Gen V Recap: A Very Big Sacrifice

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The second-to-last episode of *Gen V*’s season two is its shortest so far, clocking in at 36 minutes. It successfully builds towards the season finale by reintroducing a familiar enemy, but feels a bit rushed. While enjoyable, the episode doesn’t quite deliver its full potential, particularly for viewers who predicted the Cipher reveal earlier on.

The bulk of “Hell Week” centers on Marie’s mission to finally solve the Cipher problem, following Stan Edgar’s instructions to locate the aging Thomas Godolkin. Marie and Cate work well together, and would be even more effective if Marie could overcome her suspicion and trust Cate. This internal conflict is a key part of the episode. However, even after Cate sincerely promises to never use her powers on the team again, Marie struggles to fully believe Cate has truly changed.

When they reach Cipher’s home, both he and the man he calls “father” are missing. However, Polarity is still there, and he realizes he can use Cipher’s mind control powers against him by disrupting them with electromagnetic pulses. He’s become even stronger thanks to Marie’s help during a seizure, which completely stopped his tremors. This scene gives actor Sean Patrick Thomas a chance to really shine as Polarity experiences heartfelt relief at finally feeling well.

It’s frustrating that Cate can’t find any emotional release right now. She and Marie argue again about where her loyalties lie, and Marie angrily blames Cate for Andre’s death – honestly, who *hasn’t* been blamed at this point? Even Polarity jumps in, defending Cate and admitting his own responsibility, as he kept his son’s dangerous genetic condition a secret. Before they can resolve anything, Cipher interrupts from the training room, repeating his offer: Marie can train with him to become incredibly powerful. If she refuses, she and everyone she cares about will suffer, along with all the other superpowered people Cipher intends to eliminate.

As all this unfolds, the group divides to search for Marie and alert her to Annabeth’s disturbing vision of a badly injured Marie. During the ride back to campus, Annabeth starts to explain her abilities to Jordan. Jordan, in turn, asks if he and Marie are a couple, to which Jordan replies he thought they were. Even if they survive this situation, it may be difficult for Jordan to trust Marie again. Marie claims she doesn’t want to be special, but she consistently acts like a classic hero, quietly taking action and putting herself at risk.

It’s great to be back with the characters on campus after a break. The college environment is what really makes *Gen V* unique – it’s essentially an R-rated version of *Sky High*, and that idea is instantly appealing. However, I didn’t enjoy the main hazing storyline in this episode. Having Sam assigned a pledge, Hemple, to follow him around as a sort of subservient helper just wasn’t very funny, and it felt out of place given the intensity of ‘Hell Week.’

I wish the show had focused more on the relationships between Sam and Emma, or Sam and Greg. I’m confused about how I’m supposed to feel about this love triangle. While it seems like we’re meant to want Emma to choose Sam – they have a strong connection and history from the first season, and we don’t know Greg very well – I don’t actually feel that way. Sam being jealous of Greg doesn’t make me want Emma and Sam to get back together. I’m still interested in seeing if Emma and Greg have potential as a couple – their chemistry is undeniable! I honestly don’t know how the finale will resolve this, but I wouldn’t be shocked if one of the guys doesn’t return for the next season.

As Marie heads to find Thomas Godolkin, Annabeth stops her and shares a warning based on a premonition she had. Annabeth then reveals she actually *saw* their parents’ deaths before they happened, which is how she proves her ability to see the future. She admits she’s struggled with guilt and even blamed her sister instead of accepting responsibility. It’s good to see her finally take ownership of her actions, but it would be refreshing if just one character on the show didn’t carry the weight of someone else’s death on their shoulders.

Marie is determined to follow through with her plan, and she prevents her friends from interfering by lifting them into the air, just as she did with Jordan – which, honestly, might be enough to make someone end a relationship. While Cate offers to help and heal her, Marie is insistent on handling things on her own. She’s now confident in her abilities, and it’s clear from her past experiences with Cipher that she actually thrives on becoming more powerful.

Naturally, the group refused to let Marie go off by herself. While Polarity, Greg, Sam, and Jordan kept Cipher busy, Emma, Cate, and Annabeth went to find her. They discovered she had already found and healed Godolkin, restoring him to the man we saw in the season’s opening flashback (played by Ethan Slater). He’s now full of energy and incredibly thankful to Marie for relieving his suffering. But it was Cate who realized the shocking truth when she saw Godolkin: he was the original Cipher all along. The man they thought was Cipher was just a normal human named Doug, used as a vessel by this powerful superpowered being. Polarity and the others discovered this when “Cipher” collapsed and confessed, “He’s finally out of my head.”

Next week’s episode will delve into the consequences of the recent reveal. While Ethan Slater is strong and intimidating in the final scene – establishing his villainous plan by making Hemple kill himself – I’m disappointed to see Hamish Linklater leave the show. Linklater was captivating all season, and I’m not sure Slater can match his unique charm. Whether the finale is successful may depend on what happens with the characters we care about. Will Marie embrace her heroic side, or will the lure of power prove too strong?

Extra Credit

The introduction of Hemple felt crude and over-the-top, though after watching shows like *The Boys*, I’m almost used to that level of shock value. It made me wonder if there are any other interesting superpowers beyond the repetitive and frankly unpleasant trope of… well, you get the idea. I really regret having to type that sentence.

Sam’s thoughts on his emotions were thought-provoking, but I would have liked to see more of how he actually sought treatment. I enjoyed the scene with his parents, but that single episode felt responsible for showing too much of his progress and recovery.

The battle against Cipher, where he forces his opponents to fight amongst themselves, is quite entertaining.

I recently felt disappointed when a show replaced an actor I really liked with someone less engaging – it happened with *The Flash* on the CW. While Matt Letscher did a decent job as Eobard Thawne/Reverse Flash, he wasn’t nearly as captivating as Tom Cavanagh’s portrayal of the same villain, originally named Harrison Wells in the first season. The show’s writers seemed to recognize that as well.

The episode concluded with Frank Sinatra’s “Young at Heart” playing as Thomas walked across campus – a fitting and enjoyable choice.

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2025-10-15 19:55