how are there starlighters still out of prison in gen v

In Gen V , the “Starlighters” are still out of prison because they were not all treated as proven criminals in the first place. The storyline shows that some were blamed or detained after the Homelander-supporter clash, but later evidence and public pressure helped clear at least some of the wrongful arrests.

What’s going on

The confusion comes from the fact that the franchise uses “Starlighters” for Annie’s supporters, not one single organized prison group. After the courthouse riot, Vought and the authorities blamed Starlighters for the deaths, but the show later indicates that exonerating evidence was found for people who were wrongly arrested.

In Gen V context

Gen V season 2 also starts from a prison/release setup for the main students, showing how Vought can detain or release people selectively when it suits them. That same worldbuilding makes it believable that some Starlighter- related arrests would not stick, especially if the accusation was politically convenient rather than solidly proven.

Short version

• Some Starlighters were arrested after the public fight.
• Not all of them stayed in prison.
• The show later suggests wrongful arrests were challenged and overturned.

If you want, I can also break down the exact Gen V / The Boys timeline that leads to this.