The Heartbreaking Reality Behind GEN V’s Puppets

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Season two of *Gen V* will reveal answers to some big mysteries. We’ll finally learn the complete story of Project Odessa and discover what happened to Marie’s sister, Annabeth. Right now, though, things are complicated: Cate Dunlap has lost her mental control over Sam, meaning Sam’s internal voices-which we met in season one-are back. These voices are how Sam thinks, so let’s recap their entire journey on *Gen V*.

In the fifth episode of Gen V‘s first season, a connection was made between the characters known as ‘puppets’ and Sam, mirroring a storyline from The Boys. Specifically, it’s similar to how Black Noir’s traumatic past was depicted in the latest season of The Boys. He experienced flashbacks in the form of cartoon characters, visible only to him, triggered by a brutal beating from Soldier Boy years earlier. This event caused significant physical and emotional damage, effectively reducing his mental age to that of a child. These cartoons served as companions and offered viewers insight into his altered perception of reality.

Sam’s situation in *Gen V* is comparable to what we see with Black Noir. In season one, episode three, Sam hallucinates a television program similar to *Sesame Street*, where a man and a puppet urge him to kill Dr. Cardosa – an act he tries to commit before Emma intervenes. Like Black Noir, Sam has suffered significant physical trauma that impacts his mental state. While not mentally a child, he struggles with social interaction, often being treated as a monster despite being a kind and sympathetic person. His prolonged captivity and experimentation at The Woods likely contribute to his current, unclear mental condition.

Why Does Sam See Puppets in Gen V?

Okay, so in the fifth episode, things get *really* weird. I was totally gutted when I found out Sam discovered Emma and the rest of the group had their memories wiped – he’s completely alone and spiraling. Then, a puppet version of Emma just…shows up. She warns him things are bad and he needs to save her. He’s understandably confused and insists he’ll save the *real* Emma, telling the puppet she isn’t real. She hits him with this unsettling question – “Real like that?” – and suddenly, a whole army of soldiers is attacking his hideout! The scene then shifts and *everyone* is a puppet, including Sam. What follows is this incredibly intense, violent fight – seriously, it’s pretty gory – with puppet Sam just tearing through everyone. At the very end, puppet Emma sadly tells him to stop hurting people…and then it cuts to reveal the whole fight *wasn’t* a puppet show. It was real, and it was brutal. It was a huge twist and left me reeling!

Sam appears to use puppets as a way to distance himself from violent thoughts and feelings. This likely stems from a long-held habit of coping by retreating into childhood memories and seeking a sense of security. He fills his time with reading and watching movies or older TV shows, both as distractions and escapes from his current life. The puppets themselves are designed like those from *Avenue V*, a children’s program similar to *Sesame Street* that he enjoyed before experiencing significant hardship. They’re his method for working through past trauma and attempting to cope with what he describes as his own internal struggles.

The Puppets Return to Haunt Sam in Gen V Season 2

Season two of *Gen V* brings back Sam’s haunting ‘puppets,’ this time while he’s having lunch with his new girlfriend. She leaves after he withdraws from the conversation, and suddenly, Sam’s sandwich starts talking, accusing him of being a terrible person and a killer. The scene quickly becomes surreal as his surroundings turn artificial and even the trash can is revealed to be another puppet. This is deeply unsettling for Sam, considering all the questionable things he’s done since Cate began controlling him. He’s been burying painful memories and trauma, and now it’s all starting to resurface.

Similar to *The Boys*, *Gen V* skillfully balances shocking and disturbing content with genuinely moving and emotional moments. While the show certainly delivers on intense violence, it also offers a sensitive look at the deep pain and trauma experienced by the character Sam. Hopefully, Sam will eventually be able to find a path towards a better, more peaceful life where he doesn’t have to rely on violence to protect himself.

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2025-09-17 20:33