An episode like Gen V Season 2 Episode 6, “Cooking Lessons,” is why we need to trust the process.
Sometimes it can feel like the narrative is not progressing, only for an installment like this to come out and prove that a show still has it.
I was getting tired of all the mysteries. Between Elmira, Dean Cipher, and the mysterious man, it was all becoming too much. Everything gets blown wide open in one fell swoop, and nothing will ever be the same.
The escape from Elmira sets the stage for what is the most exciting cameo this season. Gen V has relied heavily on The Boys, which was not giving me confidence in the show.
Cameos have been happening in almost every episode, but many have not carried any weight until Stan. Not only is he a character with great impact, but his past carries some emotional weight, which is what an impactful cameo should do.
He arrives not a moment too late because Thor was going to grind these kids to pulp. The Boys universe has a lot of scary supes, but trust me when I say no one has ever scared me like Zoe Neuman.
Those things that come out of her mouth forever remain imprinted in my mind, so when I saw her, I knew Thor was done for. She presents as a harmless little girl until she rips your head to shreds in a disturbing fashion.
Marie is as scared of her as I am because did anyone catch their interaction in the elevator? She did not want to look that girl straight in the face, and no one with any sense would.
Filling in the Mystery Gaps
Meeting Stan and Zoe is a godsend. They can fill in all the gaps, setting the stage for the final two episodes of the season.
And can we take a moment to appreciate the amazing Giancarlo Esposito? He elevates everything he’s a part of.
Multiple reveals happen in this episode.
We learn that Marie is part of a unique project, Odessa, and she shared that in common with Homelander. This makes her one of the most powerful supes ever to exist.
Cipher used to run Odessa, so he knows the full extent of her powers and seeks to harness those powers for his own gain.
Meanwhile, we learn that the mysterious man in Cipher’s home might be the one and only Thomas Godolkin. I speculated as much in the Gen V Season 2 Episode 5 review.
Thomas holds the keys to everything Vought and Compound V, which is why no matter how much Cipher would like to kill him, he can’t.
More importantly, he might be the only one with the knowledge of how to take down Homelander.
This feels like what will carry over to The Boys’ final season, so Marie and her team must succeed.
With this episode, we get a good glimpse into the future, but I have a feeling that something is yet to come.
Marie
The episode’s MVP is Marie as she finally learn her roots and what is needed from her.
But she has carried much trauma, and the future threatens to heap on some more. Her sister is a constant reminder of everything she lost at a young age.
The anger that Annabeth carries is a constant reminder that life will never be the same again. However, Annabeth’s anger towards Marie feels unjustified. After all, Marie was also just a child when everything happened.
I’ll chalk it up to Annabeth’s age because anyone half-mature would understand that Marie is not to blame for what happened to their parents.
Still, there might be some light at the end of the tunnel because no matter what happened, they were sisters and could find their way back to each other again.
Will repairing her relationship with her sister be enough for Marie, given that her relationship with Jordan is showing signs of strain?
Jordan’s fundamental flaw is their inferiority complex. They never think they’re good enough, and even after topping the recent rankings, they still don’t believe they deserve it.
Seeing Marie’s powers continue to grow threatens the little security they have in themselves, and fractures begin to show in this episode.
Jordan is constantly on edge, and no amount of jokes can hide that they’re either concerned for Marie or jealous. I’m betting on the latter.
After all, God U and the supe world is all about competition. It’s a popularity contest that was ingrained in these kids since they were young. It’s only rational that they would feel it all the time.
“Cooking Lessons” cooks and then some. It blows everything wide open and sets up an intense showdown between the good guys and Homelander. But even with Marie, will they win? The good guys don’t always win.
Stray Thoughts
- Emma and Sam need not happen. Rekindling past feelings is seldom a good idea. Things are good with Greg; let them stay that way.
- Gen V Season 2 is not doing a good job of making Sam feel like an important part of the story this season. This attempt to pair him with Emma is pathetic. Even if she’s evil, Cate feels like she’s earned her place in the team, and all he does is … stare.
- I know Polarity is here to keep Andre’s memory alive, but I haven’t cared about what’s going on with him. However, his ability to resist Cipher’s control intrigues me.
Over to you, Gen V fanatics. What did you think of this episode? Did it carry as much significance as I thought?
Drop a line in the comments section, and if you’re in the mood for more, take a look at our other opinion pieces, especially on how Gen V handles the topic of mental health.
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