boys‘ heroes, and past traumas and mistakes from all four of them. Given that the episode delves into the psyches of all the main characters, viewers learn that Cate isn’t the only one keeping secrets and betraying her friends.
Still, the biggest shock doesn’t come until the very end, when viewers unexpectedly learn what Indira Shetty (Shelley Conn), the dean of Godolkin University, is really up to. Shetty appears to be the leading figure behind Godolkin’s mysterious research facility, The Woods, where Sam (Asa Germann) and other students are being experimented on and held captive. Now that her endgame has finally been revealed, though, it has the power to change both Gen V and The Boys since they exist in the same universe.
What is Indira Shetty really up to in Gen V?
In Gen V episode 6, viewers learn that Shetty and Dr. Edison Cardosa (Marco Pigossi) are using The Woods to develop a virus that only affects supes. It seems they have finally perfected the virus, as viewers watch a young supe woman infected by it. The woman’s powers flicker out as she’s overcome by coughing fits, rendered entirely harmless by the virus. However, Shetty isn’t pleased with this result, demanding that Dr. Cardosa increase the dose to see just how sick they can make supes. He complies and finds that upping the dose by a minuscule amount kills the supe. One would think having a dead supe on their hands would be upsetting, but instead, Shetty is pleased. Her goal wasn’t to make supes sick but to develop something that could kill them.
This changes everything we thought we knew about Shetty. At first, she seemed like a typical corrupted Vought cog, doing the organization’s dirty work. However, this virus makes us question whether she’s working for Vought or her own agenda. Supes are Vought’s most profitable enterprise, and it’s hard to believe that they would suddenly be interested in developing a virus that could kill all of them. Sure, they might be interested in something to kill only problematic supes, but something as uncontrollable as a virus? It almost seems like Shetty has a personal vendetta against supes. If it’s not being regulated by Vought, the virus has an even better chance of getting out in the world.
What does the virus mean for The Boys season 4?
Introducing a supe virus into The Boys universe is a huge game-changer for the upcoming fourth season of The Boys. Those familiar with The Boys know that one of the overarching problems in the show is the inability to kill extremely powerful and dangerous supes like Homelander (Anthony Starr) and Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles). Season 3 ended with Homelander going rogue and deciding he doesn’t care about public perception, meaning he’s more dangerous than ever. Bribes and authority figures used to be able to kind of keep a handle on Homelander, but now that he is the leader of Vought, the situation has become dire.
On the one hand, a virus could finally provide a solution to the Homelander problem. However, it will also threaten the lives of every other supe. There’s a chance that, instead of the virus being used to kill Homelander, it will be used to kill supes like Starlight (Erin Moriarty), who are considered traitors by Vought. Additionally, if the virus is Vought’s doing, and the organization also develops an antidote, it would truly give Vought the power over life and death.
Meanwhile, The Boys‘ crew have teased that the virus isn’t going to be limited to Gen V. The Boys‘ showrunner, Erick Kripke, confirmed that Gen V will end with a handoff to The Boys season 4. Additionally, he confirmed that the two shows were in communication regarding the virus, as he tried to figure out if the virus is “a thing out in the world that’ll be helpful to us or is it going to f— us?” With two episodes of Gen V left, there are still other ways it may tie into The Boys season 4. For now, though, the virus has the biggest connotations for the upcoming season of The Boys.
(featured image: Prime Video)
