Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Gen V season 1, episode 3!
Summary
- Gen V's premiere episode ends with a shocking twist as Golden Boy dies, leaving viewers in awe and many unknowns surrounding his death.
- Golden Boy's death serves as the catalyst for the rest of the show's story, with the characters investigating the suspicious events surrounding him.
- Killing off major characters like Golden Boy and Coach Brink early on in Gen V proves that no one is safe and sets the stage for the series to take wild turns in the future.
Gen V has premiered with a bang, as episode 1 ends with a shocking twist in which Golden Boy dies. Golden Boy's death was completely unexpected by many viewers, with the premiere episode's shocking conclusion leaving many viewers in awe. Despite Gen V premiering with three episodes, there are still a lot of unknowns surrounding Golden Boy's death, including why he killed Coach Brink, why he ended his own life, and what will happen next. It seems like most of Gen V's story will revolve around the characters investigating the suspicious events surrounding Golden Boy, and while there is definitely still information to come, here's everything we know so far.
Gen V is finally out, with the highly-anticipated spin-off of Amazon Prime's The Boys kicking off with a three-episode premiere. The episode follows a band of young supes attending the Vought-run Godolkin University, with the characters competing to stand out and fill one of the vacant spots on The Seven. At the beginning of the series, Golden Boy seemed like a shoo-in for one of the spots, with him being the highest-ranked supe at Godolkin. However, things quickly changed upon Golden Boy's murder, rampage, and death, with many Godolkin students still scratching their heads. There's a lot to break down, as Golden Boy's death may have changed everything.
Why Golden Boy Takes His Own Life In Gen V Episode 1
Gen V ends with Golden Boy taking his own life, with this shocking event being the catalyst for the rest of the show's story. After being kicked out of Godolkin, Marie decides to confront Coach Brink, angrily returning to his office. Once there, Marie witnesses Golden Boy burning Brink alive, with him eventually falling over dead. Realizing that he has been caught, Golden Boy attempts to kill Marie, only to be stopped by fights with Andre, Jordan, and Marie. The battle continues outside, where various Godolkin students witness and record the event. After some cryptic messages, Golden Boy flies into the air and ends his life in a bloody explosion.
Although Golden Boy's motives aren't explicitly stated, there is room for some speculation regarding why Golden Boy did what he did. Golden Boy most likely knows that he has been caught, and due to his attempts to take down and expose Vought, bad things are to come. Golden Boy may also feel guilt over his actions, as he truly seems emotionally distraught when Marie discovers him. It doesn't seem like Golden Boy initially planned on taking his own life, as he first tried to kill Marie upon being discovered. It seems more likely that Golden Boy's death was his final option, as he knew a cover-up was impossible now.
Why Golden Boy Kills Coach Brink In Gen V Episode 1
Although Coach Brink kicked Marie out of college in an attempt to cover up Andre's accidental killing, he didn't seem like an explicit villain. Coach Brink had a warm exterior and seemed to genuinely care about the supes that attended Godolkin, meaning that it is unknown why Golden Boy killed him in Gen V episode 1. Very little is currently known about Coach Brink's relationship with Golden Boy, and due to both of them dying in the premiere, it may be hard to uncover more information. However, Gen V has given a few hints as to what was going on with Coach Brink.
Golden Boy's main motivation in Gen V seems to be exposing a program known as the Woods. The Woods is still veiled in mystery as of Gen V episode 3, but it seems that the program is a Vought-run experimental system in which various supes are held captive and tested in secret. Golden Boy's own brother is currently being held in the Woods program, and Golden Boy's murder of Coach Brink implies that he believes Brink is involved. Coach Brink's power over Godolkin University could mean that he is using the college to cover up for Vought's Woods program, with Golden Boy killing him in an attempt to stop it.
Why Gen V Killed Off Golden Boy & Coach Brink So Early
Both Golden Boy and Coach Brink were killed off in episode 1 of Gen V, with these major deaths in the premiere episode coming as quite a shock to viewers. Coach Brink and Golden Boy were heavily featured in the show's advertising campaign, as they are both played by major names. Actor Clancy Brown plays Coach Brink, while Arnold Schwarzenegger's son Patrick Schwarzenegger plays Golden Boy in Gen V. Many viewers expected that Golden Boy and Coach Brink would be mainstays of Gen V, so killing them off so early was quite a surprise.
Interestingly, it seems like killing off Golden Boy and Coach Brink so early in The Boys may have been the right choice. Having two big-name characters die in the premiere proves that no one is safe, meaning that any Gen V character could potentially be killed off next. On top of that, a rug-pull like the death of Golden Boy is a great way to kick off the series, as it instantly proves that the series is not playing things safe. If Gen V is willing to kill off these major characters in the first episode, nothing is off the table, meaning that Gen V can take some wild turns in the future.
How Golden Boy's Death Sets Up Gen V's Story (& The Boys Season 4)
The death of Golden Boy is wild in its own right, but it also sets up the entire story of Gen V. Most of episodes 2 and 3 of Gen V follows Golden Boy's friends investigating his death, with them attempting to locate his brother and uncover the secrets of the Woods. Golden Boy's death was the catalyst of Gen V's main arc, meaning that the show really couldn't happen if he was alive. Golden Boy's fight with Marie and Andre also launched the two supes into stardom, forever changing the trajectories of their lives in a big way.
Golden Boy's death goes far beyond Gen V, however, as it may also set up the story of The Boys season 4. Golden Boy was set to be a new member of The Seven, but his death means that another character could take the spot in The Boys season 4. On top of that, Vought is currently having to deal with the fallout of the supe's death, something that may continue in the next season of The Boys. Golden Boy's death will have a ripple effect on the entire universe of The Boys, proving that the Gen V spin-off will have a huge impact on the main series.
New episodes of Gen V release Fridays on Amazon Prime.