Gen V: How The Boys' Jensen Ackles Returns as Soldier Boy

Jensen Ackles returns to The Boys Universe as Soldier Boy, a parody of Marvel's Captain America.

By Adam Barnhardt

From the leap, Gen V hasn't been afraid to feature cameos and Easter eggs of characters from the show's predecessor The Boys. Though most of the surprises have been in the form of recorded videos or the like, Jensen Ackles' Soldier Boy (somewhat) appears in the flesh to interact with the show's main ensemble. Full spoilers up ahead for Gen V Episode Six, "Jumanji." If you've yet to catch up with the series, proceed with caution.

The vast majority of "Jumanji" takes place within the mind of Cate, who's undergoing a medical emergency after using her powers to give Marie, Jordan, Andre, and Emma their memories back between the events of Episode 5 and Episode 6. It's within her conscious that the main ensemble (minus Emma) met Soldier Boy.

While looking for a way out of a forest—or The Woods, if you must—the group runs into Soldier Boy, who reveals he's been Cate's imaginary boyfriend through most of her life. He helps to set the group on their path in escaping Cate's consciousness, explaining the thundering and lightning they're seeing isn't a real storm but rather, blood vessels bursting in Cate's brain. If they get caught in one of the lightning bolts, they're as good as dead in both her mind and in real life.

As soon as he explains that, however, Soldier Boy—or an imaginary version of him, at the very least—gets caught in one of the lightning bolts and is reduced to dust.

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Gen V is the first live-action spinoff of The Boys, the hit Prime Video series based on the Dynamite Comics series. Set in Godolkin University, originally a parody of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters from Marvel's X-Men comics, the series is described as "Hunger Games" at a college and the cutthroat world of young supes trying their best to get on one of Vought's super teams, including The Seven. Former Marvel's Agent Carter showrunners Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters showrun the new series, which is executive produced by The Boys showrunner Eric Kripke and Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg. Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, and Lizze Broadway lead the new cast of Gen V, which will also see some characters from The Boys make an appearance including Jessie T. Usher as A-Train, Colby Minifie as Vought's Ashley Barrett, and P.J. Byrne as director Adam Bourke.

The first six episodes of The Boys: Gen V are now streaming on Prime Video. New episodes of the series will be released on the service every Thursday.

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