This Massive ‘Gen V’ Season 2 Cipher Plot Hole Doesn’t Make Sense

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Dean Cipher, played by Hamish Linklater, quickly became a standout character in Season 2 of Gen V. As the new head of Godolkin University, he aimed to identify and cultivate only the strongest Supes, discarding those he deemed inadequate. He particularly focused his attention on Marie (Jaz Sinclair), though his motives weren’t revealed until later in the season.

In the end, his true identity was revealed, surprising many viewers—though some attentive fans had already figured it out. This revelation brings up a lot of unanswered questions about his history and doesn’t quite make sense.

Who Is Dean Cipher, Really?


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Dean Cipher, the new head of the school, seems cool and composed, but he’s also incredibly intimidating. Marie discovers he doesn’t have Compound V – meaning he isn’t a Supe – while he’s pushing her to fully develop her abilities. She and her friends attempt to secretly record him admitting this, but instead, he demonstrates extraordinary powers that raise even more questions about his identity. He can control people remotely, as he forces Jordan, London Thor, and Derek Luh to attack Marie during a battle, simply by looking at them on television. Later, while fighting Polarity, Cipher reveals even greater superhuman abilities, proving he can manipulate others like puppets.

A strange detail about the man is that he keeps a burned body – a man who appears to be himself – in a pressurized chamber within his house. He meticulously cares for this person daily, feeding and cleaning them. The mystery surrounding this individual is eventually solved: it’s revealed to be Thomas Godolkin (Ethan Slater), who somehow survived the explosion in 1967 that everyone believed killed him.

In the second-to-last episode, we find out that Cipher is actually a man named Doug, who used to sell VCRs in the 1990s. While fixing a VCR at the home of Dr. Fielder, a being called Godolkin took control of his mind, forcing him to commit murder and remaining with him ever since. Doug describes it as being trapped inside his own mind. After Polarity and the others show him mercy and Marie brings Godolkin back, Doug realizes he’s returned to who he once was – an innocent man.

Thomas Godolkin’s Past in ‘Gen V’


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Many viewers are wondering how Godolkin was able to survive his injuries. A flashback shows him waking up after being knocked out and immediately injecting himself with a vial. Doug explains it was an early version of Compound V – the same one Soldier Boy uses to avoid aging. However, he’s still on fire and severely burned. It remains a mystery how he made it to Dr. Fielder, who appears to be the first person he possessed.

According to the events as they unfolded, Godolkin lived inside Dr. Fielder for many years, until the doctor became elderly and was near death. At that point, Godolkin needed a new host. He chose Doug, who had no family, and appears to have been living in Doug’s body since the 1990s.

Something doesn’t add up. When Marie discovers she’s involved in Project Odessa, she finds a baby photo of herself at her aunt’s house, held by a man she later learns is Cipher – but he was using the name Dr. Gould back then. This suggests Godolkin made Doug assume that false identity. Was Doug secretly placed within the project all along? It’s baffling – how could he change identities so many times – from Doug to Dr. Gould to Dean Cipher – without raising any red flags?

Marie, if she were 18 years old, would have been born in 2007 – well after Godolkin had already taken control of Doug. This raises questions about how Doug, now going by Dr. Gould, ended up working on the highly confidential project. Did Godolkin somehow arrange for him to go to medical school, or find another way to get him the job? Given the project’s secrecy, it’s curious how Doug managed to create false qualifications and be hired without anyone discovering his true identity. It’s likely Godolkin knew exactly what skills and background would be needed to gain access, considering he created the project. However, he couldn’t reveal he was actually inhabiting someone else’s body. A possible explanation is that Doug killed the original Dr. Gould and then assumed his identity – which seems like the most logical scenario.

Okay, so here’s something that really bugged me while watching: Dr. Fielder clearly showed signs of aging after Godolkin took over, but Doug… didn’t. If Godolkin was using Compound V1 to stay young, when did he start taking it? My theory is he didn’t start until after he’d already possessed Doug, realizing he needed a durable body for the long haul. But that opens up a whole can of worms: how did he even administer it? Did he force Doug to inject it into his damaged body? Or did Doug take it himself? Because if Doug had, Marie and Cate – with their ability to detect Compound V – would definitely have picked it up, and they didn’t. It’s a pretty big plot hole, honestly.

It’s most likely that the substance Godolkin injects himself with in the 1967 lab is Compound V1, which stopped him from aging. However, it didn’t have the same effect on Dr. Fielder, and Doug probably did age, though he was quite young when Godolkin first encountered him. He may simply have good genetics, explaining why he hasn’t aged noticeably since the 2007 photo of him as Dr. Gould, and even now.

Cipher’s Story Has Come to a Close in ‘Gen V’ Season 2


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Any mysteries surrounding Dean Cipher and his changing persona are now unimportant. Unfortunately, after being restored to his true self, he became seriously ill. Marie had used all her strength to heal Polarity and bring Godolkin back to life. During the trip to the hospital, Doug was unexpectedly killed by Black Noir (Nathan Mitchell).

Godolkin’s reign of terror didn’t last long, as Marie successfully defeated him using a smart strategy and with help from her friends, students, and a significantly empowered Polarity. Now that both Godolkin and him are gone, everyone’s focus returns to the biggest danger: Homelander.

Honestly, there are ways you could explain how Doug managed to become Dr. Gould, then Dean Cipher, without anyone batting an eye – and how he never seemed to age! Plus, the whole thing with Godolkin controlling him despite seeming weak… it’s all a bit of a mystery, and people are still debating it. But you know what? Plot holes and all, it made for a totally gripping story. Cipher himself was a huge part of what made it so wild, especially when you find out he wasn’t who he appeared to be at all. If you haven’t already, you really should check out Gen V on Prime Video.

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2025-10-23 02:04