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 aStephen 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 ofStephen King’s characters. For instance,Stanley Kubrick’sThe Shiningdid an incredible job of capturing Jack, Wendy, and Danny while giving them a unique spin. Even the 1976Carrieremains 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 aStephen 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
Stephen King’sFirestarterfeatures 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, inThe Boys' spin-offGen 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.
DID YOU KNOW: John Carpenter was initially set to direct the original 1984Firestarterbut was replaced afterThe Thingfailed at the box office. The horror director later did the music for 2022’sFirestarter.
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, inGen 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
So far, there have been three major adaptations of Stephen King’sFirestarter. While two movie adaptations came out in 1984 and 2022, a sequel to the 1984 film, titledFirestarter: 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 Vseems to do a far better job of portraying an Andy-esque character through Cate by showing the horrifying implications of her powers.
ThroughoutGen Vseason 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 Valso 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. TheFirestartermovies 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
Towards theend ofGen Vseason 1, Cate fully embraced the dark side and joined Homelander’s supe-supremacist team. AsGen Vseason 2’s trailer suggests, however, she might walk down the path of redemption instead of doubling down on her villainous turn. LikeAndy fromFirestarter, 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 inThe Boys, it can be hard to foresee how her narrative will unfold in the franchise’s future story arcs. However, considering how, like theStephen Kingcharacter, she was initially crushed by the weight of her powers, she might eventually find a bittersweet redemption.
Gen V
Gen V is set at America’s only college for superheroes, where students challenge their moral limits while competing to join Vought International’s elite team, The Seven. As dark secrets of the institution are revealed, they must determine the kind of heroes they aspire to be.
Firestarter
Cast
Firestarter is a remake of the 1984 film of the same name, adapted from the Stephen King novel. The film, released theatrically to the Peacock streaming service, follows the story of Andy and Vicky, who undergo a clinical trial that gives them superhuman abilities. Andy is telepathic; Vicky is telekinetic. Years later, their daughter Charlie proves to be far more powerful, with volatile pyrokinetic abilities. At the same time, Charlie and her family are on the run from The Shop, a secret government agency that is hunting Charlie.
