So, you’ve been watching The Boys and you’re wondering about that weird, Fresca-chugging group that snatched up The Deep and A-Train. It’s called the Church of the Collective. On the surface, it looks like a goofy parody of celebrity-obsessed religions. But if you look closer, the showrunners did their homework. They built something that feels uncomfortably real. It’s not just a joke about lemon-lime soda.
What is the Church of the Collective Anyway?
Basically, it’s a fictional religious organization within the universe of Amazon Prime’s The Boys. It first shows up in Season 2. The leader is a guy named Alastair Adana, played by Goran Višnjić. He’s charismatic. He’s smooth. He’s also a total shark. The Church targets "Supes"—superheroes—who have hit rock bottom.
Think about it. When you’re a fallen hero like The Deep, and the world hates you because you’re a predator or a mess, you’re desperate. You want redemption. You want your career back. That’s where the Church of the Collective steps in with its weirdly specific brand of "self-improvement."
The Fresca Thing
Everyone asks about the Fresca. Is it a real cult thing? Not exactly. In the show, it’s a running gag that never gets a full explanation, which actually makes it funnier. But it serves a psychological purpose. In real-world high-control groups, small, shared habits create a sense of belonging. If everyone is drinking the same soda, you’re part of the "in" crowd. If you aren't drinking it, you're an outsider. It's subtle social pressure wrapped in a refreshing citrus bubbles.
The Real-World Inspiration Behind the Scenes
Eric Kripke, the showrunner, hasn’t been shy about where the ideas came from. While many fans immediately jump to Scientology comparisons because of the "celebrity auditing" vibe, the Church of the Collective is actually a cocktail of several real-life groups.
💡 You might also like: Is Steven Weber Leaving Chicago Med? What Really Happened With Dean Archer
- Scientology: The focus on "ascending" and clearing one’s image through psychological processing is a big parallel.
- NXIVM: This is a huge one. NXIVM was a "self-help" organization that turned out to be a sex cult. The way Alastair Adana talks about "potential" and "limiting beliefs" mirrors the language used by Keith Raniere.
- The Unification Church: Often called "The Moonies," known for mass weddings and massive political influence.
The show uses these real-world horrors to ground the satire. When Eagle the Archer brings The Deep into the fold, it feels like a genuine recruitment tactic. They find your "ruin"—the thing you're most ashamed of—and they promise to fix it. But the price is your autonomy.
How the Church of the Collective Manipulates Supes
It's all about the "Audits." In the Church of the Collective, these are sessions where a Supe is forced to confront their trauma. But they aren't doing it for healing. They’re doing it for leverage.
Take The Deep's hallucinogenic trip where he talks to his own gills. (Voiced by Patton Oswalt, which was a stroke of genius). It’s hilarious, sure. But it’s also a classic cult tactic: ego-stripping. They break you down until you're a puddle, then they rebuild you in their image. A-Train goes through something similar. He’s desperate to get back into the Seven, and Adana promises he can make it happen through political maneuvering and "cleansing" the bloodline.
The Power Structure
Alastair Adana isn't a god. He’s a middleman.
He wants a seat at the table with Vought International. This is the most realistic part of the Church of the Collective—the intersection of religion and corporate power. Adana doesn't care about your soul. He cares about how many shares of Vought stock he can influence.
📖 Related: Is Heroes and Villains Legit? What You Need to Know Before Buying
- Phase One: Love Bombing. They make you feel like the most important person in the room.
- Phase Two: The Debt. They do a "favor," like getting you out of jail or clearing a scandal.
- Phase Three: Total Control. You can't leave because they have the tapes. They have the dirt.
Why the Church Failed in Season 3
Spoilers ahead if you aren't caught up.
The Church of the Collective largely disappears after the Season 2 finale and the start of Season 3. Why? Because Alastair Adana’s head literally exploded. Victoria Neuman, the secret head-popper, took him out.
But narrative-wise, the Church served its purpose. It showed that even people with god-like powers are susceptible to psychological manipulation. It proved that in the world of The Boys, everyone has a grift. Even the people promising you heaven are usually just looking for a tax break or a way to blackmail a Senator.
Honestly, the way the show handled the fallout was pretty realistic too. When a cult leader dies or a group is exposed, it doesn't just vanish. It fractures. Some people stay true believers. Others, like A-Train, just walk away and pretend it never happened because they got what they wanted.
👉 See also: Jack Blocker American Idol Journey: What Most People Get Wrong
Critical Takeaways for Fans and Researchers
If you're looking at the Church of the Collective as a case study in media satire, there are a few things that stand out. It’s not just "religion is bad." It’s "predatory systems find the vulnerable."
- Vulnerability is universal. Even a guy who can talk to whales feels lonely.
- Language is a weapon. Terms like "The Collective" or "High-Level Supe" create a hierarchy that people naturally want to climb.
- The Fresca Factor. Never underestimate how a "quirky" shared identity can mask a dangerous lack of boundaries.
Moving Beyond the Screen
If you're fascinated by the mechanics of the Church of the Collective, you should look into the work of Steven Hassan. He developed the BITE model (Behavior, Information, Thought, and Emotional control). If you apply the BITE model to the Church in The Boys, they hit every single mark.
- Behavior Control: Dictating what they eat, drink (Fresca!), and who they associate with.
- Information Control: Adana keeps secrets between members to keep them isolated.
- Thought Control: Rehearsing specific mantras about their "value" as Supes.
- Emotional Control: Using guilt and shame about past mistakes to keep them compliant.
To really understand this topic, your next steps should be looking into the actual history of NXIVM or the documentary Going Clear. Seeing the parallels between Alastair Adana and real-life figures makes the satire in The Boys much sharper and a lot more terrifying. Watch the episodes again, but this time, ignore the capes. Look at the way they use "therapy" to build a prison. It’s the most "human" thing in a show about superhumans.