Gen V's producer has confirmed that one particular scene in the Season 1 finale is crucial to setting up The Boys Season 4.
Gen V is the first spin-off show set within the world of The Boys, moving the focus to the younger generation of superheroes at the prestigious academy, Godolkin University. While the series launched off the back of new characters, Gen V did have its share of cameos that tied it to The Boys universe.
The creatives behind the show told Entertainment Weekly that Gen V's ending is designed to "hand off" to Season 4 of The Boys and there are a few ways the Season 1 finale does this.
How Gen V's Post-Credits Scene Sets Up The Boys Season 4
The finale of Gen V is filled with plenty of twists and turns.
The series became even more intertwined with its parent show following the arrival of Homelander at Godolkin University in Episode 8. Fans were also left guessing as to what really happened to Marie, Jordan, Emma and Andre after they woke up in a doorless white hospital room.
While both elements are teases of what's to come, executive producer Eric Kripke said in an interview with Men's Health that it's Billy Butcher's (Karl Urban) cameo in the post-credits that "more than anything else" sets up the next season of The Boys:
"The Homelander stuff felt, to us, like a culmination of this season of 'Gen V,' and I would say the Butcher cameo is more than anything else what sets up Season 4."
Kripke continued by saying that Butcher's appearance in Gen V is the "ground zero" moment of what's to come in Season 4:
"Butcher, heading into Season 4, is well aware that there's this virus out there that can kill superheroes. So, we wanted to see the ground zero of that moment, which is what we did in the very, very last moments of this season of 'Gen V'...."
One of the big twists in Gen V was the revelation that The Woods had been a secret facility designed to engineer a superhero virus. Kripke said this virus will be a "major concern" in The Boys but that "by no means necessary" is it essential to have watched Gen V before the next season:
"The virus is a big concern of Season 4. I think a lot of things in 'Gen V' set the table for Season 4, and I think we're trying to keep with the same rules that we kept for 'Gen V'—it would be helpful to see 'Gen V' to understand Season 4, and provide a little more context and a little more depth. But it's by no means necessary."
"If you just want to watch 'The Boys' without watching 'Gen V,' that's great, if you want to watch 'Gen V' without watching 'The Boys,' that's great too. If not both of these shows, we just want you watching one of them, and not have it feel like homework."
What is Billy Butcher Up To in Season 4 of The Boys?
Gen V's finale definitely paved the way for a lot of what's to come in The Boys Season 4, including setting up Victoria Neuman's villain arc. However, it appears the real focus next season will be Butcher's hunt for the superhero virus.
By the end of Season 3 of The Boys it was revealed that Homelander is establishing his own reign of terror, with his son Ryan at his side. With Vought having no control over the hero anymore, it's down to Butcher and his gang to find a way to stop him and it seems this superhero virus could be the answer.
The threat of a Supe-specific virus will no doubt add to the brewing tensions between humans and superheroes in The Boys' universe. It will also likely set the stage for some problems on Butcher's team, which consists of two superhumans - Kimiko and Starlight.
All will be revealed when The Boys Season 4 releases on Prime Video in 2024.
