One of the first shocking developments in Season 1 of Prime Video‘s The Boys spin-off Gen V was the fate of Luke/Golden Boy, played by Patrick Schwarzenegger. Although he had a comparatively small role, Luke moved the show in a major way and even became a fan favorite, and Schwarzenegger and his castmates shared some thoughts on how that happened.
Speaking to CBR, Schwarzenegger revealed that he didn’t know if Luke would return to Gen V in any form, saying, “I hope I get a call one day. I don’t know anything. I have been out of the loop since back in Episode 1.” His co-stars chimed in to express their hopes that he would be back, with Asa Germann, who plays Luke’s brother, Sam, stating that “Everyone wants more Golden Boy.” Emma actor Lizze Broadway added, “He’s one of my favorite characters. I am not just saying that.”
Schwarzenegger also delved into Luke’s history and the way he was intended to subvert viewers’ expectations. “A lot of the marketing, as well, was he was going to be this Homelander-esque guy,” he said, referring to Antony Starr’s villain on The Boys. “And … you really start to feel bad for him with what Cate does to him. The relationship he creates with the other people at school and with Jaz’s character and being so welcoming, you really start to like the character. There are humanizing moments for him.”
The World of The Boys and Gen V
Gen V is the first live-action spin-off of The Boys, which is based on a series of comics of the same name by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson. The franchise is set in a world where superheroes are real, but paid and promoted by a megacorporation, Vought International, which engineered the drug that imparts powers. In Gen V, the central characters are young “supes” who are attending Vought’s Godolkin University, already immersed in the corporation’s propaganda as they prepare for lives under the spotlight.
Season 1 of Gen V and the first three seasons of The Boys are now streaming on Prime Video. The Boys Season 4 will premiere in 2024; a release window for Gen V Season 2 has not yet been announced.