Every Gen V Character Ranked by How Much I Would Trust Them To Watch My Drink at a College Party
Photo Courtesy of Prime Video TV Lists list
We are currently over halfway through the first season of Prime Video’s college-set The Boys spinoff Gen V, and it’s been a wild ride so far, to say the least. Featuring everything from exploding genitalia to a (quite literal) underground conspiracy at the prestigious superhero-only Godolkin University, Gen V is a coming of age story on steroids, and filled to the brim with complex and interesting supes at its center.
In watching these complicated 20-somethings make difficult choices, whether it be for the betterment of themselves, their rankings and image, or their school, a question lingered: this series is set in college, so which of these characters would I actually trust to watch my drink at a party? An age-old symbol of true trustworthiness, this metric will put our favorite God U students to the test, all in an effort to see not who is destined to become a member of The Seven, but instead, to see who would be the most ideal drink-watching candidate.
8. Rufus
If Episode 4 was anything to go by, Rufus (Alexander Calvert) is the last person on the God U campus anyone should trust with anything, let alone to safely watch your drink. In fact, he would probably be the person to spike your drink in the first place. Or maybe he wouldn’t even need to—his power allows him to use pheromones to manipulate anyone who gets too close, including Marie (Jaz Sinclair), who he ends up whisking away to his dorm to (non-consensually!) take advantage of. Jordan (London Thor / Derek Luh) calls him “walking rufenal;” enough said.
7. Luke
Luke (Patrick Schwarzenegger) may have been God U’s literal “Golden Boy,” but his demise left a sour taste. While we know he only killed Brink (Clancy Brown) in an effort to save his brother, his attacks on both Marie and Jordan were still just as horrifying, ending in his guts raining over the commons. Luke’s unfortunate demise tainted his good name, and even though we know his heart was in the right place, he still remains a less-than-trustworthy option for this list.
6. Andre
While Andre (Chance Perdomo) does seem like a good person, especially in his efforts to save Sam (Asa Germann) and uncover the dark truth buried beneath the school, his carelessness makes him a terrible candidate for drink-watcher duty. As Marie pointed out to him in Episode 4, his heroic bid to save Sam wasn’t actually his at all, it was actually Emma’s (Lizze Broadway), who he sent into The Woods with no backup and little support. With the weight of his father’s expectations still squarely on his shoulders paired with his unreliability, Andre is a great character, but an awful choice for watching your drink at the God U mixer.
5. Cate
Cate (Maddie Phillips) is a bit of a toss-up. On one hand, she seems like a girls’ girl, with the way she offered support to Marie at the fundraiser during Episode 3. On the other hand, her power is quite literally to make people do anything she wants. And while she may say she’s “all about consent,” I think Rufus, the security guards, and all those she’s “pushed” throughout the series so far would beg to differ. Even after the twist in Episode 5 (we support women’s rights and wrongs), Cate is still a serviceable option, but if you can spot a different supe in the crowd, it might be worth seeking out another drink-watcher.
4. Sam
Sam does seem like a decent guy, really. His interactions with Emma in Episodes 3 and 4 were sweet and heartfelt, showcasing the soft heart behind the tortured mind. However, despite his seemingly good intentions, he’s got a lot to worry about—the last thing he needs is to be saddled with the responsibility of drink-watching. But when he can reign in the voices that plague him, he’s a decent choice in a pinch.
3. Jordan
Whether masc or fem, the protective energy that radiates from Jordan whenever they’re near Marie is overwhelming—though it remains to be seen just how much that protectiveness extends to others. For that reason, Jordan finds themselves not quite at the top (but still much higher than they land on the God U rankings, pointedly), though their heroic ambition does make them a great candidate for this specific job. Like Marie and Andre, Jordan does put themselves first over everyone, but their undying loyalty for Marie in particular showcases a watchful quality to Jordan. If Marie is involved, Jordan’s your hero, if she isn’t, well, you should still be fine.
2. Marie
In comparison to the other supes in this series, Marie is the one most determined to be a hero, and for the most noble of reasons. In an effort to redeem herself for accidentally killing her parents (in the eyes of both herself and her estranged sister), Marie wants to become the first Black female superhero in The Seven—and unlike a number of other superheroes within the cynical The Boys universe, she genuinely wants to help people. The only thing bringing Marie down in comparison to our heart-of-gold #1 pick is her ambition. While no one can blame her for putting herself first, her refusal to stand up for Jordan and her untruthful claim as the sole “Guardian of Godolkin” means that she will put her own goals above anything else. However, her recent recanting of that fact shows that she is willing to set her own goals aside to do what’s truly right. If you see Marie at the party, she’s definitely one to trust with your red solo cup.
1. Emma
Out of every single character in Gen V, Emma is undoubtedly the most loyal and trustworthy. She seems to have no ulterior motives, even finding herself on the receiving end of manipulation from students who used her story to further their own image. When she first meets Marie, she wants nothing more than to be her friend, helping her become accustomed to campus life; when Andre approaches her about doing recon on The Woods, she immediately says yes despite the clear and present danger; and upon meeting Sam, she instantly becomes ride or die for him—quite literally. Whether at a college party or at a hellish God U fundraiser, Emma is the first person to look for to watch your drink, and you couldn’t pick a better first friend to make on your first day of superhero college, either.
Anna Govert is the TV Editor of Paste Magazine. For any and all thoughts about TV, film, and her unshakable love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you can follow her @annagovert.
For all the latest TV news, reviews, lists and features, follow @Paste_TV.