Stephen King's characters have been portrayed in myriad ways on the big and small screens, but the best depiction of one of his most recognizable characters is in a surprising 97% RT series. The show in question is not a Stephen King adaptation, but it still perfectly captures one of his book characters.
When it comes to the big screen, there have been some incredible depictions of Stephen King's characters. For instance, Stanley Kubrick's The Shining did an incredible job of capturing Jack, Wendy, and Danny while giving them a unique spin. Even the 1976 Carrie remains iconic for how faithfully it brought the tragic titular character to life.
Unfortunately, when it comes to one other Stephen King character, their portrayal on the big and small screen has always been underwhelming. Interestingly, though, one highly acclaimed show, which is not based on a Stephen King book, has portrayed the character in ways that feel far more authentic and true to King's vision.
Gen V's Cate Has The Same "Push" Abilities As Firestarter's Andy
Her Ability Is Explicitly Labeled As "Push" In The Boys' Spin-Off
Maddie Phillips as Cate smiling in Gen V season 2
Stephen King's Firestarter features a character named Andy McGee, who possesses the ability to control minds through a psychic power. His supernatural ability in the novel is labeled as "the push" because it works like a mental shove where Andy implants ideas into someone's head to alter their sense of reality and perception.
Interestingly, in The Boys' spin-off Gen V, a young character named Cate possesses the same "push" abilities. Cate not only explicitly labels her power as "push" but, like Andy, also struggles with the ethical burden and moral consequences of manipulating other people's thoughts and taking away their free will.
In the Stephen King story, Andy acquires his abilities after he participates in a government-funded experiment conducted by a massive corporation called The Shop. He is injected with a drug called Lot Six, which helps him acquire his powers.
Similarly, in Gen V, Cate, like other supes, gets her "push" powers after being injected with a chemical called Compound V, which was created by a huge conglomerate called Vought International.
Gen V's Portrayal Of Cate's Terrifying Powers Is Far Better Than The Firestarter Movies
All Three Adaptations Of Firestarter Have Been Underwhelming
Zac Efron's Andy holding Charlie's hand in Firestarter
So far, there have been three major adaptations of Stephen King's Firestarter. While two movie adaptations came out in 1984 and 2022, a sequel to the 1984 film, titled Firestarter: Rekindled, premiered in 2002. All three adaptations struggled to impress viewers and critics and failed to capture Stephen King's vision.
Zac Efron portrayed Andy in the 2022 adaptation, but the movie was panned by critics worldwide, with many criticizing its one-dimensional portrayal of the central characters. Gen V seems to do a far better job of portraying an Andy-esque character through Cate by showing the horrifying implications of her powers.
Throughout Gen V season 1's runtime, Cate struggles to cage her own inner demons and deals with the guilt of manipulating her closest friends. Despite having good intentions, she eventually embraces her darker tendencies and even does some incredibly evil things to seek vengeance on those who harmed her.
In many sequences, Gen V also unfolds from the perspective of Cate's victims, which gives audiences a glimpse of how terrifying her powers can be. There is an entire segment where characters end up inside Cate's mind, which vividly illustrates all the trauma and pain she carries. The Firestarter movies do not even come close to capturing Andy's "push" powers so brilliantly.
Cate's Story Will Likely Be More Like Andy's In Gen V Season 2
She Will Likely Redeem Herself
Cate with bloodshot eyes in Gen V season 1 episode 8 during fight on campus
Towards the end of Gen V season 1, Cate fully embraced the dark side and joined Homelander's supe-supremacist team. As Gen V season 2's trailer suggests, however, she might walk down the path of redemption instead of doubling down on her villainous turn. Like Andy from Firestarter, she might ultimately use her powers for something good, even if redemption comes at a personal cost.
Given how character beats often take unpredictable turns in The Boys, it can be hard to foresee how her narrative will unfold in the franchise's future story arcs. However, considering how, like the Stephen King character, she was initially crushed by the weight of her powers, she might eventually find a bittersweet redemption.
