What could be Cipher's power in Gen V? Possibilities explored

The first three episodes of Gen V Season 2 set up an intriguing season and characters. One of these characters is Dr. Gold/Dean Cipher, played by Hamish Linklater, who also voiced Batman in the Prime Video animated series Batman: Caped Crusader last year. Much like his current name, not much is known about Cipher.

Ever since his introduction, fans have been asking the same question: "What is Cipher's power in Gen V?" The closing minutes of the first episode of this season show footage from the upcoming episodes. One of these moments is that of Cipher taking a knife midway and stabbing himself on his hand. This moment from Gen V Season 2 has fans come up with not one but two wild theories.

What is Cipher's power in Gen v?

As mentioned earlier, his superpower appears to be resistance to pain. However, some fans believe that season 2's Cipher might be suffering from congenital analgesia or CIP, a condition in which one can't feel pain. Thus, it seems that Dean Cipher might be like Stan Edgar, a human who is not afraid of any of the supes, which only makes "supeheroes" avoid them.

Linklater addressed Cipher's agenda in a ScreenRant interview with Joe Deckelmeier after the first three episodes of Gen V Season 2 streamed together on September 17, 2025:

"He’s trying to make a master race out of a master race. That’s his idea, and his tool is going to be Marie. He thinks she’s the one who’s going to give him supremacy over the other supremacist, Homelander."

In the same interview, the Dean Cipher actor drew an interesting parallel with another Gen V Season 2 character, Polarity:

"Well, we do, we represent that. But I think Cipher thinks that he’s going to figure out the workaround. I mean, frankly, if he can build Marie into as powerful a creature as he thinks he can, then she’s going to take care of whatever these side effects might be of these superpowers, and then his army’s really going to be strong."

Apart from him being a human, fans have another wild theory regarding Dr. Gold/Cipher.

Some believe that Cipher is a vessel for Thomas Godolkin

The third episode of season 2, H Is for Human, revealed Marie Moreau's origin. We learn that she was created in a lab instead of being conceived naturally. But we also learn something more important: "Dr. Gold", the doctor who delivered Marie, is the man who serves as the current Dean of Godolkin University, i.e., Cipher.

This clue has fans believe that Thomas Godolkin did not die but rather managed to somehow transfer his consciousness into the body of the man currently known as "Cipher".

What do we know about season 2?

The first three episodes of the second season set up a new status quo, as it takes place after the events of The Boys Season 4. Thus, the status of humans in Godolkin University is bleak, as they are treated as second-class citizens. The new dean of Godolkin University, Cipher, has made it his mission to make the place more militarized and has a supe supremacist agenda. He is also weirdly interested in Marie for unknown reasons:

"School is back in session. As the rest of America adjusts to Homelander's iron fist, back at Godolkin University, the mysterious new Dean preaches a curriculum that promises to make students more powerful than ever. Cate and Sam are celebrated heroes, while Marie, Jordan, and Emma reluctantly return to college, burdened by months of trauma and loss. But parties and classes are hard to care about with war brewing between Humans and Supes, both on and off campus. The gang learns of a secret program that goes back to the founding of Godolkin University that may have larger implications than they realize. And, somehow, Marie is a part of it."

Trending

The first three episodes of Gen V Season 2 are accessible via streaming on Prime Video. Catch them on the streaming platform before the fourth episode releases next week.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback