A More Coherent Approach: The Logical Cameo Plan for Gen V's Original Soldier Boy

Warning: The article contains SPOILERS for Gen V episode 6, "Jumanji."

Summary

In Gen V, it would have been more logical and unexpected if Taylor Lautner had played the role of Cate's imaginary friend, rather than Soldier Boy. Soldier Boy's presence in Gen V is perplexing since he vanished in the '80s, well before the generation of young characters in the story even existed.

Taylor Lautner's appearance in Gen V would have been even more surprising and unexpected due to his decreased presence on screen in recent years. Additionally, it would have confirmed the existence of the Twilight series within the universe of The Boys, adding a fun bit of trivia.

The original plan for Soldier Boy's cameo in Gen V made much more sense than the version that made it into the final cut of the show. Gen V is packed with references and callbacks to its parent series, The Boys. While some of these references hold narrative significance, others, such as episode 6's Soldier Boy cameo, are purely for fan enjoyment. Nevertheless, these subtle nods to the parent series make Gen V even more entertaining and effectively build anticipation for the fourth season of The Boys.

However, while the inclusion of Soldier Boy in Gen V's episode 6 may have been amusing, the original plan for the episode was much more intriguing. According to the show's creator, Erik Kripke, early drafts of Gen V had considered featuring Taylor Lautner as Cate's imaginary friend rather than Soldier Boy. While this concept may seem absurd at first, it would have added a significant amount of coherence to the show's narrative if it had been realized.

Taylor Lautner Would Have Made More Sense For Gen V Than Soldier Boy

While the brief scene featuring Soldier Boy in episode 6 of Gen V was a great addition, it didn't quite make sense in the overall narrative when compared to a cameo by Taylor Lautner. According to The Boys' lore, Soldier Boy achieved peak fame in the 1970s as the leader of Payback. Some of his iconic movies, such as Ghosts of Hanoi and Red Thunder, were released in the early 80s, and characters like Homelander and Billy Butcher, who are now middle-aged, grew up watching them. Considering that Soldier Boy disappeared in the '80s, long before the younger characters of Gen V were even born, it seems odd that Cate would have a crush on him instead of another relatively younger celebrity she grew up watching.

Taylor Lautner's cameo, on the other hand, would have been more appropriate considering the release of the first Twilight movie in 2008. Given that Cate was a young girl during Lautner's rise to fame and his portrayal of Jacob Black in the Twilight series, he would have realistically suited the role of Cate's imaginary friend better than Soldier Boy. Not only in terms of the narrative, but also in terms of shock value, Taylor Lautner's appearance would have undoubtedly surprised viewers more than Soldier Boy's.

Taylor Lautner's Cameo Would Have Been More Surprising Than Soldier Boy

In The Boys' season 3, Jensen Ackles has already made a notable appearance as Soldier Boy. Confirming this, Ackles himself has indicated that Soldier Boy will likely return in future seasons of the show. Although Ackles' portrayal of Soldier Boy in episode 6 of Gen V may be comical, it lacks the element of surprise due to his established role. On the other hand, if Taylor Lautner had made a cameo in Gen V, it would have been a shock factor as his on-screen presence has significantly diminished over the years. No one would have anticipated his appearance in Gen V. Additionally, Lautner's introduction in Gen V would have also implied that the Twilight series exists within The Boys' universe, adding a humorous trivia element.