Gen V season 2 episode 4 review — Cipher’s dominance, Marie’s blood power, and a deadly joke about Elon Musk

Gen V reaches the midpoint of its second season with an episode that never loses momentum. Cipher’s presence dominates every scene, Marie is pushed to terrifying extremes, and the younger supes find strength in new alliances.

It’s one of the most charged chapters yet, proof that Gen V is fully in sync with the world of The Boys.

Cipher everywhere, power everywhere

Cipher emerges as the central figure in Gen V, not just pulling strings but stepping directly into the fight. With a single look, he compels Jordan to attack Marie, turning a sparring session into a chilling display of obedience.

His influence feels boundless, and even Marie’s attempt to read his blood only deepens the mystery. The apparent absence of Compound V suggests something unsettling about who or what Cipher really is, keeping him as the most unpredictable piece on the board.

Marie pushed to her limits

The battle between Marie and Jordan is one of the most gripping sequences Gen V has delivered so far. Jordan becomes both victim and weapon under Cipher’s control, while Marie unleashes her blood manipulation at a scale that shocks even her allies.

Watching her lift Jordan into the air by their veins shows just how lethal her powers are. It also underscores why she’s emerging as a potential counterweight to figures like Homelander, placing Gen V right at the heart of The Boys universe.

Emma, allies, and shifting loyalties

Beyond the fight, the episode also gives space for Emma and the circle of allies forming around her. Their attempts to resist Cipher and support Marie show how much the younger supes have grown since Gen V first began.

The bonds forged here feel fragile yet meaningful. In a world where loyalty often lasts only until the next manipulation, the way Emma and others rally together becomes one of the most moving aspects of Gen V.

Blood, bodies, and the Elon Musk joke

Even in the middle of violence, Gen V doesn’t forget its satire. When Cipher names a goat Elon Musk and pushes Marie to use her powers on it, the moment lands as both grotesque and darkly funny.

It’s a small gag with sharp edges. When the animal dies during training, the line between cruelty and comedy blurs, and Gen V reminds us that no symbol is too sacred to bleed.

Layers of satire in Gen V

The goat named Elon Musk, however, is not the only moment where Gen V sharpens its humor into something lethal. The entire episode plays with the absurdity of power, showing how cruelty can be dressed as training and how jokes cut as deeply as blades.

By twisting laughter into discomfort, the series continues the tradition of The Boys while carving its own identity. Satire here isn’t background noise, it’s a weapon.

Cipher’s mystery deepens

What Gen V makes clear is that Cipher isn’t simply another manipulative supe. The absence of Compound V in his blood adds a layer of dread that the characters can’t quite articulate.

If Cipher can control others so easily without the usual markers of enhancement, then the foundation of what defines a supe may be shifting. The unanswered questions about his nature make him the most dangerous element of the season so far.

The weight of new alliances

Amidst the chaos, Emma and the allies who rally around Marie offer moments of fragile hope. Their resistance against Cipher is messy, improvised, and risky, but it shows how much Gen V has grown its ensemble since the beginning.

The group’s loyalty is tested with every revelation, and while nothing feels permanent, their unity here is proof that survival in Gen V depends on connection as much as power.

Walking talking bloodbags

The phrase “walking talking bloodbags” doesn’t just apply to supes. This episode makes clear it extends to everyone, collapsing the distance between enhanced and ordinary humans.

By framing all bodies as vessels of blood, the show expands Marie’s powers into something more symbolic. In the larger mythology of The Boys, Gen V ties back to the idea that no one escapes the vulnerability of flesh.

A spin-off in perfect sync with The Boys

At the halfway mark, Gen V season 2 proves it’s not just complementing The Boys but actively preparing for its endgame. Each reveal, each fight, and each darkly comic twist feels like part of the same larger arc of power and decay.

This episode stands as one of the strongest yet, blending character, action, and symbolism into a seamless whole.

Rating with a touch of flair: 5 out of 5 veins pulled taut against the weight of power.