A compelling theory aboutThe Boyssuggests a powerful supe turning against Homelander, which may shape up inGen Vseason 2.The Boysseason 5will be the show’s final run, andaudiences are expecting the 2026 season to finally offer a climactic battle between the Boys and Homelander, which has been anticipated for years. With opportunities to defeat Homelander missed out on, the question for season 5 becomes “how?” There are some complex protagonists onThe Boys, but none of them stand a chance in combat against the Superman parody.
BeforeThe Boysseason 5 graces our screens, Amazon Prime Video is delivering the next installment of its superhero universe in September:Gen Vseason 2. The college-focused supe series premiered in 2023, with its story pouring intoThe Boysseason 4. Characters fromGen V, Cate Dunlap (Maddie Phillips) and Sam Riordan (Asa Germann), appeared in the main show for brief roles, evidently on Homelander’s side, appearing inThe Boysseason 4’s endingto capture Frenchie and Kimiko.
Gen V Season 2 Could Be Redeeming Cate (& It Should)
Cate Could Make Amends For Season 1’s Ending
Cate is a complicated character inGen Vseason 1, with her betrayal serving as a pivotal moment. Homelander’s arrival at the end ofThe Boysseason 1 makes Cate and Sam heroes, despite Cate being the one to initiate the bloodbath. She’s done some terrible things, and yet her brief time in theGen Vseason 2 trailershows her pretending they didn’t happen. A short snippetshows Cate welcoming Jordan and Emma back, seemingly ignoring everything that’s happenedbetween them.
This brief scene indicates Cate is the reason they’re now free, compared to where they ended up inGen Vseason 1’s finale, and audiences have speculated that it’s going to be the start of her redemption arc. This could also explain why she’s barely present in the trailer, as if they’re trying to hide what her arc is going to be. We’ve seen before with characters inThe Boysuniverse that getting an inside look at the Seven can turn someone rather quickly, andCate feeling remorseful for her actions would be an intriguing next step for her.
Cate Becoming A Hero Would Fit With Her X-Men Inspiration
Cate Is The Boys' Emma Frost
There are a number of X-Men characters whom audiences have connected Cate with, including Jean Grey and Rogue. However,the more notable inspiration for her presumed season 2 arc is Emma Frost, a powerful mutant who’s shifted between hero and villain throughout Marvel canon. Audiences on social media have already noted that her appearance in the season 2 trailer looked a lot like Black Queen Emma Frost, a moniker she used while leading the Dark X-Men.
The Boysuniverse is known for taking elements from Marvel and DC to the extreme, and we’ve seen Cate’s version of this. It would be an excellent choice to now bring her back over to the other side, making her an antihero-like character to develop throughout the future ofThe Boysfranchise. After all, this franchise’s specialty is creating heroes with questionable motives, and Cate is one of the most fascinating new introductions it’s had since the original batch of supes.
Cate Would Be A Huge Asset For The Fight Against Homelander In The Boys Season 5
Cate’s Telepathy Could Be A Problem For Homelander
As mentioned, defeating Homelaner will be a steep barrier. With Soldier Boy set to return inThe Boysseason 5, he could play a factor, but the Boys are going to need allies who aren’t actively against them as well. Cate certainly wouldn’t be trustworthy, but her powers would undoubtedly make her useful. She wouldn’t stand a chance against Homelander in a fist fight, but her telepathy would make her an interesting adversary for him.We have no reason to believe that Homelander is immune to telepathy, which could make Cate incredibly important inThe Boys.
