The new dean of Godolkin University, Dr. Gold, known as Cipher, is not the supportive administrator he appears to be. Portrayed by Hamish Linklater, this mysterious character has been unveiling a terrifying plan throughout the second season of Gen V. By the sixth episode, his true motive is clear: to radically reshape the future of supes by eliminating those he deems unworthy.
Cipher’s Dangerous Ideology
Cipher’s goal for Godolkin University is not education but purification. He intends to wipe out nearly 75% of the student body, specifically targeting anyone he considers a weak supe. His plan is a cold, calculated form of natural selection designed to create what he believes will be a perfect race of supes. This ideology draws uncomfortable parallels to Nazi eugenics, a connection hinted at by the Nazi memorabilia discovered in his office.
Showrunner Michele Fazekas explained Cipher’s ruthless logic:
“He wants to eliminate the weak, because it’s almost like resource control. Let’s get rid of the what he thinks are the stupid ones, and just focus all of our efforts on the perfect ones, on the ones that will elevate us. He is basically trying to be the supe version of Darwin.”
This vision places him in direct opposition to other powerful figures in “The Boys” universe. While Homelander desires unity among supes, Cipher wants to separate the elite from the expendable, turning the university into a breeding ground for supremacy.
The Godolkin and Odessa Connection
Cipher’s plan is deeply connected to the legacy of the university’s founder, Thomas Godolkin. A flashback in the season premiere showed Thomas Godolkin, a behavioral scientist working with Frederick Vought, caught in a lab fire while developing the mysterious Project Odessa. This project was an experiment to create powerful, obedient supes.
In a major revelation, it was discovered that the horribly burned man Cipher has been keeping alive in a hyperbaric chamber is Thomas Godolkin himself. Cipher, who appears to be his son, has been exploiting Godolkin’s knowledge for years. This connection explains Cipher’s youthfulness, his strange condition, and his deep understanding of supe physiology.
Project Odessa produced only two known survivors: Homelander and Marie Moreau. Cipher believes that Marie’s blood-based powers are the key to healing supes of their weaknesses and advancing his agenda. His personal interest in training her is not noble; he sees her as a tool for achieving ultimate control.
Cipher’s Mysterious Powers and Control
Cipher is a formidable villain not just because of his ideology, but also because of his unique and unsettling powers. For much of the season, his abilities were a mystery, especially after Marie detected no Compound V in his bloodstream.
The truth was revealed during a forced fight between Marie and Jordan Li. Cipher demonstrated the ability to take complete control of Jordan’s body, operating them like a puppet from a distance. He described it as controlling “a meat puppet. With no strings.” Those under his control remain fully aware but powerless, feeling everything their body does under his command.
Beyond this possession power, Cipher exhibits superhuman strength, durability, and an eerie, near-omniscient awareness of events around him. He also shows a high tolerance for physical pain, with Jordan noting that Cipher seemed to be in constant pain while controlling them, though he suppressed it outwardly.
Setting the Stage for War
Cipher’s plan to cull the supe population starts at Godolkin but is intended to extend to the global supe community. This genocidal campaign sets the stage for the upcoming final season of “The Boys.” As the students of Gen V, led by Marie Moreau, work to expose and stop him, they are directly confronting a threat that could redefine the world’s power structure.
The final episodes of Gen V Season 2 are poised to directly lead into the events of “The Boys” Season 5, showing how the battle at Godolkin University is a critical front in the brewing war between humans and supes.
Also Read: Gen V Season 2 Episode 7: Release Time and Major Storylines Explained
