The Boys Season 4 continues a story that begins in Gen V: Godolkin dean Indira Shetty commissions a virus designed to target Supes, Victoria Neuman leaves with it, and a post-credit scene shows Billy Butcher on its trail. Watching Gen V adds the origin and crossover context, but showrunner Eric Kripke has said it is not required to follow Season 4.
How the Supe virus story moves from Gen V to The Boys
The Woods is the starting point
Godolkin University conceals The Woods, a Vought-run laboratory where young Supes are imprisoned and experimented on. That secret facility makes the university part of Vought’s wider system of control and research, not merely a school for aspiring superheroes. The Los Angeles Times described The Woods and the virus as part of the wider Season 4 landscape.
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The Boys Omnibus Vol. 1 (BOYS OMNIBUS TP 2018) | $25.50 | Buy on Amazon |
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The Boys Omnibus Vol. 2 (BOYS OMNIBUS TP 2018) | $22.60 | Buy on Amazon |
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The Boys Omnibus Vol. 3 (BOYS OMNIBUS TP 2018) | $22.30 | Buy on Amazon |
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The Boys Omnibus Vol. 5 | $24.58 | Buy on Amazon |
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The Boys Omnibus Vol. 4 (BOYS OMNIBUS TP 2018) | $26.71 | Buy on Amazon |
Shetty commissions the virus; Neuman takes it
In Gen V, Dean Indira Shetty tasks Dr. Edison Cardosa with developing a virus intended to infect Supes rather than humans. Victoria Neuman kills Cardosa and leaves with the virus, creating the handoff that connects the spinoff’s plot to the flagship series. TheWrap’s Season 4 viewing guide lays out the virus’s origin and Neuman’s possession of it.
Butcher discovers the trail
A post-credit scene in the Gen V Season 1 finale shows Butcher at The Woods. It establishes how he learns about the virus and begins pursuing it before Season 4. Kripke said the creators wanted the virus to be a major Season 4 storyline and wanted Butcher to know about it. TVLine’s finale interview discusses why that discovery scene was included; TheWrap also explains its viewing-order significance.
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Season 4 follows the pursuit and development
In The Boys Season 4, episode 5, Butcher’s group goes to a farm and uncovers Neuman’s operation to further develop the virus. Kripke described acquiring the virus as one of the season’s storylines. TV Insider’s interview with Kripke covers the episode and Neuman’s operation.
What the connection means for the larger story
The shows share a continuing plot handoff rather than simply making a cameo reference. Gen V dramatizes the virus’s creation and shows Butcher discovering the trail; The Boys follows the attempt to acquire and further develop it. That thread sits within Season 4’s wider conflict over Vought, Neuman, Homelander’s movement, and rising supe supremacy. The virus is one pressure shaping that landscape, not a detached subplot. Kripke described the crossover and virus storyline to TV Insider; the Los Angeles Times discussed the broader context with Kripke and Gen V showrunner Michele Fazekas.
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The crossover is visible beyond the virus: Gen V characters Cate and Sam appear at a Vought Expo in Season 4. Kripke described that episode as a point where Gen V began to “bleed into” The Boys. TV Insider reports on their appearance and the creators’ approach to the crossover.
Do you need to watch Gen V before The Boys Season 4?
No. Kripke said viewers can watch either series without the other feeling like homework. Gen V provides extra context and depth, but Season 4 can be followed without it. TheWrap’s viewing guide quotes Kripke on whether the spinoff is necessary.
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Choose based on how much backstory you want:
- For the minimum needed to follow the plot: Watch The Boys Season 4 on its own.
- For the virus’s origin and Butcher’s discovery: Watch Gen V Season 1 before Season 4, especially its finale and post-credit scene.
As Kripke put it, the creators wanted “the virus to be a big Season 4 storyline” and wanted Butcher to be aware of it. TVLine’s interview records his explanation of that story choice.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the show establishes about the virus—and what it does not
In the shows’ fictional world, the virus is designed to target Supes, and the story follows characters seeking to develop and obtain it. The cited creator interviews and episode coverage establish those plot mechanics and motives; they do not establish real-world claims about transmissibility, treatment, or pathogen behavior. Treat it as a fictional device, not a guide to biology.
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