Summary
SinceThe Boysbegan in 2019, the dark superhero satire show has expanded into a sprawling franchise, but not all the spinoffs cover the same period within the fictional universe. The franchise’s timeline has some important milestones that are used to navigate it, like whenBilly Butcher gained Supe powers inThe Boysseason 3, and the debut of key new characters likeJenson Ackles' Soldier Boy. However, the story has now been split between various shows to create an intertwined narrative, but there are clues in each installment that reveal when they’re set and how they influence one another.
The Boysfranchise began life as a comic book serieswritten by Garth Ennis. While the source material shares no canonical connection to Prime Video’s live-action adaptation, it’s still the spark that got the TV universe started. With so many shows,The Boyshas arguably strayed from its intent to parody the superhero genreby spawning so many spinoffs, but the universe is so detailed and compelling that it’s no surprise they’ve all been created.
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Vought Rising Will Be Set In The 1950s
The Boys prequel will show the earlier years of Vought International
Revealed at San Diego Comic-Con 2024,Vought Risingtakes place in the mid-twentieth century, when Supes were still believed to have been naturally occurring.The 1950s prequel toThe Boyshas been confirmedto feature the return of Aya Cash’s Stormfront and Jenson Ackles' Soldier Boy to the franchise. With Solider Boy still active in the present day - as teased inThe Boys' season 4 ending, it’s perhaps Stormfront’s comeback that is the most exciting.
Other characters like Crimson Countess and an earlier iteration of Black Noir could also logically appear inVought Rising.
Short bursts of this portion of the timeline have already been shown inThe Boys, soVought Risingwon’t be starting from scratch. Other characters like Crimson Countess and an earlier iteration of Black Noir could also logically appear inVought Rising. While several of the key characters have already proven to have survived until the show’s modern-day, their plot armor needn’t detract from how exciting and informative the prequel could be.
The Boys Season 1 Is Set In The Same Year As Its Release
The run that began The Boys franchise aired in 2019
Generally speaking,every season ofThe Boysis set roughly in line with the year of its release.The Boysseason 1 debuted in 2019, and this is confirmed to be when it is also set, due to Vought’s 2019 Shareholders meeting in “The Name of the Game.” Beginning the story in line with the actual release year helped instill a vague sense of realism, meaning viewers can buy into the premise a little easier and with more excitement.
Creator Garth Ennis is credited as a producer onThe Boys.
The Boysseason 1 is the installment that kickstarted Prime Video’s franchise, introducing many of the concepts, characters, and storylines that have permeated the timeline. It also set a clear tone, making it clearThe Boysis not suitable for family viewingas many other superhero sagas are, and also that its unapologetic use of blood, gore, and foul language are just the tip of the iceberg.
The Boys Season 2 Is Set Not Long After Season 1
There are a few months before The Boys season 2 begins
While Annie comments on only having worked for Vought for a few months, this isn’t exactly an accurate way of navigating the timeline. The biggest clue comes down to the death of one character. Butcher and his crew successfully murder Transculent inThe Boysseason 1, butthe following season pins the life of the invisible member of the Seven as beginning in 1980 and ending in 2020.
While Transuclent undeniably died in 2019, Vought didn’t release the news until 2020, as the villainous corporation tried to cover for his absence from the Seven with a series of fabricated stories.
While Transuclent undeniably died in 2019, Vought didn’t release the news until 2020, as the villainous corporation tried to cover for his absence from the Seven with a series of fabricated stories. So, the various members ofThe Boys' cast of characters have all had sufficient time to embed themselves in their new roles both in and outside the world of the show, meaning there is more juicy content to catch up on by the time season 2 begins.
There Is A 1-Year Time Jump Between The Boys Seasons 2 & 3
Butcher and his crew are busy in the year between these 2 seasons
There is more time needed for the dust to settle after the dramatic events ofThe Boysseason 2’s ending. As a result,the start of season 3 begins a year after Stormfront has suffered a grisly defeat. Although she is severely injured and won’t ever be the same again,The Boysseason 3 is the only installment of the main show to include both Stormfront and Solider Boy.
They may not interact in the present-day sequences, butThe Boysseason 3 confirms a shared history between the two characters. Their past exchanges will be covered in greater detail inVought Rising, soThe Boysseason 3 is arguably the first spark that triggered the expansion of the TV franchise- even if only retrospectively. It also strongly implies the death of Soldier Boy, which later turns out to be a misdirect.
Gen V
Cast
Gen V is set at America’s only college for superheroes, where students challenge their moral limits while competing to join Vought International’s elite team, The Seven. As dark secrets of the institution are revealed, they must determine the kind of heroes they aspire to be.
Even though Homelander’s cameo at theend ofGen Vseason 1is the most direct and exciting link to the spinoff’s parent show, there are little nods and crossovers throughout. That being said,Gen V’s inaugural run is largely a self-contained storythat just happens to be set in the same universe asThe Boys. Of course, that all changes as the finale concludes, especially with Billy Butcher’s cameo in the post-credits scene.
Gen V’s story takes place while the 6-month’s worth of events betweenThe Boysseasons 3 and 4 are unfolding offscreen.
Gen V’s story takes place while the 6-month’s worth of events betweenThe Boysseasons 3 and 4 are unfolding offscreen. The spinoff seems like a diversion from the main show, but it’s actually quietly setting up a complex intertwining of its own narrative with that ofThe Boys.It’s an admittedly large pocket of time forGen Vseason 1 to happen in, but it’s better than it being very vague.
The Boys Season 4 Softly Carries On The Events Of Gen V Season 1
The continuation of the Prime Video superhero show is best viewed after Gen V season 1
The Boysfranchise takes a slightly different approach than some of its competitors, in that it references its spinoffs quite heavily and incorporates large parts of their plots into the main show. The result is that it can be difficult to stay completely up to speed withThe Boysseason 4 ifGen Vseason 1 isn’t viewed first. It’s not impossible, it’s just more of a consideration than in some other franchises.
The development of the Supe virus inGen Vseason 1 is a major part ofThe Boys' season 4 arc, so it’s clearly set after the events of the spinoff’s inaugural run. It also incorporatesGen Vcharacters in the same wayGen Vseason 1 foldedThe Boyscharacters into its narrative. This is the point in the franchise where the two shows truly enter the swing of talking to each other.
Gen V Season 2 & The Boys Season 5 Will Continue The Trend Of Intertwined Storytelling
The Boys franchise still has big plans for its immediate future
Gen Vseason 2 will likely arrive at some point in 2025, continuing the story of the previous run. However, the introduction of Cate Dunlap and Sam Riordan at the end ofThe Boysseason 4 means the two shows will become even more intertwined when the spinoff returns. As a result, failing to watchGen Vseason 2 beforeThe Boysreturns for its fifth and final season will probably result in a less complete experience.
The Boysseason 5 is set up to be a thoroughly explosive affair, so there may be no or very few survivors left to make the permanent jump toGen V.
It’s currently unclear whetherGen Vseason 3 or beyond will happen, or whether the final episode ofThe Boyswill also bring with it the end ofGen V. If the spinoff does continue beyond the lifespan of its parent show, then it could still feature certain characters fromThe Boys. That being said,The Boysseason 5 is set up to be a thoroughly explosive affair, so there may be no or very few survivors left to make the permanent jump toGen V.
There Is Very Little Information About The Boys: Mexico
Andor’s Diego Luna will co-executive produce this spinoff
AlthoughThe Boys: Mexicois a confirmed upcoming projectwithin the same universe as the original show, Prime Video has revealed almost no information about what the spinoff will be centered around. Of course, the show’s setting is easy to glean from its title, butit’s unknown whereThe Boys: Mexicowill take place in the franchise’s timeline, nor how connected it will be to the other projects.
WithVought Internationalpadding out the earlier points inThe Boys' timeline, it would make sense ifMexicodid the same for events that take place afterThe Boysseason 5.
WithVought Internationalpadding out the earlier points inThe Boys' timeline, it would make sense ifMexicodid the same for events that take place afterThe Boysseason 5.Another alternative could be for it to take place concurrently withThe BoysandGen V, which would mean certain actors could reprise their respective roles, even if they don’t survive whatever happens inThe Boys' final season.
The Boys Presents: Diabolical
An animated spin-off of Eric Kripke’s popular tv series adaptation of the dark take on superheroes, The Boys, The Boys Presents: Diabolical is an anthology series that features several different animation styles for each standalone episode. The series features the voices of the original cast members, as well as featuring several famous comic writers helping to flesh out the less dramatic episodes.
Diabolicalcame out in 2022, but the animated anthology series is mostly a standalone project. It’s not essential viewing for those who want to follow every corner of the franchise’s timeline, but the show does provide context to certain areas of specific stories. While there is some debate about some of the installment’s relevance to the main canon,the final three episodes ofDiabolicalare set within Prime Video’s live-action universe.
All 11 New Supes In The Boys Season 4 & Their Powers Explained
The Boys season 4 raises the tensions between non-Supes and Supes, and it introduces several of the latter in its new episodes. Who are they?
TheDiabolicalfinale affords a rare glimpse into Homelander’s earlier years with the Seven. Like the other episodes, it is a standalone story that doesn’t need to be seen for the rest of the franchise to make sense, but it is a compelling period to witness in Homelander’s history. The best time to watch this particular spinoff is any time afterThe Boysseason 1, when all the relevant characters and lore have been introduced, and the tone has been set.
The Boys
The Boys is a gritty and subversive take on the superhero genre, focusing on a group of vigilantes who confront powerful superheroes abusing their abilities, exploring themes of corruption and moral ambiguity in a world where heroes are not always what they seem.
