Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Gen V episode 5!
Gen V episode 5 ends with a massive Cate twist, and here is everything there is to know about the shocking reveal, explained. Cate has been a main character throughout Gen V, with her seemingly being another friend of Marie’s that has been helping the gang uncover the secrets of Godolkin University. However, the ending of Gen V episode 5 has changed everything, concluding some major mysteries and showing that Cate may be at the center of everything. So, here is why Cate did what she did explained, and how her shocking choice could affect the future of Gen V.
Gen V is finally out, with the highly-anticipated spin-off of Amazon Prime Video’s acclaimed superhero series The Boys in the midst of releasing season 1. The series looks at the world of The Boys from a new perspective, with it this time focusing on a Vought-run supe college named Godolkin University. Gen V follows Marie Moreau, a young blood-bending supe who gets the opportunity to attend the prestigious university. Upon arriving, however, Marie and her friends discover that something much bigger is hiding underneath the facade of the school. Vought is undoubtedly at the center of it, but it is clear that they have some shady help.
Cate Has Been Working For Vought Since Gen V Began
![Gen V Episode 5’s Show-Changing Cate Twist Explained](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/maddie-phillips-as-cate-in-gen-v.jpg)
As the end of Gen V episode 5 highlights, Cate has been working for Vought since before the series began. Cate has pretended to be a friend of Marie, Andre, Jordan, and the rest of the team, with her relationship with Golden Boy even being a facade put on by Vought. Cate seems to be a genuine student at Godolkin University, but it is clear that her Vought ties have caused her to make some pretty villainous choices. Cate has been actively preventing supes from uncovering Godolkin’s shady operations, with her betrayal of her friends coming as a shock to the audience.
As was revealed early in Gen V, Cate has the power to control minds. If she makes physical contact with someone, she simply has to make a command, and they are unable to resist her will. This makes her a pretty dangerous weapon, and as it turns out, a useful asset for Vought. When Marie and the gang got too close to Sam, Vought had Emma wipe their memories and control them into creating a cover-up story. Marie, Emma, and the rest completely forgot about their Golden Boy investigation, showing just how powerful of a tool Cate is in the hands of Vought.
Why Cate Has Been Wiping Memories For Dean Shetty
![Dean Shetty in the God U welcome video in Gen Z](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/main-photo-43.jpg)
Cate seems to take orders directly from Dean Shetty, and here’s why. The young supe doesn’t seem to be genuinely evil, causing many to wonder what her motivations are. From her conversation with Shetty, Cate seems to believe that she is genuinely doing the right thing, with her rationalizing her actions by claiming that she is protecting her friends. It seems most likely that Dean Shetty is manipulating Cate into believing this. After all, Dean Shetty is an expert in supes and their mental health, meaning that she has the capabilities to get them to do what she (and by proxy Vought) wants.
Gen V’s Cate Reveal Explains A Lot Of Gen V Plot Holes
![Maddie Phillips as Cate eyes in Gen V](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/maddie-phillips-as-cate-eyes-in-gen-v.jpg)
There have been a surprising amount of plot holes in Gen V so far, but as it turns out, Cate’s betrayal answers almost all of them. Cate was against Andre and the rest of the gang investigating The Woods in episode 3, but the show provided no reason why. However, Cate being an ally of Vought explains why she would want to prevent them from looking into things. Cate’s twist also answers why Golden Boy was acting so odd, with the flashes of memories and his treatment of Cate being a result of her constant mind wipes. It’s possible that Cate even got with Andre solely to control him.
Cate Was Genuinely Friends With The Gen V Gang
![Sam Riordan reading a book in Gen V](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/sam-riordan-gen-v-the-boys.jpg)
Although Cate was working against Marie and the other characters, she seemed to genuinely be friends with the Gen V gang. After the gang finds out that she’s been working for Vought, Cate seems genuinely upset that she has hurt her friends, with her even revealing details to them that wouldn’t be revealed by someone who wasn’t a friend. Cate’s relationship with Golden Boy seemed to actually be emotional, and Cate was genuinely distraught after his death. Cate seems to care about the well-being of her friends, meaning that they are probably more than an assignment.
However, one mystery surrounding Cate’s friendship with the Gen V gang still remains. It is still unknown how Cate entered the friend group. It’s possible that Cate was complete strangers with the team, with her only becoming friends with them after Dean Shetty assigned her to keep tabs on them. It’s also possible that Cate was genuinely friends with them before working for Vought, with Dean Shetty taking advantage of their relationship to manipulate Cate. Cate’s seemingly genuine friendship with the Gen V gang makes the latter seem like the more likely option, but this mystery may get resolved in the future.
Cate Is One Of Vought’s Most Dangerous Weapons Yet
![Tek Knight holding a bagel in Gen V](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/main-photo-65.jpg)
Although Vought has a lot of weapons at its disposal, Cate is one of the most dangerous yet. Cate can wipe minds as well as force people to do what she wants, meaning that Vought has almost unlimited power in exerting its will. Vought could make people forget about controversies, or it could control the minds of politicians. Cate could be used in The Boys season 4 to make Billy Butcher forget about Homelander, or to make Homelander obey Vought. Cate’s powers are so useful that its scary, meaning that it will be a massive problem if she continues to work for Vought in the future.
What Next For Cate In Gen V?
![Gen V episode 4 The Woods intro scene](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/main-photo-71.jpg)
Now that Cate’s secret has been revealed, it’s time to speculate on what is next for the character in Gen V. Episode 5 shows that she feels bad for what she’s done, meaning that she could stop helping Vought in the future. However, it is doubtful that her friends will take her back, as she has been manipulating them for a long time. If Cate does stop helping Vought, it’s likely that she will become a target, with them possibly killing her in retribution. Cate is in a tricky situation at the end of episode 5, so it’ll be interesting to see what she does in Gen V episode 6.
New episodes of Gen V release Fridays on Amazon Prime Video.