Meet Dean Cipher, The Mystery At The Heart Of Gen V Season 2

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As a huge fan of *The Boys* universe, I was shocked by what happened to Dean Shetty at the end of *Gen V*’s first season – it’s just typical for that show, isn’t it? Now, going into Season 2, we’re introduced to the new dean, Cipher, played by Hamish Linklater. He’s being described as someone who trains Supes to be soldiers, and honestly, he’s incredibly unsettling. Nobody really knows what his powers are, what he wants, or who he’s loyal to, and it’s got everyone at Godolkin University on edge as they try to figure him out.

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

A Strange Sociopath Who Almost Nobody Trusts

Game Rant interviewed the actors from *Gen V* Season 2 to get their characters’ perspectives on Dean Cipher and the main puzzle of the season. Patrick Linklater, who plays Cipher, shared that he enjoyed portraying such a secretive and menacing character, particularly how calm Cipher stayed even in high-pressure situations. He hopes the audience will be captivated by the mystery of ‘What kind of person can remain so composed while doing terrible things?’

Linklater chuckled, saying, “People will figure it out eventually.” The actor, known for roles like Father Paul in *Midnight Mass* and Batman in *Batman: Caped Crusader*, was pleased to see viewers guessing about Cipher’s motives and who they are, but cautioned that some of those guesses might be incorrect.

It’s good that people are talking and guessing – it shows they care. However, if you believe someone is truly evil, the absolute worst person imaginable, you might need to reconsider your view.

The Sinister Cipher Drives The Season’s Conflict

The other students at Godolkin University quickly became suspicious of Cipher and didn’t trust him. Jaz Sinclair, who plays Marie Moreau, talked about how Cipher is strangely fixated on Marie and firmly believes she has the potential to become the most powerful superpowered person, even stronger than Homelander from *The Boys*. Sinclair explained that Marie finds Cipher’s claims about her abilities unbelievable, thinking he’s simply delusional and strange.

Jordan Li (played by Derek Luh and London Thor) and Emma Meyer (Lizzie Broadway) are immediately suspicious of Cipher. After being wrongly blamed for the events of the first season and held captive for months, they no longer feel safe at Godolkin University. Luh described their return to the university as frightening, and Thor felt Jordan was particularly vulnerable, now that Cipher controls the school.

Even Cate Dunlap and Sam Riordan, who previously supported Homelander’s beliefs and seemed aligned with the Godolkin establishment, now feel uneasy and scared because of Cipher. In the first episode of Season 2, viewers quickly see how strange and dangerous Dean is when he threatens to put Cate’s hand in a blender just for interrupting his smoothie-making.

Director Linklater revealed that the villain, Cipher, had a surprisingly simple reason for threatening Cate: he wanted a high-protein smoothie. This perfectly captures his character – a man completely focused on achieving his goals, no matter what. He pursues them calmly and relentlessly, ignoring any obstacles. But what exactly *are* those goals, beyond a bizarre smoothie made of raw chicken and peanut butter? Fans of *The Boys* will have to watch Season 2 of *Gen V* on Amazon Prime Video to find out.

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2025-09-17 13:04