A compelling theory about The Boys season 5 will be the show's final run, and audiences are expecting the 2026 season to finally offer a climactic battle between the Boys and Homelander, which has been anticipated for years. With opportunities to defeat Homelander missed out on, the question for season 5 becomes "how?" There are some complex protagonists on The Boys, but none of them stand a chance in combat against the Superman parody.

Before The Boys season 5 graces our screens, Amazon Prime Video is delivering the next installment of its superhero universe in September: Gen V season 2. The college-focused supe series premiered in 2023, with its story pouring into The Boys season 4. Characters from Gen V, Cate Dunlap (Maddie Phillips) and Sam Riordan (Asa Germann), appeared in the main show for brief roles, evidently on Homelander's side, appearing in The Boys season 4's ending to capture Frenchie and Kimiko.

Gen V Season 2 Could Be Redeeming Cate (& It Should)

Cate Could Make Amends For Season 1's Ending

Cate is a complicated character in Gen V season 1, with her betrayal serving as a pivotal moment. Homelander's arrival at the end of The Boys season 1 makes Cate and Sam heroes, despite Cate being the one to initiate the bloodbath. She's done some terrible things, and yet her brief time in the Gen V season 2 trailer shows her pretending they didn't happen. A short snippet shows Cate welcoming Jordan and Emma back, seemingly ignoring everything that's happened between them.

This brief scene indicates Cate is the reason they're now free, compared to where they ended up in season 1's finale, and audiences have speculated that it's going to be the start of her redemption arc. This could also explain why she's barely present in the trailer, as if they're trying to hide what her arc is going to be. We've seen before with characters in The Boys universe that getting an inside look at the Seven can turn someone rather quickly, and Cate feeling remorseful for her actions would be an intriguing next step for her.

Cate Becoming A Hero Would Fit With Her X-Men Inspiration

Cate Is The Boys' Emma Frost

Marvel Rivals - Emma Frost

There are a number of X-Men characters whom audiences have connected Cate with, including Jean Grey and Rogue. However, the more notable inspiration for her presumed season 2 arc is Emma Frost, a powerful mutant who's shifted between hero and villain throughout Marvel canon. Audiences on social media have already noted that her appearance in the season 2 trailer looked a lot like Black Queen Emma Frost, a moniker she used while leading the Dark X-Men.

Marie Moreau looking confused in a hospital gown and Cate looking angry in Gen V season 1
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Gen V Season 2 Is Making A Surprise Change To Cate's Villain Role After Her Cameo In The Boys Season 4

There will be two major villains to look out for in Gen V season 2, but The Boys spinoff is flipping their roles from the show’s previous outing.

The Boys universe is known for taking elements from Marvel and DC to the extreme, and we've seen Cate's version of this. It would be an excellent choice to now bring her back over to the other side, making her an antihero-like character to develop throughout the future of The Boys franchise. After all, this franchise's specialty is creating heroes with questionable motives, and Cate is one of the most fascinating new introductions it's had since the original batch of supes.

Cate Would Be A Huge Asset For The Fight Against Homelander In The Boys Season 5

Cate's Telepathy Could Be A Problem For Homelander

Maddie Phillips as Cate Dunlap and Antony Starr as Homelander in The Boys

As mentioned, defeating Homelaner will be a steep barrier. With Soldier Boy set to return in The Boys season 5, he could play a factor, but the Boys are going to need allies who aren't actively against them as well. Cate certainly wouldn't be trustworthy, but her powers would undoubtedly make her useful. She wouldn't stand a chance against Homelander in a fist fight, but her telepathy would make her an interesting adversary for him. We have no reason to believe that Homelander is immune to telepathy, which could make Cate incredibly important in The Boys.