The penultimate episode of Gen V Season 2 just turned its entire storyline on its head. The mysterious new dean, Cipher, was not who he appeared to be, and the revelation sets up a terrifying new threat that could surpass even Homelander. The episode, titled “Hell Week,” finally answered the burning questions about the burned man and Cipher’s true motives, revealing that the real villain had been hiding in plain sight all along.
The Cipher Mystery Is Solved
For most of the season, the character of Dean Cipher has been a central mystery. He displayed immense power, controlling other supes without having Compound V in his own blood. He was also shown caring for a severely burned man, whom he sometimes referred to as his “father.” In Gen V Season 2 Episode 7, this mystery was fully unraveled.
Marie Moreau and her friends tracked Cipher to the Godolkin University campus, determined to confront him and save the burned man, whom they believed was the school’s founder, Thomas Godolkin. Marie used her newly evolved powers to heal the man, successfully restoring him to health. However, the moment this happened, Cipher’s demeanor completely changed. He dropped his menacing act and began begging for his life, claiming his name was Doug Brightbill.
Doug revealed that he was not a supe at all, but an ordinary man whose last memory was working at a Blockbuster video store. He explained that he had been a puppet for decades, his body and mind completely controlled by the real Thomas Godolkin. The burned man was, in fact, Godolkin himself, and his grand plan was to manipulate Marie into using her powers to heal his body.
Thomas Godolkin’s True Power And Plan
With his body restored, Thomas Godolkin is now free. His powers are a terrifying combination of mind control and telepathy, allowing him to use other people as his vessels. For years, he was confined to a hyperbaric chamber due to his injuries, forcing him to operate through Doug. The character of Cipher was merely a disguise, a puppet that Godolkin used to run the university and execute his plans.
Godolkin’s ideology is extreme, even for the world of “The Boys.” He believes in a form of supe supremacy where only the strongest and most powerful supes deserve to exist. He views many of the students at his university as weak or mediocre and intends to “cull the herd.” The final scene of the episode shows him beginning this mission, using his powers to force a student with bondage-themed abilities to choke himself.
This new threat has direct implications for the wider universe. Godolkin has partnered with Sister Sage, and many fans theorize their ultimate goal is to find a way to control Homelander himself. Godolkin’s ambition and his disdain for what he sees as mediocre supes position him as a potential rival to Homelander’s power.
Marie’s Dangerous Transformation
The episode also highlighted a significant shift for the show’s protagonist, Marie Moreau. After being pushed to her limits by Cipher, Marie has unlocked new levels of her blood-bending power, including the ability to heal. However, this new power has come with a cost to her personality.
Marie has become more confident but also more arrogant and reckless. She is increasingly refusing to listen to her friends’ counsel, particularly Jordan Li, creating a rift between them. Her single-minded determination to handle Cipher alone led her to walk directly into Godolkin’s trap, effectively unleashing the very threat she wanted to stop. Her behavior is now showing concerning parallels to Homelander, suggesting a potential descent into villainy.
A Campus In Peril
The stage is now set for an explosive season finale. With Godolkin free and already beginning his purge of “unworthy” supes, the campus is in immediate danger. Marie and her friends must find a way to stop a villain who can turn anyone into an enemy with a single thought. Meanwhile, the truth about Cipher has reshaped the entire season, proving that the real enemy was the legendary founder of God U all along.
Also Read: Gen V Season 2: Cipher’s Plan to Reshape Godolkin University Revealed
