In Review: Gen V (S2 – EP7) Hell Week

Synopsis: In Hell Week, Marie and the gang learn the hard way that the truth about Cipher is anything but pleasant.

The Story

Hell Week sees Marie and her friends confront the enigmatic Cipher, only to uncover a shocking truth. Cipher, once believed to be a powerful antagonist with mind-control abilities, is revealed to be Doug Brightbill, an ordinary man whose body had been possessed by the severely burned Thomas Godolkin after the Elmira fire. Godolkin, founder of Godolkin University, had been using Doug as a vessel to carry out his plans while his own body suffered in agony.

With the help of her friends, Marie manages to restore Godolkin’s original body, severing the psychic link with Doug. Freed from Godolkin’s control, Doug pleads for his life, revealing the bleak past and torment he endured. Meanwhile, fully restored, Godolkin sets his sights on the university’s supes, intent on “culling the herd” to create a new order of godlike superbeings.

Acting

We get solid acting throughout this episode, with some memorable character moments. One standout scene features Annabeth (Keeya King) talking with Jordan Li (London Thor) about the moment she first realized she had precognitive powers. Sean Patrick Thomas delivers a strong performance as Polarity, helping Marie and her friends by confronting Cipher while Marie heals Godolkin, who is revealed to be the true Dean Cipher. Ethan Slater gives a chilling turn as Godolkin, showing he has no qualms about killing students who fail to meet his vision for a Supes Master Race. Yes, folks—this series is essentially about eugenics.

Overall

There’s a lot packed into this episode, which led to some pacing issues—I found myself getting easily distracted at times, something that usually only happens when the story slows down a little. That aside, the episode dives deep into themes of control and the abuse of power, setting the stage for a thrilling season finale. The big question now is whether Marie can make things right, especially after her friends ignored her advice and tried to have Cate wipe their memories. We’ll have to wait and see in next week’s finale.