'Gen V' Just Introduced The Biggest Potential Threat to Homelander

"The Boys universe suffers from a terminal case of tunnel vision. No matter what interesting ideas the Prime Video series comes up with, they all inevitably come second to the franchise's main villain: Homelander (Antony Starr). Both The Boys and its college-set spinoff, Gen V, are doggedly focused on the threat the nationalistic supe poses to the world, to the point where any challenge to his reign, however promising, is ultimately cut down before it reaches its full potential."

"Prime Video Episode 4 follows Cipher in his efforts to shape Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair) into the supe she was born to be. He's taking over for Neuman in a lot of ways: in Gen V Season 1, Neuman revealed that she and Marie have the same kind of power, which proved that she could be just as formidable if she found a way to control her blood-bending powers."

The Boys franchise repeatedly centers Homelander, causing new threats to be sidelined in favor of familiar conflicts. Victoria Neuman appeared to be a significant challenger but was removed to prioritize the Homelander–Billy Butcher confrontation. Gen V presents Cipher, the new dean at Godolkin University, who mentors Marie Moreau and reframes her abilities. Cipher demonstrates that Marie's power extends beyond using her own blood: she can influence others' blood and perceive enhancements. Episode 4 reveals Cipher's methods and positions him as a potential rival to Homelander, offering a shift toward fresher conflict within the universe.

Read at Inverse