The Boys is an adult satirical superhero series based on a comic book of the same name. It follows a team of vigilantes as they fight against superpowered individuals who abuse their powers. The success of The Boys led to spinoffs, including Gen V and The Boys Presents: Diabolical. So, when do these shows take place in the timeline? Here’s the complete The Boys watch order:
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Amazon’s The Boys in Release Order
The Boys watch order by release:
- The Boys Season 1 – July 26, 2019
- The Boys Season 2 – September 4, 2020 – October 9, 2020
- The Boys Presents: Diabolical – March 4, 2022
- The Boys Season 3 – June 3, 2022 – July 8, 2022
- Gen V Season 1 – September 29, 2023 – November 3, 2023
- The Boys Season 4 – 2024
- Gen V Season 2 – TBA
READ MORE: Is Gen V Based on The Boys Comics?
Amazon’s The Boys in Chronological Order
Unlike other franchises, The Boys does not have a very complicated timeline. And so, there are not many differences in watching The Boys in release order or chronological order. Here’s how you can watch The Boys in order of release.
For the first The Boys spinoff, Diabolical, only three episodes are considered canon, but these episodes are not something that affects the main story in The Boys, so watching them before or after the main series will not really matter.
As for Gen V, however, it takes place between The Boys Season 3 and The Boys Season 4, and it sets up The Boys Season 4, so it’s important to watch it before the fourth season comes out next year.
Here’s Amazon’s The Boys in chronological order:
The Boys Presents: Diabolical, Episode 8 – One Plus One Equals Two
The eighth episode of Diabolical is considered canon and is the most important one as it follows Homelander when he first joins The Seven.
In The Boys series, we’re informed about things concerning Homelander’s past, but in Diabolical, we see what happened, specifically when he first joined The Seven. It also shows when Homelander partnered with Black Noir for his very first mission.
Other episodes considered canon include “Nubian vs Nubian” (Episode 6) and "John and Sun-Hee" (Episode 7). However, as mentioned earlier, it’s not necessary to watch episodes of Diabolical first before The Boys series and Gen V.
The Boys Season 1
This is where all the action begins. Hughie Campbell’s girlfriend is killed in an accident involving A-Train, a member of The Seven.
Hughie later finds himself teaming up with Billy Butcher, the leader of The Boys who despises superpowered individuals. They work together to take down the corrupt powerful corporation Vought, and The Seven, Vought’s superhero team.
The Boys Season 2
The conflict between The Boys and Vought continues in The Boys Season 2, although now, The Boys are aided by Starlight, a member of The Seven. There are many revelations in The Boys Season 2, and a new mysterious superhero Stormfront joins The Seven.
The Boys Season 3
The Boys Season 3 takes place a year after the events of the second season. The Boys now work for the government, but they later learn of a mysterious Anti-Supe weapon, capable of defeating Homelander. They begin looking for Soldier Boy, America’s first and greatest superhero before Homelander.
Gen V Season 1
Gen V takes place at a superhero college, Godolkin University, which is run by Vought International. The spin-off follows a group of young adult supes who are trained to be the next generation of heroes.
In the timeline, Gen V takes place between The Boys Season 3 and Season 4. There are many The Boys cameos, references, and easter eggs, and it’s important to watch this first before The Boys Season 4 because Gen V sets up the upcoming season.
The story of the fourth season will be connected to what happened in Gen V.
It was recently announced that The Boys Season 4 will be released in 2024, although there is no specific release date for the season yet. You can read more about The Boys Season 4 here.
You can also check here for more news and updates on The Boys! For now, you still have plenty of time to follow The Boys' watch order to prepare for Season 4.
READ NEXT: Who Dies and Who Survives in Gen V Season 1?
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