The first scene of Gen V season 2, episode 5 shows a half compassionate, half screwed up side to our big bad, Cipher when caring for his father. We meet his unnamed companion, played by Keeya King. It turns out she’s the CEO of Vought.
With the fight concluded, Jordan struggles with Cipher having controlled her body during the match. There’s a rift building between them and Marie. Cipher breaks into their conversation and reveals Cate’s in the detention center for her role in trying to expose him and as an example. It’s interesting how he keep telling Marie she should feel exhilarated and wanting to know what comes next, yet she hasn’t agreed or express an interest in that so far.
Speaking of Elmira Detention Center, we see them use shock collars on the Supes to keep them from using their powers. Cate gets to be an example of this in action.
Sam decides to visit his family home. One of his parents is happy to see him, the other looks afraid. Conversations with his father reveal how Vought told his parents he was dead and the later, that he refused to see them. But then, he wigs out, believing his mother was calling Vought on her cell. She later explains to him why he was given the Compound V, and it wasn’t to give him powers.
Emma, Jordan, and Marie discuss the option of breaking Cate out of Elmira over drinks. Is it something Cipher might want them to try? Marie says, since he believes she’s a kind of weapon, she should use it to break Cate out. The memory of Andre dying inside the detention center hangs over their conversation. No one wants Cate to suffer the same fate. Emma reaches out to Sam, but he declines to help them.
Cipher meets with Polarity who asks about Marie. The dean expresses no remorse about pushing Andre to a breaking point, which brings negative reaction from Polarity. We learn something more about what Cipher can do. This episode hints at his relationship with pain.
Cate’s rescue is short lived with her rescuers reviving in cells, each wearing the new shock collar. It’s unclear why Emma’s cell is different from the others. Meanwhile, Polarity’s affliction returns.
In order to force Marie to work with him, Cipher takes her to see her lost sister, who is in a cell. Marie’s naturally outraged.
Cate manages to escape her cell and breaks Emma out with her. They get Marie and Jordan out but realize there are no guards when they head for Annabeth’s cell. The reason is apparent when they find the sister bleeding out in her cell. It’s another push on Marie to use her powers. Cipher’s manipulations are working.
I’m a little disappointed they didn’t release all of the other inmates, even if just to cause some chaos. Maybe the writers think that’s overdone in stories these days. Not doing so, gives our heroes a shade of callousness I don’t care for. Still, I’m intrigued to see what the next episode has in store.