Every great genre show hits its “what the hell is going on” threshold eventually.
Revival just crossed it — in slow motion, glowing gold, with Jordan dissolving into sparkly space dust next to a luminous spider-limbed being from beneath the surface of Wisconsin.
Yes, that’s the sentence, and yes, it’s awesome.
But before we get to the alien (or god, or energy being — jury’s still out), let’s rewind.
“Bloodlines” is a loaded title, and Revival Season 1 Episode 6 makes good on it: this is about family — the ones you’re born into, the ones you build, and the ones who betray you.
20 Years Before Revival Day
We begin twenty years before Revival Day, with the birth of Em Cypress — an emotionally loaded, intimate flashback that finally contextualizes her condition.
Patty, her mother, is deep in the spiritual midwifery space (birthing tub, candles, flower child vibes), while Wayne is all but losing it as the baby arrives silent and weak.
The mention of cancer treatment, the fear, the guilt — it all sets the tone for a life lived in fragility. And from that moment forward, Em was cradled with caution.
But Em’s not fragile anymore.
Dana and Em Fight to the Death (But Not Each Other)
By the time we’re back in the present, she’s facing down cartel thugs, tearing through electrical panels, and snapping necks like she’s been resurrected with a purpose.
The difference is, this time, the show doesn’t frame her as scary or monstrous. It frames her as righteous.
Dana, meanwhile, is fighting her own battle — literally and emotionally.
She’s recovering in the hospital after being shot (by Brent, who absolutely earned his tray-to-the-face exit), and watching her rally despite her pain is yet another reminder of how badass Melanie Scrofano’s performance is.
She’s half-dead and still outsmarting gunrunners.
The Stakes are Raised
The stakes of the story have grown in scope, but what Revival does well is remind us that all this chaos stems from one core lie: Dana and Em hiding the truth from Wayne.
That decision, born of love and fear, has created a ripple effect that’s gotten people tortured, institutionalized, and killed. Ibrahim’s work has been undermined. Carla’s reign of cruelty took root.
And now we have people like McCray being scapegoated, while monsters like the Check brothers operate with impunity — because everyone’s still pretending there’s nothing “other” about Martha Cypress.
And that scope includes Wayne locking up Rhodey without due process or explanation — just fear.
Rhodey, sweet Rhodey, whose biggest crime seems to be maybe selling his own regenerating body parts to survive (if that’s even what happened), is tossed into a holding cell without so much as a conversation.
Wayne doesn’t ask questions. He doesn’t offer comfort. He just reacts. And it’s not leadership — it’s panic, wearing a badge.
And right next to him? Myles. Still alive and still imprisoned. After being tortured on Revival Season 1 Episode 5 in the name of “science,” now he’s locked away like a threat.
He’s not a victim or a man, he’s just a thing to be studied, managed, and pushed out of sight.
The Quiet Ones Rise Up
The dehumanization is chilling, and made even more poignant by the presence of Ibrahim, who is finally saying enough.
The man who arrived in Wausau as a polished outsider is now risking everything — his career, his safety, his entire worldview — to speak up.
He defies orders. He steps into rooms no one wants to enter. He fights for people the town would rather forget. He’s not just a doctor anymore. He’s a revolutionary in a lab coat, and you get the sense even he’s surprised by it.
But it’s Jordan who quietly steals the episode. We’ve seen hints of something special in her — she’s seemed to have felt things more deeply, observed without judgment.
And when she breaks those chains and calmly walks toward the glowing entity in the woods? Goosebumps. There’s no fear, no screaming — just peace.
That scene could’ve gone hokey fast, but Revival plays it with awe, and it lands beautifully. Whatever this being is — extraterrestrial, supernatural, divine — it’s clearly not here to destroy. It’s here to transform.
What’s Driving the Revival Transformations?
Which brings us to the moment that cracked open the heart of the episode: Em placing her hand on Dana’s after she’s been stabbed by Anthony Check.
She’s bleeding from her eyes, breaking down emotionally, and the glow begins to radiate between them. We don’t know what this light means yet.
Healing? Connection? Some sort of merging of energies? But it feels profound. Like something ancient woke up and decided it’s time to fix what’s broken.
There’s One (Or More) in Every Crowd
And speaking of broken, how about that line from Anthony? “If you don’t do what I say, I’ll toss all the Cypresses into the wood chipper.”
I mean… the nerve of dropping a pun while threatening children. He deserved his dramatic demise, and Em made sure it was satisfyingly brutal.
The effects team deserves a shoutout, too. That glowing being — equal parts ethereal and unsettling — looks like it was pulled from a dreamscape.
The choice to make it look delicate, not monstrous, is important.
The light, the movement, the way it touches rather than attacks — this isn’t horror. It’s awe, and maybe even hope.
Bloodlines is a Turning Point
“Bloodlines” is a turning point for Revival. It takes the emotional weight we’ve been building over five episodes and injects it with cosmic weirdness.
The horror is still there — the kidnapping, the abuse, the creeping dread — but it’s now interlaced with something transcendent.
Jordan’s ascension isn’t just a shocker; it’s a statement. Something ancient, maybe divine, is keeping tabs on these revivers.
And whether you think it’s aliens, gods, or a very fancy metaphor, it’s clear that Em’s story — and her family’s — was never just about second chances. It’s about evolution.
What do you think about this turn of events? Discuss the Cypress sisters doing some damage and share your theories about the beautiful being in the comments below!
Watch Revival Online
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Revival Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Run Along Little Lamb — Trust No One, Not Even Yourself
Revival Season 1 Episode 4 escalates the mystery with paranoia, betrayal, and a devastating truth: sometimes surviving isn’t the hard part — living is.
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Revival Season 1 Episode 3 Review: Reality Check — Dying Was the Easy Part
On Revival Season 1 Episode 3, the undead aren’t the scariest part — it’s the living. Dana and Em confront painful truths, and Wayne draws a hard line.
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