This article contains SPOILERS for season 2, episode 6 of Gen V.
Gen V season 2 rolls forward with our main Supes on the run still. There's a fight scene but even more plot reveals, potential threats exposed, and growing relationship angst. Tensions and anxious feelings between characters are high.
Episode 6, titled "Cooking Lessons," opens with a continuation of Emma (Lizzie Broadway), Marie (Jaz Sinclair), Cate (Maddie Phillips), Jordan (Derek Luh/London Thor), and Marie’s sister, Annabeth (Keeya King) fleeing the Elmira Detention Center. We see a hint of Annabeth’s powers right before Sam (Asa Germann) bursts through the wall to help them.
The group steals a van. As they’re driving away and discussing where to go, Annabeth freaks out about dying and Marie uses her blood powers to revive her. Marie admits that Cipher’s (Hamish Linklater) influence is helping her build her powers. Jordan hasn’t fully reengaged Marie since being beat up in the big fight.
A quick warning: there’s a tender scene with Cipher caring for his father. However, it quickly turns into physical elder abuse. I get that he’s a terrible being and we’re supposed to hate him. We already do. However, I don’t believe this was necessary.
Our Supes on the run stop at an abandoned Library to find it trashed and piles of burned books. It’s interesting that 1984 by George Orwell is lying on top. They search for supplies and clothing.
Apparently there’s electricity, a working phone, and internet service. So, the library is abandoned...but not fully. Sounds like a set-up to me. Marie and Annabeth may never reconcile, though not for lack of Marie trying, even as she assists her sister through a severe panic attack.
Polarity (Sean Patrick Thomas) awakens from his power-driven unconsciousness to see a smug Cipher sitting there. He tells Polarity that Marie will contact him and leaves a message for her. It’s clear Cipher only has interest in Marie and believes the others are worthless. When Polarity refuses to assist, Cipher uses his take-over powers to take the call regarding Marie.
All the calm at the library shatters when Vikor (Tait Fletcher) bursts on scene and starts beating on everyone. Bodies fly and furniture shatters as the battle rages. When he confronts Marie, he’s taken out by a new Supe, Zoe (Olivia Morandin).
Zoe’s grandfather, Edgar Newman (Giancarlo Esposito) is with her. Cate recognizes him as a former executive of Vought Industries. He’s happy to have found Marie. She insists the others leave with her and he agrees.
Edgar takes them to an underground bunker which he assures everyone the walls can protect them, even from Homelander. During conversation, he reveals the origins of the Odessa Project and that both Marie and Homelander are products of that research. Jordan and Cate tell him about the old, burned man Cipher keeps in a hyperbaric chamber. Edgar may know who he is.
Emma and Sam have a heart-to-heart talk about their relationship. A few conversations between others take ominous turns, particularly when Edgar shows Marie some of Thomas Godolkin’s research files.
We return to Cipher, who is still at Polarity’s house and raging. He goes on a typical villain rant about what his plans are for reducing the number of Supes at the university by 75%. Thankfully, Polarity’s anger allows him to focus his powers against the madman.
This episode concludes with Cate asking Marie to fix her powers. The two of them walk out out of Edgar’s facility. I find it interesting that the doors and outer gates are unlocked, and have no alarms.
With only two more episodes remaining in this season, I expect them to bring a lot of the character conjecture and foreshadowing into play. I’m curious if Homelander will show up at the end of the season, since many references to him hint that he might. A big show-down between him and Marie would rock. We shall see.