A fifth and final season of the hugely popular superhero satire series The Boys on Prime Video will debut on April 8, 2026. The show, which paints a stark contrast with that of other superhero universes, has a dark and cynical take on the whole superhero business and has garnered great prominence due to its outlandish approach. 

The Boys season 5 is poised for a very dramatic and unexpected ending, as implied by the official teaser trailer. And of course, a lot of gore and violence will follow the chaos, but the whole experience might need a little homework from the audience.

As the universe of The Boys has spread its branches, there is a concern regarding the need to watch Gen V before the final season of the original show.    

The answer to this question varies from person to person. The Boys season 5 does seem to have certain references from Gen V, but these are not embedded in the storyline of the new season in a way that will make the audience think that they are missing out on something. At least that is what the showrunner of the series, Eric Kripke, said recently.

“I try to strike a balance where obviously I want you to watch them all, but I don't want them to be required viewing,” Kripke said in an interview with Polygon. 

According to Kripke, the mention of the characters does not really disrupt the viewing experience, but it does provide the audience with an Easter Egg that might elevate the experience, as he stated to Polygon. Therefore, it really depends on individual viewing habits and how religiously one follows the franchise. 

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Even if Gen V does not play a big part in the final season, the mere reference to Marie in the show is bound to create intrigue around the character and her powers. 

Marie Moreau is one of the pivotal characters in Gen V, possessing a really special type of power in the show. It was revealed in Gen V season 2 that Marie's ability to manipulate blood stems from a study to use IVF to make incredibly powerful supes - an experiment that only she and Homelander survived. Throughout the season, Marie had considerably greater control over her powers, which she used to telekinetically move or even cause a heart attack by manipulating the blood in other people's bodies. 

As a result of all this, several characters began to speculate that Marie might be essential to defeating Homelander. Anyhow, Kripke’s refusal of her involvement in the main show, which has received high praise from early critics, ends these speculations. This also means that it is not really necessary to watch the spinoff, but those who want the viewing experience to be super smooth can go ahead and watch the series to catch the Easter Eggs.

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Will you watch Gen V before the final season of The Boys or not? Do let us know.