Warning: Spoilers ahead for Gen V.
The Boys‘ Gen V just revealed a new weapon that could potentially defeat any supe, including Homelander. Although Gen V seems to follow a self-contained story in The Boys‘ universe, it has been dropping several subtle hints that could become major plot points in the franchise’s overarching storylines. For instance, Gen V hints that Homelander is already on trial after he killed a man in broad daylight in The Boys‘ season 3. This revelation alone sets the stage for many narrative avenues for The Boys season 4.
By highlighting how Brink offers Luke a place in The Seven, Gen V also confirms that Starlight and Maeve’s departure from the supe group has left two empty spots for new supes to fill. However, besides these evident references and story setups, Gen V also secretly reveals how one weapon can be used to overpower any supe. The spin-off show’s depiction of the weapon and its impact on supes almost confirms that even Homelander would not stand a chance against it.
How Gen V’s Sonic Weapon Works Against Supes
A sonic weapon generates high-intensity sound waves that may not be lethal but can cause severe damage to a targeted individual. Most supes not only possess special powers but also have advanced senses that complement their unique abilities. Owing to this, they are more sensitive to the extreme frequencies and amplitudes of high-intensity sounds, leaving them vulnerable to the detrimental effects of sonic weapons. Gen V establishes this in its opening episodes, where Andre fails to stand his ground against a non-supe human who uses a tiny device that generates high-intensity sounds.
Despite his best efforts to fight back, Andre falls to the ground, struggling to get up because his augmented hearing enhances his auditory perception and prevents his ears from filtering out the sound from the weapon. The fact that the human guard seems unscathed by the sound from his sonic weapon shows how sound waves that non-supe folks can comfortably hear can cause severe damage in supes like Andre. Although Gen V explicitly portrays how augmented hearing is the Achilles heel for many supes, The Boys has previously hinted at this weakness.
The Boys Already Proved Gen V’s Sonic Weapon Would Affect Homelander
In The Boys‘ season 2, episode 8, “What I Know,” Frenchie intentionally sets up a loud sonic weapon to distract Homelander while Butcher and Becca rescue Ryan. A regular sound would not have bothered Homelander. However, when he hears the sound waves from the weapon, he instantly flies out to destroy it, proving that Gen V‘s sonic weapon would also be effective against Homelander. This Gen V revelation not only proves that Homelander has a clear weakness but also highlights how Supersonic was literally a walking weapon against several supes in The Boys and could even kill Homelander with his Sonic Clap powers.
