Diksha Sundriyal
Prime Video’s ‘Gen V’ follows the story of a group of young superheroes who discover a sinister plot in the underbelly of the prestigious university where they study. When they started college, they thought it would be the stepping stone they need to get to the top and become a part of the Seven. However, soon, they discover that things are not as glittery and glitzy as they look.
‘Gen V’ takes place in the same universe as ‘The Boys’ and even has a couple of appearances from major characters in the parent series. If you are wondering where ‘Gen V’ is placed according to the timeline of ‘The Boys’ and what it means for the fourth season of the show, here’s everything you need to know about it.
Gen V Timeline, Explained
The events in ‘Gen V’ take place between the events of ‘The Boys’ Season 3 and Season 4. The spin-off series follows its own story that barely overlaps with the narrative of ‘The Boys.’ However, several events from the latter are mentioned in the YA show, proving that the events in ‘Gen V’ align with the aftermath of the fourth season.
The season begins around eight years before the events of ‘The Boys’ Season 3 finale. At this time, things are not so bad, or at least, they don’t appear to be. Supes are still good, and the controversies surrounding The Seven are nowhere near the exposé from Starlight in the third season. In fact, things seem to be changing for the better as A-Train becomes the first Black Supe to join The Seven. This is when a young Marie gets her first period, and her powers start to show.
An eight-year jump brings us to the present timeline. The events of the third season have transpired, which means Victoria Neuman is completely immersed in the Presidential race, Homelander has killed an innocent bystander and is being tried for it, and Starlight has long left behind The Seven. One of the scenes in the show briefly gives us an update on the Seven Tower, which was destroyed during the showdown between Homelander and Soldier Boy and is still being repaired. Queen Maeve is dead (to the world), and so is Black Noir.
‘Gen V’ mentions almost all these events in its first three episodes. The departure of Starlight from The Seven is one of the most influential events in its universe, and while it hasn’t yet had a direct impact on the plot line of ‘Gen V,’ it does show that it has been barely a few months since all that happened. Apart from just being an Easter egg and serving the purpose of placing ‘Gen V’ in the same universe as ‘The Boys,’ these mentions pave the road for creating a greater link between the two shows.
Eric Kripke, the show’s creator, has talked about using ‘Gen V’ as a bridge between the third and fourth seasons. Because some time is supposed to pass between the two seasons, ‘Gen V’ serves as an excellent way to fill the gap and keep the audience updated about the things going on in the background while we follow the college Supes on their journey.
This means that by the end of the season, we might have information about how Homelander’s trial turns out or what direction the Presidential race takes. With this, the upcoming season of ‘The Boys’ won’t have to bother explaining what happened in between, and they can directly pick up the events from a convenient point and jump right into the action in Season 4. It has also been confirmed that the events happening in ‘Gen V’ will have repercussions on the larger narrative and impact the story of ‘The Boys’ Season 4.
Most of the events in ‘Gen V’ take place at Godolkin University, the premiere institute that churns out The Seven-material. With its direct connection to Vought, whatever happens to the uni and its students will impact the company’s reputation, especially regarding the highly secretive The Woods program. The fourth season of ‘The Boys’ might simply mention these events and then do its own thing, but there is a good possibility that whatever happens in the first season of ‘Gen V’ might create a chink in Vought’s armor and make it easier to bring down the evil corporation.
