Review: Heroes Reborn (Season 1, Episode 5)

This was certainly the busiest episode thus far and suggests that from now on things will increase in pace, building up to a big finale. We begin right where we left off, with Noah, Quentin and Taylor attempting to leave Renautas’ headquarters, stumbling across a terrible secret on their way out. The episode also focuses on how Tommy handles the fallout of being caught, Miko and Ren’s attempt to recapture the sword, Carlos’s search for his nephew and how Luke struggle with his guilt. The ominous meaning behind Noah’s statement is carried through the episode, as references to the apocalypse are made continuously. As such, the audience can’t help but recognise the significance of the threat Renautas poses, increasing the sense of danger and suspense. This draws the audience in and makes us feel invested, as we apprehensively watch our favourite characters go on, oblivious to the impending disaster.

The importance of project ‘epic’ can be seen in this episode, as Evos are put in close-call situations throughout, now unable to hide their powers from the public. Malina and Farah can’t seem to catch a break this week, as their mysterious contact fails to appear, they’re tracked down by Harris and ultimately we are left with the assumption that Farah lost her life saving Malina. The writers decision to kill off a character we have barely gotten to know certainly seems strange and unwise, yet perhaps it was their attempt to increase the pace and add a sense of danger to the show  This leaves us wondering whether they decided they could do no more with the character, or if they made a poor choice to waste a character’s death in an attempt to make the narrative more exciting. 

The audience witnesses Tommy’s growth through the episode, as he deals with his mother’s secret and the consequences of being caught by the government. The surprising revelation about Tommy makes sense, yet at the same time shocks, as the audience witnesses his struggle with the truth. Perhaps his greatest moment so far was his rebellious scene with the unpleasant Agent Cutler, wherein he refused to be intimidated, ultimately transporting in the middle of the conversation. His courage in the face of Agent Cutler’s bullying has the audience cheering for him, as Agent Cutler’s claim that all Evos are a danger to mankind strikes a nerve. This is particularly true due to the current political debate regarding immigrants and the the threat that they pose.  An interesting implication of this is that once aware of this underlying issue, the audience are forced to question how they themselves would react in this situation, thus making them feel more connected to the show.

Indeed, Tommy’s behaviour in this episode suggests a dramatic change in his character, even his exchange with Emily is serious and full of unspent anger. Yet they still retain the adorable spark to their relationship, as it is only with Emily that Tommy opens up and shares his mum’s secret. The change in his character, exemplified in his last scene where he denies his destiny (to help save the world), suggests that he will become a more serious and perhaps more angry character as the show continues.

While some characters like Erica remain despicable, others find some redemption, for example Luke’s guilt over his past indiscretions gives him some sympathy points with the audience. Indeed, his entire storyline in this episode seemed to be focussed on him gaining forgiveness, as we see him grieve for his son and the life that they lost, while also grieving for those who lost their lives at his hand. Taylor also improves by siding with Noah, which seems to be a permanent thing. On the other hand, Erica remained psychotic and delusional, spouting the usual anti-Evo drivel and claiming to be making the necessary sacrifices for the good of humanity. Yet any audience member paying attention couldn’t help but find this to be a laughable claim, seeing as how she has yet to make any sacrifices herself, instead preferring to let the Evos take one for the team. 

Unfortunately this episode was not free from glaring issues. The main issue is undoubtedly with the scriptwriters, as Miko and Ren’s dialogue remains one dimensional and overly simplistic. As such, their characters have failed to achieve much growth in the show thus far. Another key issue is the special effects, as fight scenes between Malina and Harris, and Carlos and Captain Dearing scream CGI and don’t come close to being believable. It seems a shame that a show which otherwise continues to improve can’t seem to manage even small fight scenes well.

This episode certainly seems to continue the trend of improvement and it is even more exciting and engaging than the last. The character storylines become more complex and connected, as we see our first overlap in storylines, though it is admittedly brief. A lot of big changes take place in this episode and with the future disaster previously alluded to now in sight, it seems that we will face many more game changing moments from here on out.

Heroes Reborn airs on Tuesdays at 9pm on 5STAR.