Gen V Cast Talks A New World, Character Development, And More

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The spin-off series *Gen V* is returning for a second season, and the characters are facing a dramatically altered landscape. Following the events of *The Boys* season four, Homelander and his followers have taken control, and their belief in super-powered dominance is now widespread. Season two of *Gen V* will focus on the staff and students at Godolkin University as they try to navigate this new reality, while also uncovering the secrets surrounding Dean Cipher, the university’s mysterious new leader.

Game Rant recently interviewed the stars of *Gen V* Season 2, including Jaz Sinclair, Derek Luh, London Thor, Hamish Linklater, Sean Patrick Thomas, Maddie Phillips, Asa Germann, and Lizzie Broadway. They talked about how their characters are dealing with Homelander’s increasing power, the evolving relationships between characters this season, and their thoughts on the new dean at Godolkin University. The cast hinted that Season 2 will bring significant shifts for everyone, with friendships turning into rivalries, new romances developing, and plenty of unexpected twists. This interview has been edited for readability and conciseness.

This article contains spoilers for Episode 1 of Gen V Season 2.

Gen V’s Characters Undergo Major Development As The World Shifts

With things getting increasingly difficult in Season 2 of *Gen V*, how does Marie Moreau stay strong and continue to act heroically, like when she protected Starlight’s fans from aggressive Homelander supporters?

Sinclair believes she sometimes doesn’t have control over her actions, and that Marie isn’t a flawless character. He feels Marie generally has good intentions, though.

Game Rant: She’s a very moral character, something we don’t often see in the world of The Boys.

Absolutely. I really appreciate Marie’s character. I especially like how the show puts her in situations that force her to examine her own beliefs-and this season really highlights how strong-willed she is when it comes to those beliefs. That stubbornness might be a weakness, but overall, I think she has a good sense of right and wrong.

I’m really hooked by Marie’s story this season! It’s fascinating to see her suddenly on her own, trying to navigate life after being controlled for so long. First, it was Red River, and then Godolkin University – she’s never really had the chance to just *be* herself, and now she’s finally free to figure things out. It’s going to be interesting to watch her journey and see how she handles it.

This is the first time Marie has truly been free. She went from being at Red River, to being closely watched at Godolkin, and then to Elmira. Now, she has the entire day to do whatever she wants, and she’s using that time to search for Annabeth. I spent a lot of time thinking about what that freedom must feel like – being able to make her own choices. That’s why the fight scene in Episode 1 felt so satisfying; she realizes she can stand up for herself and fight back against people who are awful.

In an interview with Game Rant, the question was posed: When Marie returns to Godolkin and is told by Dean Cipher and others that she has immense potential – even enough to potentially become stronger than Homelander – what are her emotional reactions?

It’s difficult to say Marie remains grounded; she often gets carried away. For a while, she dismissed the attention, calling it bizarre and wanting to be left alone. However, meeting others who felt the same way sparked a change. She started thinking she could handle things on her own, protecting others from getting hurt. While it isn’t really her call, she definitely has moments where she starts to believe her own hype.

I was really struck by Emma’s journey between the first and second seasons, especially learning about everything she went through while she was at Elmira. As someone who cares about her character, I’m so curious to know how the actress approached playing Emma in Season 2, considering all that trauma and how it shaped her. I’d love to hear about the choices she made to show that growth and change.

It’s been a tough time for Emma. Grief really changes people, and she’s experienced a lot of loss – first with Sam breaking her heart, and then with Andre’s death. When you’ve loved so deeply and experienced that much pain, it can turn to anger. That’s what we’ll see with her this season, especially in the first couple of episodes. She’s acting in ways that are very different from how she did in Season 1.

Throughout the season, Emma strives to become the hero Andre believes she is, even though she doesn’t initially see that potential in herself. This journey is often clumsy and humorous, as she tries to fit a specific idea of what a hero should be. My goal was to maintain her core personality throughout, recognizing that her kindness is actually her greatest strength, while also allowing her to grow from her experiences. Ultimately, Emma realizes she doesn’t need to change who she is – her unique personality is what makes her strong. It was a really rewarding role to play.

Season 2’s Shifting Relationships Explored

Game Rant notes that Season 2 will continue to explore the evolving relationship between Jordan and Marie. A key question is how Jordan will reconcile their feelings for Marie with the fact that she escaped the facility without them, which they see as a betrayal.

Luh believes that true love is incredibly resilient. When you genuinely love someone, you tend to ignore their flaws and even forgive betrayal. She feels that even something as extreme as abandonment – like being left in prison for ten months – wouldn’t diminish that deep love.

Jordan likely forgave Marie, understanding how difficult the situation was. However, some lingering resentment remains, potentially causing trauma that resurfaces later. Relationships often involve difficult moments, and it’s up to those involved to decide whether to allow those experiences to damage the connection or to move forward.

This season, Polarity spends more time with the students, and we especially see him connecting with Emma. What was it like to explore that relationship?

Working with Lizzie Broadway and the other actors was really enjoyable. It helped bring out a lot of unexpected depth in my character, Polarity, who’s been a bit lost until now. He’s trying to do the right thing and protect these kids, and it was great to explore that transformation. It was just a lot of fun to play with all of that.

Game Rant asks: Polarity is always sneaking around the students to gather information. Do you think he did the same kind of things when he was a student at Godolkin University himself?

Thomas Polarity was completely focused on his career and gaining recognition. He lacked principles and was primarily motivated by a desire for fame and romantic attention.

Game Rant asked: How did Emma feel about connecting with Polarity and building a relationship with him, especially after Andre Anderson’s death?

On the show ‘Broadway,’ some scenes initially written for me and Chance Perdomo were changed to include Polarity. It was a great experience working with Sean Patrick Thomas and sharing those scenes with him – Chance and I were very close, so it meant a lot.

Homelander’s Actions In The Boys Have Greatly Changed The World Of Gen V

Game Rant asks: How does Jordan, who identifies as bigender, feel when they leave the facility and encounter a world filled with Homelander’s anti-progressive messaging, making it suddenly more hostile towards people like them?

It was a terrifying experience being forcibly removed and surrounded by guards. Being crammed into a van with Emma, I truly believed we were going to die. Then, returning and seeing Cate, the one who betrayed us, and discovering I’d been turned into a ‘Guardian of Godolkin’ too… it was deeply traumatic and incredibly difficult.

Watching Jordan this season has been heartbreaking. I really feel like they hit rock bottom when they completely lost hope, especially in the first half. It was tough to see, but it created this amazing opportunity for Emma. She really rose to the occasion in a way I hadn’t seen before, and it felt like she *had* to, because Jordan was just completely overwhelmed by everything life was throwing at them. It was like the universe was actively testing them, and Emma stepped up to be their strength.

In the second season of *Gen V*, Cate and Sam are now very public figures, known as the “Guardians of Godolkin.” How has this increased attention and responsibility affected your character?

Cate deeply craves approval and affection, particularly from figures who remind her of parents. Receiving a title is hugely meaningful to her because it feels like finally being accepted and deemed worthy. Since her own parents weren’t emotionally available, these figures represent the closest thing she has to parental love. Ultimately, the importance of the title isn’t about what it *is*, but about the feeling of being loved and good enough that it gives her.

According to Germann, Sam is burdened by expectations he doesn’t fully understand. Much of Sam’s story revolves around him trying to live up to other people’s vision for his life, rather than figuring out what he truly wants for himself.

With more and more people claiming superheroes are superior to regular humans, what’s it like for Polarity, whose powers actually cause him physical pain?

I think that game is really interesting. As I’ve mentioned before, the powers seem to amplify who these characters already are, based on where they are in their lives. For example, Polarity’s powers were literally killing him, which I see as a representation of his growing inner corruption. So, if he can reconnect with his morality, maybe his powers will change for the better as well.

Game Rant asked the cast of *Gen V*: Considering Season 2 connects so closely with Season 4 of *The Boys*, did you know what was happening with both shows from the start of filming, or were you kept in the dark until after everything was shot?

At the start of Season 2, the writers only shared the information I absolutely needed. Then, Season 4 of *The Boys* was released while we were filming Season 2, as I recall. Being able to watch it while we were shooting was really helpful in shaping my performance. It all sort of goes in, and then comes out naturally on screen.

Game Rant: If Polarity had the opportunity to confront Homelander, what would he say to him?

Thomas: I think he would tell Homelander, “You ain’t all that.”

The Mystery Of Dean Cipher Is At The Heart Of Season 2

What’s really striking about Dean Cipher is his ability to remain incredibly calm, even when he’s giving a serious talk or making threats. It’s fascinating – how does he manage to stay so composed?

Linklater believes the biggest question for viewers will be how someone can remain so calm while doing bad things. He says the answer to that mystery will be revealed later on. [Laughs]

Gen V’s second season revolves around the enigma of Dean Cipher and his motivations. What’s it been like playing this mysterious character that everyone is trying to figure out?

Linklater: It’s great to get speculation. It means people give a sh*t.

Game Rant asked: How did it feel joining Season 2 of *Gen V* after it had already begun, and stepping into a show where the cast already had established relationships?

It was incredible joining such a well-established and smoothly running project. My main concern was not disrupting the existing process or damaging anything that was already working so well. I understood how all the parts fit together and didn’t want to interfere with that.

Game Rant readers are really curious about Dean Cipher and sharing lots of theories. Do you have any thoughts you’d like to share with them?

Linklater suggests that if you assume the character is completely evil, you might be surprised. He jokes that the character might not be as bad as you think.

Game Rant asks: In *Gen V*, most of the characters are super-powered students, so what’s it like playing the adult superheroes in the show?

I really enjoy playing the adult role because it forces me to stay energetic and adaptable. The younger actors are always full of energy and ideas, which keeps me feeling young and engaged as an actor. It’s a lot of fun!

Linklater jokingly said he wasn’t impressed, adding that the person really needs to improve their skincare routine because it’s making them look older.

In the first episode of *Gen V* Season 2, Dean Cipher immediately establishes himself as a villain by menacing Cate, even threatening to put her hand in a blender. The actors on the show are close friends – is it challenging to perform such intense and potentially harmful scenes with people you care about and have worked with for a long time?

Linklater said you simply need to stay focused on what you’re trying to achieve. In this case, the person’s goal was to get a smoothie with a lot of protein.

According to Game Rant, Cipher has a habit of drinking truly awful smoothies, even mixing things like raw chicken and peanut butter into them.

I’m not a very good actor when it comes to using props, so I often ended up drinking some truly awful smoothies during filming. They’d suggest I just pretend to drink something, but I can’t really fake it – and those smoothies had some really bad stuff in them!

Game Rant asked: Before you were cast in Season 2, were you already a fan of *The Boys* – either the TV show or the original comics? Or did you discover the series after you got the part?

I actually became a fan of *Gen V* first, really loved it, and then watched *The Boys* while we were filming. It made me realize they’ve been doing shocking things on both shows for a long time – it wasn’t anything new.

[END]

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2025-09-17 21:40