Who Is Gen V's John Godolkin?
While many comic readers can tell you that with great power comes great responsibility, the characters of Amazon's hit series "The Boys" clearly need a refresher. Based on the satirical comics by Garth Ennis, the television series dares to ask, what if superheroes were like real people? Employed by the powerful company Vought, superheroes are now privatized and out for hire. Because they bring in revenue, sociopaths such as Homelander (Antony Starr) are given free rein to do their worst with no repercussions.
Now that "The Boys" isn't wasting any time with Season 4, viewers are well accustomed to the tyranny of Homelander and Vought. But what is the story about supes before they get famous? Do younger-powered superheroes have the choice not to be corrupted by fame? This angle will be fully explored in the spinoff series, "Gen V." The first trailer for "The Boys" spinoff promises just as much blood and viscera as its predecessor and even more villainy. Set at Godolkin University, "Gen V" introduces a new cast of characters and the mysterious benefactor John Godolkin who is the influence behind a new generation of supes.
John Godolkin is not your friendly neighborhood team leader
When considering beloved superhero team leaders, the options are endless. Charles Xavier rescues lost mutant children and teaches them at a school for the gifted. Nick Fury may be slightly more hardline in his pursuits, but he still has honorable intentions in uniting The Avengers. But when viewers are introduced to the leader of the G-Men, don't expect it to be heartwarming. Typical of the world of "The Boys," John Godolkin is a despicable outright villain.
A clear reference to the X-Men of Marvel fame, the G-Men are a superhero team united by one person. Unfortunately for the characters of "The Boys," Godolkin is no Professor X. Instead of being driven by a sense of altruism, you will find no redeeming qualities in this team leader. While Professor X only wants to help young mutants, Godolkin only wants to take advantage of the G-Men. Abducting children from their homes at a young age, Godolkin sexually abuses them as a way to indoctrinate them into his service. His grooming and abuse are so severe that his former victims even join in on the assault of new G-Men recruits. And like Homelander working for Vought, Godolkin's activities are accepted simply because his team is one of the best.
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Godolkin is an underlying threat in Gen V
John Godolkin's crimes do not go unanswered in "The Boys." Godolkin's evil runs its course after Hughie learns about all the pain he has caused. He is shocked to learn that the G-Men have been brainwashed by their leader, even accepting his brutal treatment of them as a positive. But instead of meeting retribution from The Boys, it is Vought who ultimately takes him down. In an unsurprising turn of events, Vought isn't motivated by saving innocent people but by protecting their brand from bad press.
Since the supe college in "Gen V" is named after the villain, we can expect him to make some sort of appearance in person or through deeds. Though Godolkin hasn't specifically been cast, the series will include the G-Men, as /Film points out.
The series follows a new student Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair), who finds herself in the middle of a competition with other young adults for the best superhero placement. With Godolkin's troubling history with children and the tendency for "The Boys" related properties to make large corporations the villain, it's clear that the university name is only a precursor of what is to come. Godolkin will likely show up, and when he does, one can only assume he will be just as monstrous as his comic counterpart.