Gen V Season 2 is over, which means that the creators and cast of the show are now free to do a full dissection of the season’s storyline and events. Showrunner Michele Fazekas has taken the conversation beyond the narrative events and character arcs of the season: he also addressed the elephant in the room: the tragic death of actor Chance Perdomo, who played one of Gen V‘s lead characters, Andre Anderson.
Gen V Season 2 made Chance’s death a part of the show by featuring a storyline where “Andre” also died. In the Season 2 storyline, it was explained that Andre tried to help his friends escape from The Elmira Center facility, ultimately sacrificing his life by overexerting his magnetic powers. To the show’s credit, Andre’s death was in many ways positioned as the narrative core of the season; it haunted the rest of the lead characters and provided deeper motivation for the group to get revenge on Thomas Godolkin (Ethan Slater) and stop his ‘Supe Supremacy’ agenda. There were also some pivotal scenes where the walls between show and reality were blurred enough to feel like very real grief and reverence for Perdomo were being conveyed onscreen.
Gen V Season 2 Would’ve Had A Higher Body Count
Chance Perdomo in “gen v”/Amazon Prime VIdeo
In his wrap-up interview, Fazekas revealed that Chance Perdomo’s death was so sudden and unexpected that they had to revise the entire storyline for Gen V Season 2. That started with a very divisive change in creative direction:
“Part of [those changes] were driven by the death of Chance Perdomo, and it really did change how the [season] ended,” Fazekas explained. “One of the really big things was — I didn’t want to kill anybody else. We already had someone actually die in real life, and a character in the show die [as a result]. I was very adamant that we’re not going to kill anybody else, because it seems so insignificant in light of what really happened.”
So, Gen V Season 2 would’ve likely left more bodies on the floor, if not for the triggering effect it might’ve had on both the fans, and the cast, who would’ve had to act out any death scene and resulting trauma it caused. So, Eric Kripke, Michele Fazekas and the rest of the creative team decided to go in a different direction. SPOILERS: The Season 2 finale saw the Godolkin Gang go on the run together, joining up with Starlight (Erin Moriarty) and A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) in their fledging resistance movement.
However, Michele Fazekas revealed that, in the original seasonal storyline, group bonding was not the intended outcome. However, the effect of Perdomo’s loss made them want to go with a more hopefull and uplifting outcome
“They probably wouldn’t have all ended up all together, but that [choice] really drove a lot of the choices that we made this season.”
How Gen V Season 2 Sets Up The Boys Season 5
Amazon Prime Video
Ironically enough, that change in story details and tone has sparked lively debate within The Boys fandom. The spinoff is arguably setting a new standard for how shared universe content is coordinated; the end of Season 2 has given Starlight and co. a legitimate fighting force, as well as the superpower set needed to tae out Homelander. In that sense, Gen V Season 2 is more relevant to The Boys final season than most DC or Marvel TV content tends to be, thanks in large part to its finale actually delivering relevant story connections. It’s an example those other franchises could stand to learn from.
Gen V could arguably carry on the franchise when The Boys ends with its next season; however, a lot of fans are growing tired of the main show’s cynical outlook on society, politics, and superhero lore. Gen V Season 2 offered a hopeful alternative, while still keeping that Boys universe edge. That likely wouldn’t have been the case if not for the loss of Perdomo, and it stands as a testament to his presence and influence on the show.
Gen V Season 2 is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.