RECAP: Heroes Reborn – S1E1 A Brave New World

"Something" is coming... and I don't think it is "Winter"

This new version of Heroes picks up a few years after Claire Bennet famously outed herself as an“EVO” (evolved human) at the carnival of doom. As with the original series, there are several characters with parallel storylines. So there’s a lot going on.

By watching the prequel web series Dark Matters we learn that after Claire’s public proclamation, people with powers (EVOs, Heroes or whatever you want to call them) started coming out of the woodworks. Among them a girl called PHOEBE who can control the shadows [It is terribly creepy].

It was all novelty and acceptance at first but – as it happens in all sci-fi shows ever made – people got scared of the evos because they were different and started discriminating them. Discrimination turned into persecution [with concentration camps already in place in China and Russia] and the rest is history.

Tensions literally explode at an EVO/Humans summit in Odesa Texas where something [or someone] detonates killing hundreds of innocents. The attack is labelled an “EVO terrorist act” and the fall guy is none other than Mohinder Surresh [which is probably NOT true or his brief tenure as Gabe Lowen turned him into a bad guy]

So, as Heroes Reborn begins EVOs are being hunted and everyone is trying to flee to Canada because Canadians are nice [I want to move to Canada].

Let’s break down the story

NOAH BENNET (A.K.A. HRG) AND THE CONSPIRACY THEORIST

Fret not, he eventually gets his glasses back

Right out of the gate, we learn that Noah and Claire had a falling out and he hasn’t seen her in years [I am really glad that they are not just pretending Claire doesn’t exist but I still wish she was a larger part of the narrative]. During these years apart Noah acquired a new identity, moved to the suburbs, got a job selling cars and even managed to find a fiancée. He also lost the glasses [GASP!]  

Obviously, his quiet lifestyle doesn’t last. He is approached by QUENTIN, who looks like the average conspiracy nut-job but… he is actually SHADOWY PHOEBE’S brother [and he has been in touch with Micah]. Basically, Quentin believes that RENATUS (the new Primatech/Company) kidnapped his sister and are behind the Odessa attack. Unfortunately, Noah has no recollection of the day…

His lack of memory leads him to his old pal: the Haitian. However, what happens next is far from a happy reunion. The Haitian tries to kill Noah, but Noah kills him first. Before dying The Haitian manages to tell Noah that was just doing what he asked him to do. Apparently Noah had a master plan that included SUICIDE BY HAITIAN, but he disrupted his own plan. Dun dun dun.

But let’s meet the new characters…

LUKE AND JOANNE COLLINS

NOT Chuck

Next we have Luke Collins who is definitely NOT Chuck. He is SO not Chuck, that I am not even going to call him Chuck as I normally would. Let’s just say that Luke doesn’t have an issue with guns and he definitely does not stay in the car. Luke and his wife Joanne were pro-EVO humans [?] and took his 9-year-old son to the Odessa summit. Sadly, the kid died in the explosion.

After their tragic loss, the Collins became EVO-hunters. And they don’t discriminate, kids, senior, dangerous or not… they are going to kill them. Joanne seems to be a cold blooded murderer at this point, but Luke seems a bit conflicted about not having a killing code [even Dexter had one].

TOMMY , THE “NOW YOU SEE ME” KID

Not Peter Pan (he is actually nice on this one)

Young Tommy  – played by Robbie Kay - is just a nice high school kid with the ability to make people disappear and send them to Neverland. OK, maybe not Neverland, but wouldn’t that be cool? Tommy has been flying under the radar [and escaped Evo Hunting Bonnie and Clyde] but that may change soon. Having a man with a case full of pennies stalking you is never a good omen [My theory is that COIN MAN works for Mamma Petrelli]. In addition, Tommy has been getting mysterious texts which I assume are coming from Micah.

MIKO, THE JAPANESE ACTION GIRL

Heroes is not complete without a trip to Japan. In Tokyo, we meet MIko. A girl who has the ability to transport herself into the video game world. And no… I am not talking about an avatar, she actually gets into the game… you know, like Japanese Tron.Anyway, Miko has a few souvenirs from her unknown father who seems to be trapped in the game [see? Tron]: a hair ribbon and a samurai sword. So… could it be that she is Hiro’s daughter?

She might be my new favourite character FYI.

MOLLY WALKER

Finally, we have Molly… who is all grown up and working as a Casino collector. Not a very good one, since she gets abducted by Peter Mooney and the girl from The 100. And yes, in case you were wondering, she is apparently the key to everything. Save the human locator, save the world. [Not that catchy, but yeah…]

We also have a Hispanic vet with a vigilante complex [because you can’t have a show without latinos these days] and a girl in Island who keeps playing with the Aurora borealis… oh! And apparently “something is coming” [and I don’t think they are talking about “WINTER”].

Verdict: Perhaps the only justifiable revival

I was not disappointed by this. The first two hours of the new Heroes felt like the beginning of S1 and I thought all the new characters were interesting. For obvious reasons it doesn’t feel as new as it felt the first time around, but that feeling of wonder is replaced with a fair bit of nostalgia. And that’s not a bad thing.

All in all, I really enjoyed the premiere [and the prequel videos] and I am excited to continue watching. I really think the limited season will work to the show’s advantage and we will get to see one contained, [hopefully] well planned series.