Gen V Season 2 Episode 7 Review: Hell Week

Critic’s Rating: 4.5 / 5.0

4.5

Okay, I’ll admit that I never saw that coming.

Gen V Season 2 Episode 7, “Hell Week,” features a major reveal as the man in Cipher’s custody finally wakes up, and his true motives are revealed.

For the most part, I thought I had everything figured out. However, the episode flips the script by revealing that Cipher never existed and that it had been Goldolkin all along.

The problem with this reveal is that it feels forced because it introduces new questions that I’m not sure we’ll ever get the answers to.

For example, if Thomas were as smart as everyone believes, why could he not have healed his own body? Did he really need to create a supe with healing powers? What has he been doing all this time? Running Elmira?

The whole affair leaves me confused because it just seems unnecessary and was generated just for shock value, like the guy keeping people up his ass – literally.

Previous episodes had hinted at something different with Cipher when Marie discovered he didn’t have Compound V in his blood, yet he could still control other supes.

They made it seem like there was another mystery to unravel, so I feel like I’ve been robbed of something. Maybe I created expectations that the writers never intended to communicate in the first place.

Perhaps all those clues were hinting at one conclusion: Cipher is Thomas Godolkin. I’ll adjust in future episodes.

But all things considered, I kind of like Thomas Godolkin. Okay, like is too strong a word, so let’s go with understand. I understand him.

Given all the work he’s put into Odessa and God U, it’s only natural that he would want his project to be a success. So seeing supes whose power is, and I’m not picking on that guy, putting things up his butt, must be embarrassing.

Ethan Slater plays Thomas well, much to my surprise. He’s always left an impression of a soft boyfriend type, so seeing him embody a supervillain that well is exciting. The cold, flat calculated delivery makes Thomas scary, and that’s without factoring in his mind control tricks.

If Cipher, who is Thomas, instilled fear, then Thomas will make blood curdle.

Marie

The two latest episodes have been a turning point for Marie. She has tapped more deeply into her power, and I don’t like the results.

Marie has long disliked being a supe, and for good reason. This thing that she never asked for changed the trajectory of her life and continues to dictate everything in it.

She would have wished to lead a normal life, blend in, and not be special. She has fought that for a long time, but now, she has given in.

The power she unlocked in Gen V Season 2 Episode 6 has changed her entire being, and it shows. She is more confident, decisive, and strong. However, this makes her a bit cocky, careless, and indifferent.

She has started to exhibit some of Homelander’s traits, which is concerning. I suspected that we might be seeing her descent into villainy, and I’m afraid I might be right.

Marie has refused to listen to anyone’s counsel but her own, which has caused some conflict with the people closest to her.

Her cockiness is not helping her relationship with Jordan, who suffers from a serious inferiority complex.

Cracks had begun to show quite early on, so this betrayal will have a profound effect. Jordan has reached a point where they feel like they’re trying to catch up with whatever Marie decides to do.

I’m still reeling from the disappointment in their voice when they realized Marie had left them again. One could almost hear them thinking: And I’m supposed to be the strongest supe in God U, yet my girlfriend never considers my help?

While Thomas technically does not betray her, as he did stop Cipher, the bigger threat she has created will either knock some sense into her or send Marie deeper into villainy.

The King of Supe-remacy

If we thought Homelander was bad, Thomas Godolkin promises to make him look like an amateur.

Not only does he think that being a supe is the only thing that matters in the world, but he also believes strong supes are the ideal thing in the world.

There is no telling how he will react to learning that Vought has essentially commodified his invention and has platformed a lot of mediocre supes.

Will he think that Homelander is one of those mediocre supes? I highly doubt so. The man is almost indestructible and is the strongest supe in the world.

However, Thomas also has an ego. He gives strong “daddy’s home” vibes, and everyone must behave or risk annihilation. He may be able to tame Homelander. Or encourage the worst parts about him. We shall see.

It’s unpredictable how everything plays out from here on. But whatever happens will be interesting.

My reservations about the reveal aside, “Hell Week” does its job well. It sets up an explosive season finale that will change Gen V and the entire The Boys universe.

Stray Thoughts

• Am I the only one shipping Greg and Emma like my life depends on it? The scream I let out after that hug was felt across continents. Maybe you heard it.

• Regarding Sam and Cate, the latter can make it into the core group because she is actually working on becoming better, but the former does not even try. He just … stares and sulks.

My feelings about this reveal are all over the place, so I would love to hear what you thought, Gen V, fanatics. Did you see it coming? Chime in on the comments section.

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