Gen V Episode 1's Ending Shatters All Assumptions About The Boys Series

Contains spoilers for "Gen V" Season 1, Episode 2 — "First Day"

The sticky, icky world of "The Boys" is back with a brand-new spin-off. Wasting no time proving that its characters are worthy of sharing the same space as Billy Butcher (Karl Urban) and Homelander (Antony Starr), the series premiere of "Gen V" is bloody from shocking start to finish, proving that even with the gore and vicious back-and-forth between characters we're familiar with in this world, the superschool-set series still takes us in a direction few would have anticipated. At first, the stage is set for Luke, aka Golden Boy (Patrick Schwarzenegger), to be the next Homelander, laying the idea that he might even play a more significant part in the grand scheme of things in the franchise's flagship show. His winning smile and unrivaled power are enough to suggest he's going all the way ... but then, well, that blows up in everyone's faces.

Not only is the sight of this Human Torch-like figure getting burned a shock but so is his brutal execution of his supposed mentor, Professor Rich Brinkerhoff (Clancy Brown). While Brown's appearance as Lothal's governor on "Ahsoka" is brief, having him step into the Boys-verse seemed fitting. This towering presence who has previously dabbled in superhero worlds (he's voiced Lex Luthor in over a dozen projects) seems right at home, making it hard to believe that Brink is turned to dust after an excessively heartwarming hug from one of his favorite students. But all that's left is to pick up the remains and break down what it could mean for some students at Godolkin University.

While seeing a character get brutally offed in the world of "The Boys" isn't anything new, having it be an up-and-comer who is touted as Homelander 2.0 establishes just what kind of show we as an audience are walking into. "The Boys" has always been about a ragtag team rebelling against a supercharged system, whereas "Gen V" feels very much like a whydunit conspiracy theory tale set to unfurl. What makes it an even more compelling watch is that, with its top heroic contender already gone, anyone else could suffer a similar fate, no matter where they are in the school rankings.

One cue that "Gen V" seems to be taking from "The Boys" is to root for the underdog, powers or not. So far on the series, that's the Blood Queen herself, Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair), who is quite literally taking over the school. But getting all this attention overnight could put her in even greater danger and just like so many others in this world of costumes and corruption, send her down a path that isn't that heroic after all. You know what they say: You either die a hero, or you live long enough to graduate as a villain.