When it comes to spin-offs, it’s not always necessary to watch the original shows first — but in the case ofGen V,the first three seasons ofThe Boysinclude some worthwhile nuggets. We already know that the events ofGen Vwill take place alongsidethe upcoming Season 4 ofThe Boys, but if you want to watch the incoming spin-off series without having to review all three seasons ofThe Boysfirst, here’s everything you need to know.
From the world of “The Boys” comes “Gen V,” which explores the first generation of superheroes to know that their super powers are from Compound V. These heroes put their physical and moral boundaries to the test competing for the school’s top ranking.
Vought International Is Responsible for Supes
Vought International, formerly known as Vought American, is an American corporation that specializes in superhero entertainment. While Vought International has amassed a substantial fortune, earning its place in the realm of elite business, it has also had a controversial reputation for engaging in questionable practices, not to mention its problematic origins. Vought International’s founder was Frederick Vought, a scientist previously associated with the Third Reich, who laid the foundation for the company by developingCompound V, a remarkable substance that can empower ordinary humans to become extraordinary “Supes.”
Initially, Vought International directed its efforts towards assisting the military. However, the company underwent a significant transformation, shifting its focus to a profit-driven approach. They skillfully negotiate contracts between Supes and various cities or states, ensuring both parties benefit. As a testament to their influence,Vought International created The Seven, a prestigious group of public icons, showcasing their management prowess. Furthermore, they are responsible for overseeing licensed Supes worldwide.
The spotless reputation that Vought International has fought to maintain has crumbled in recent years now that some of its darker activities have been discovered. When information regarding Compound V’s existence came to light, Vought’s stock value experienced a decline, prompting closer examination and questioning from the public. Evidence of unethical scientific experiments with Compound V has also emerged. At the start ofThe Boys, Vought International’s CEO was a man named Stan Edgar (Giancarlo Esposito), although he was later replaced in Season 3 by Ashley Barrett (Colby Minifie). What is less known is the fact thatHomelander (Antony Starr)tends to make most of the company’s bigger decisions these days.
Compound V Is What Gives Supes Their Powers
Compound V is an ocean-blue liquid that, when injected into the bloodstream, has the potential to give people extraordinary powers.The effects of Compound V can vary from person to person. Some people end up with enhanced physical abilities, while others get completely different powers, or sometimes even a combination of both. Although Frederick Vought was originally responsible for creating Compound V,Vought International would later go on to distribute the chemical super serum without people’s knowledge or consent, secretly injecting it into pregnant women, toddlers, and even other patients. The intention was to offer the illusion that these superpowers were natural, like some sort of genetic mutation.
In Season 2 ofThe Boys, Vought International decided to take their experimentation a step further. They wanted to improve the survival rate of Compound V in adults, so they started conducting tests in a psychiatric hospital called the Sage Grove Center, injecting the adult patients with different variations of Compound V and trying to find a way to give them enhanced abilities with minimal adverse side effects.
Recently, the truth about Vought’s unethicalexperiments with Compound Vhas been leaked to the public, resulting in a temporary halt in research and production; however, Vought International was able to create a new variation of Compound V, thanks to the test results from the Sage Grove Center.This modified version, called “Temp V,” allows adults to temporarily have superpowers without immediate death, although there are harmful side effects that can result from multiple uses, including brain tumors and ultimately death.
Which Characters From ‘The Boys’ Will Appear in ‘Gen V’?
There are three characters fromThe Boyswith aconfirmed appearance inGen V: A-Train (Jessie T. Usher), Ashley Barrett, and Adam Bourke (P.J. Byrne). A-Train, who possesses incredible speed, is a vital member of The Seven. Under the influence of Compound V, A-Train inadvertently caused the death of Hughie Campbell’s (Jack Quaid) girlfriend in Season 1, which resulted in Hughie joining Billy Butcher’s (Karl Urban) team. Initially, A-Train was removed from The Seven, but later on, he requested to rejoin and is now recognized as the “fastest man in the world.” Despite his fame and charming demeanor,he grapples with deep insecurities about upholding his position as a top athleteand fears the prospect of being outdone by a younger challenger.
Ashley Barrett starts off as Madelyn Stillwell’s (Elisabeth Shue) assistant, but eventually, Homelander recommends Ashley to fill Madelyn Stillwell’s spot after her death. As Ashley takes on this new role, she quickly realizes that she has limited power given that Homelander and Stan Edgar make all the important decisions. In Season 3, however,Ashley’s hard work pays off, and she is promoted to CEO of Vought following Stan Edgar’s departure. During this time, she also enters into a sexual relationship with Adam Bourke. Later, Ashley faces a challenging situation when Queen Maeve is captured by Vought, and in a daring move, she decides to delete the security footage of The Boys saving Maeve’s life so that Homelander will think his former teammate has died. At the time thatGen Vis set to begin, Ashley retains the title of Vought CEO, despite technically being demoted by Homelander. Recently, she made an appearance in aninvestment summary video for Vought in January 2023.
Adam Bourke is a film writer and director who makes appearances in both the second and third seasons ofThe Boys. In Season 2, Adam seizes the opportunity to share his Seven origin story movie script, capitalizing on Homelander’s absence from the team meeting, but faces critique from the strong-minded Stormfront (Aya Cash),who holds a different perspective. It isn’t until Season 3 that Adam manages to land the role of director for Vought Studios' ambitious film,Dawn of the Seven. InGen V, Adam will appear as a guest professor at the esteemed Godolkin University.
Gen Vis available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in the U.S.
