The Boys' Vulgar Parody Of Marvel's Iron Man Is Coming (Prepare To Squirm)

Contains potential spoilers for "The Boys" and "Gen V" television series

A long-awaited Supe is set to make his debut in the upcoming "The Boys" spinoff series, "Gen V," as the comic book's parody of Iron Man (with a hint of Batman), Tek Knight, has officially been confirmed to make his first live-action appearance in the upcoming show.

In a wide-ranging look at "Gen V," a new show set in "The Boys" universe that will focus on young adult superheroes who compete against one another at the Godolkin University School of Crimefighting, Entertainment Weekly shared new details about the streaming series. One of the most exciting reveals is the confirmation that "Future Man" actor Derek Wilson, who appeared as Donnie Schenck in "Preacher," another Garth Ennis-comic adaptation, will play Tek Knight, aka "The Boys'" version of Iron Man. However, considering the character's offensive storyline in the comics, it remains to be seen whether the Supe is the same as his comic book counterpart or if the show takes him in a much different direction.

Tek Knight is a character fans of "The Boys" have been patiently waiting to see appear in live-action after the Supe was mentioned briefly in the Amazon Prime series' first season. In the comics, Tek Knight, who first appeared in "The Boys" #7 (by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson), is a founding member of the superteam Payback, where he served as the group's Iron Man-like Supe. Tek Knight isn't powered by Compound V and doesn't have abilities like other Supes; instead, he wears a high-tech suit of armor that allows him to fly and gives him enhanced strength and other upgrades. The character's civilian life as Robert Vernon resembles Batman's, as he lives in a mansion with his butler while taking on sidekicks of his own, an angle "The Boys" boss Eric Kripke says the series leans into.

What makes the character so twisted is that he's a sex addict with zero control when it comes to assaulting both fellow heroes and inanimate objects. But despite Tek Knight not being able to control his impulses, he is one of the more measured and sympathetic Supes in "The Boys," as he wrestles with doing the right thing and not being overcome by his desires. Unfortunately, Tek Knight is killed in a fiery explosion in which he believes he's redirecting an asteroid heading for Earth by having sexual intercourse with it. That turns out to be an illusion created by his illness, as Tek Knight's death really happens when he is crushed to death by a wheelbarrow. It remains to be seen whether "Gen V" will adapt this specific storyline, and considering how "The Boys" universe has handled other shock-value storylines from the comic it's based on, it may do something completely different with Tek Knight.

Making Tek Knight's storyline less edgy wouldn't be the first time "The Boys" live-action universe changed a comic book character in a significant way. Soldier Boy's (Jensen Ackles) entire story and connection to Homelander are only loosely based on two characters who used the name in the comics. Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell') has an entirely different person under the mask, departing from the comic's Homelander clone storyline. Aya Cash's Stormfront is a male in "The Boys" comics, where his DNA is used to create Homelander as opposed to the show, where she's placed in a relationship with the series' primary Supe. Meanwhile, Jessie T. Usher's A-Train has a much smaller role than he does on the show, with the character only making a few appearances before being killed.

"The Boys" has also taken the opposite approach to make some characters even more screwed up than their comic book counterparts, namely Chase Crawford's The Deep, who possesses the same powers and name as the Supe he's based on but is a much more terrible person in the series.

Placing Tek Knight in the world of "Gen V" first instead of making his debut on "The Boys" may indicate that the character will experience some significant changes. After all, the entire premise of "Gen V" is only loosely based on the comics, as many of the show's young characters are original creations. Will Tek Knight serve as their mentor or use his wealth and technology to become a foe of the Supes-in-training while being a major creep? Regardless of how he's ultimately portrayed, it could set the stage for him to join The Seven in "The Boys" Season 4 — assuming he survives his "Gen V" experience.