The Boys’ Dark Twist On X-Men’s Greatest Rivalry

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Gen V season 2, episode 5, “The Kids Are Not Alright”.The Boys is no stranger to parodying iconic superheroes, and with its spinoff show featuring numerous X-Men equivalents, it was only a matter of time before the franchise had its own version of Magento vs. Professor X. The rivalry between two of Marvel’s greatest characters has lasted decades and was renewed as recently as last year through X-Men ’97.

As a result, the feud is clearly still relevant, making it no surprise that The Boys just teased a battle between a powerful telepath and someone who possesses magnetism manipulation abilities. It wouldn’t be the first time Gen V has parodied X-Men, but this potential fight looks like it will be more serious compared to the fictional universe’s usual satirical approach.

Whereas The Boys previously took an outrageous Ant-Man and Thanos theory and turned it into something truly disgusting, the franchise’s take on Magento vs. Professor X appears as though it will be surrounded by high stakes. Hopefully, it can live up to the hype.

Gen V Season 2 Establishes Cipher & Polarity As The Boys’ Professor X & Magneto

Based on their powers and their opposing goals, it’s hard not to draw comparisons between Cipher vs. Polarity and Professor X vs. Magento. Polarity’s ability to control and reshape metal feels extremely familiar to Magneto’s skill set, and they both have a justifiable internal anger that drives their decision-making.

While Magneto is seen as more of an anti-hero or sometimes a fully-fledged villain – especially in comparison to Professor X – Polarity is undoubtedly a hero, albeit a flawed one. In contrast, there have been several theories about Cipher and his powers in Gen V season 2 as they remain unclear, but telepathy is undoubtedly one of them.

He was able to take over Jordan’s body and is always one step ahead of the students, suggesting his powers resemble Professor X’s, despite being more of a villain. Therefore, Gen V seems to be creating its own version of this classic Marvel feud but flips the roles of Professor X and Magneto, creating a compelling story moving forward.

Polarity’s Anger Toward Cipher All But Confirms A Showdown Between The Two

Cipher has been at the front and center of everything going on in Gen V season 2, as his main focus has been on Marie and making her fulfill her full potential, but Polarity’s role in the story shouldn’t be forgotten. Although most of the spinoff’s main heroes are currently trapped in Elmira, Polarity remains on the outside.

Understandably, he holds a deep grudge towards Cipher after learning he was present in Elmira, where his son was killed. To make matters worse, Cipher showed little remorse about what happened to Andre in Gen V, instead almost mocking the supe’s inability to cope with intense pressure while trying to save his friends.

Understandably, this got under Polarity’s skin, who then threatened Cipher, a decision that ultimately backfired. Still, their confrontation set up a future showdown, and while Cipher may be overlooking the grieving father, Polarity’s hatred and powerful attributes indicate that he could be a problem that Godolkin’s Dean isn’t fully prepared to deal with.

The Boys’ Version Of Magneto vs. Professor X Is Missing 1 Element Of The Original

Assuming Gen V goes all in with Cipher vs. Polarity, it could end up being one of the franchise’s best fights, but their dynamic still lacks something that Mangeto and Professor X have: a personal relationship. The reason Magneto and Professor X’s feud works so well is that they started as friends and want the same thing deep down, despite their opposing methods.

Unfortunately, there isn’t much history between Cipher and Polarity, meaning their battle won’t have the same layer of tragedy that Professor X vs. Magento usually has. Sure, Andre’s death adds an emotional core to Gen V‘s conflict, but fans would have no issues seeing Polarity take down Cipher, whereas things aren’t quite so straightforward in X-Men.

Ultimately, the inevitable clash between Cipher and Polarity will feel like an homage to Marvel’s great rivalry while also creating its own identity, given how different The Boys‘ interpretation of this fight will be. Still, Gen V‘s X-Men parallels make this potential showdown all the more interesting, and what it lacks in emotion, it’ll make up for in brutal, high-stakes action.