‘Heroes Reborn’ finally realizes its potential as it reveals the mystery of June 13th.

Image via NBC

‘HEROES REBORN’ GETS REBORN.

Note: The following review goes into detail about the episode. SPOILER ALERT!

Now that was more like it. If “Game Over” was the show finally starting to deliver on its potential, “June 13th” was the episode that fully capitalized on it, with the two-part episode doing exactly what an episode of Heroes Reborn should: moving the conflict forward, showing off a mix of old and new characters and doing it all in the smooth, slick style of Heroes.

Image via NBC

After meeting up with Hiro at the end of “Game Over,” Noah Bennett time travels to June 13, the date in which a supposed terrorist attack blew up a peace summit and turned public opinion against EVOs. While the mystery around the event was never nail-bitingly intriguing, “June 13th” is able to use it as a way to give some reveals and utilize much of the original cast along the way. Both Mohinder Suresh and Angela Petrelli return, and there’s even a cameo from LA’s finest telepath, Matt Parkman. The way that the original cast is utilized is great, as their parts add both flavor and meaning to the events at hand. And of course, the actors haven’t skipped a bit, with Masi Oka continuing to entertain as Hiro and Christine Rose keeping Angela every bit the ice queen she was in the original series.

Image via NBC

Where the two-parter stumbled, however, was when it tried to include newer characters in the proceedings. With “Game Over” and both parts of “June 13th” focusing on the same core group and airing over three weeks, it was hard to remember who some of the more ancillary characters were, especially ones that didn’t make much of an impression to begin with. The episodes also seemed to bend over backwards to connect all the characters to Erica Kravitz and her Renautis Corporation. Giving your character a personal connection to the main antagonist is great, but the fact that everyone seemed to be involved with Erica made this come off as lazy. Although “June 13th” is a prequel,  it’s hard not to feel like some of the episodes’ excellent set up was thrown away, with some characters losing their powers and memories.

THE BREAKDOWN

“June 13th” was the episode that finally kicked Heroes Reborn into gear, as it balanced classic and new characters and took the curtain off of a few of the show’s mysteries. While the segments focusing on newcomers like Carlos felt a little divorced from the main plot, “June 13th” laid out the central conflict of Heroes Reborn, and did it well. It should not haven taken eight episodes to get to this point, but now that the series’ big mysteries are revealed, it’s a good point to be at.

Was it great to see the classic characters again? Are you freaking out over that character’s fate? Tweet me @MaxMielecki. And be sure to follow us @YouNerded.

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