Gen V season 2’s new villain has a surprising connection to SpongeBob SquarePants

In the latest bloody chapter of The Boys universe, Gen V season 2 proves that the chaos at Godolkin University is far from over. The series continues to balance its mix of satire, gore, and twisted morality while introducing one of the franchise’s most unexpected villains yet.

Dean Cipher’s sinister storyline takes a shocking turn, revealing a secret that not only reshapes the show’s power dynamics but also connects the new antagonist to a rather unlikely source — SpongeBob SquarePants. It’s the kind of bizarre, meta twist that feels perfectly at home in a world where superheroes are corporate products and morality is optional.

A illainous reveal — and the SpongeBob connection no one saw coming

The newest episode of Gen V season 2 unravels the truth about Dean Cipher, who turns out to be a vessel controlled by the psychic mind of Thomas Godolkin—the school’s supposedly deceased founder. Godolkin’s consciousness has survived by hijacking other bodies, manipulating events from the shadows to reshape the supe world in his own image. His ultimate goal? To use Marie’s blood-manipulating powers to restore his body and create a new hierarchy of “pure” superheroes.

Thomas Godolkin’s depiction in The Boys comics was already steeped in satire. He was designed as a grotesque parody of X-Men’s Charles Xavier—a psychic mentor-turned-manipulative experimenter who trained young supes not to protect humanity, but to weaponize them. While Xavier built the X-Men to nurture mutants, Godolkin created “The G-Men” as propaganda tools for Vought. Gen V smartly expands this idea, presenting him as both a literal and thematic inversion of Xavier: a telepath whose intellect curdles into arrogance and control.

And here’s where things get unexpectedly hilarious. The casting of Ethan Slater—the Tony-nominated actor best known for playing SpongeBob in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical—makes the twist both shocking and weirdly fitting. His cheery Broadway history turns into a disturbing contrast as he channels a decaying psychic sociopath. Yet, when you look at the broader X-Men parallels, the SpongeBob connection starts to make eerie sense.

Funnily enough, the Godolkin-Xavier comparison actually makes Ethan Slater’s casting even funnier when you remember the previous lives of actors who’ve portrayed Professor X. Who could forget James McAvoy’s gentle turn as Mr. Tumnus the faun in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005)? Or Patrick Stewart’s unforgettable role as Poop in The Emoji Movie (2017)? In that sense, Slater’s evolution—from Nickelodeon’s most optimistic sponge to a sadistic telepath manipulating college kids—feels perfectly on brand for the lineage of actors who’ve embodied Xavier-like figures.

Slater’s Godolkin is The Boys’ answer to the question: “What if Professor X snapped?” His psychic control isn’t nurturing; it’s predatory. And just like the X-Men’s mentor, he believes he’s saving the world—even as he destroys it. The casting, the performance, and the twisted humor behind it all make this one of the most memorable villain introductions in the entire franchise.

Recap of Gen V Season 2 Episode 7

The Gen V season 2 episode 7, titled Hell Week, picks up after the chaos of earlier installments. Annabelle (Keeya King) jolts awake from a nightmare where her sister Marie (Jaz Sinclair) is drenched in blood. When she can’t find Marie or Cate (Maddie Phillips), she joins forces with Jordan (London Thor, Derek Luh) and Sam (Asa Germann) to track them down. Meanwhile, Marie drives to Cipher’s home, determined to confront him once and for all.

Inside, she and Cate discover a weakened Polarity (Sean Patrick Thomas) trapped in Cipher’s vault. After a violent seizure, Marie uses her powers to heal him — an act that leaves her nose bleeding but restores Polarity’s strength. Elsewhere, Cipher loses control of his human host, violently lashing out at Godolkin’s comatose body. When he learns of intruders on his property, Cipher declares the need for “a sacrifice,” setting the stage for a violent showdown.

As Annabelle and Jordan arrive on campus guided by Annabelle’s disturbing visions, the rest of the group converges at Godolkin’s lab. Marie insists on facing Cipher alone, and when her friends refuse, she uses her powers to lift them off the ground in anger — a terrifying reminder of how volatile she’s become.

In the vault, Cipher and Polarity clash in a telekinetic brawl. But just as Cipher seems defeated, he collapses and starts repeating, “I’m not him.” He reveals his true name — Doug — and confesses that Cipher has been possessing his body all along. Downstairs, Marie heals Godolkin’s real body, restoring the true monster to life. When she faints from exhaustion, Godolkin awakens fully healed, played by none other than Slater. In one swift, gruesome moment, he kills a student deemed “unworthy,” reestablishing himself as the dominant force at Godolkin University.

Gen V season 2 continues to push boundaries, proving it can shock even longtime fans of The Boys. Ethan Slater’s unexpected transformation from SpongeBob to supe supremacist is not just a clever casting choice — it’s a commentary on the corruption of innocence and the monstrous power hidden beneath the surface of even the most familiar faces. As Thomas Godolkin takes center stage, Prime Video’s twisted superhero world feels more unpredictable — and more entertaining — than ever.