The Boys Season 5's Gen V References Explained: Everything You Need To Know

Contains spoilers for "The Boys" Season 5, Episode 1 – "Fifteen Inches of Sheer Dynamite"

Fans of "Gen V" will have a field day watching the Season 5 premiere of "The Boys." Viewers who are unfamiliar, on the other hand, might find themselves confused with the episode's many off-the-cuff mentions of the spin-off's events.

The first reference that might go over your head if you haven't seen "Gen V" involves Homelander (Antony Starr) and Sister Sage (Susan Heyward). There's a scene in which Homelander roasts Sage for being dumped by someone called Thomas Godolkin. Played by Ethan Slater, Godolkin is the overarching antagonist of "Gen V" and Sage's romantic interest during the show's sophomore season. The long-running AI and deepfake gag in "Fifteen Inches of Sheer Dynamite" also includes a brief attempt to spin all evidence of Godolkin's brutalities during the ending of "Gen V" Season 2 as AI.

Perhaps most notably, Starlight (Erin Moriarty) offhandedly mentions that "Gen V" protagonist Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair) is now leading her own team of Starlighters. This is set up at the end of "Gen V" Season 2, but if you haven't seen the show, the reference is liable to fly over your head. Considering the fact that Marie is one of the strongest "The Boys" characters out there, you'd think the show might have devoted a couple of seconds to explain why her presence may end up being a big deal in the endgame of "The Boys."

"Gen V" has always been inherently connected to its parent series, with several major "The Boys" characters having a role in its events. However, "The Boys" itself hasn't paid much mind to the spin-off. Sure, the ending of "The Boys" Season 4 features brief appearances by touch-based telepath Cate Dunlap (Maddie Phillips) and volatile powerhouse Sam Riordan (Asa Germann), but good luck recognizing them if you haven't kept up with "Gen V."

"The Boys" Season 5 is bold and occasionally brilliant, but if you haven't seen "Gen V" going into it then you might be a tad confused from time to time. It weaves together two different shows set in the same universe and it really expects that you have watched both. It's an approach that refuses to hold the hands of viewers, but if those "Gen V" references keep dropping with zero explanation, it might end up alienating those who have only watched the mothership show.

"The Boys" Season 5 is streaming on Prime Video.