‘Reginald the Vampire’ Recap: ‘We Can Be Heroes (Just For One Day)’

6/27/2024

Written by John Edward Betancourt

REGINALD THE VAMPIRE -- "We Can Be Heroes (Just For One Day)" Episode 208 -- Pictured: (l-r) Jacob Batalon as Reginald Andres, Savannah Basley as Angela Hibbert -- (Photo by: James Dittiger/SYFY)

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 208 of ‘Reginald the Vampire’. To revisit the previous episode, click here. Also, this article contains discussions of suicidal ideation, which may be triggering to some individuals.

One unfortunate moment that we don’t like to remotely think about in this life, are our final days and understandably so. After all, to think about that, means we are thinking about the end, and no one wants to ponder upon their own death unless it is absolutely necessary. Plus, to do so early seemingly adds a morose air to our daily lives, as though we’re just focused on the end instead of the journey. But like it or not, there will come a day where the end of the road lies ahead and well, since we don’t think about it, that does beg some questions. Such as, what will our final moments look like and what should we be thinking about when they arrive?

Well as it turns out, the next episode of Reginald the Vampire on SYFY pondered upon such matters and that made ‘We Can Be Heroes (Just For One Day)’ quite the powerful tale. One that explored a great deal regarding the end, after it took the time to also think upon… what the afterlife might look like. After all, Sarah made her way into a unique place after Uriel did his rude little thing last week and well, it turned out that Sarah made it to Heaven, and it was… a fascinating place initially catered to the wants and need of the soul before they were expected to explore the great beyond. Which was, a fascinating idea to ponder upon, as though Heaven would grant someone an adjustment period in a comfortable place before what lies beyond is embraced, something this writer is hard pressed to find a parallel of, story wise.

But of course, what lies beyond that adjustment spot will have to wait for another time, because the show did not reveal it here and instead, turned its attention to our vampire heroes. For they didn’t die and go to a similar place, they instead were just transported to the Slushy Shack. Wherein all they could do was face the end and hope a plan would emerge to defeat Bolestro and that led… to the exploration in question. Wherein we came to learn that some people would want to go out differently if facing a specific end. Which is what Angela wanted. Because she hated the idea of an angel taking her out… so she seriously considered taking her own life to have agency and control. A move that while unsettling, paralleled our world and new laws that allow for folks with terminal illnesses to take their own lives, and it did speak to how some folks want control at the end.

For others, the end is nothing more… than a reflective time. Wherein we take inventory of our lives and the moments that mattered to really decide how ready we are and if there’s any unfinished business to handle. Which is what everyone else focused upon in these disturbing hours, and that brought about love and joy and gratitude and… the most important aspect of all regarding the end… acceptance. An understanding that the end is nigh and that we should embrace in the inevitable in a brave and bold manner because that will inspire strength in others when their times comes and so… we are ready. Which is where everyone found themselves at emotionally at the end of this story, with a general plot twist of course. In that, they were all ready to stand before Bolestro and just, accept their fate, be it good or be it bad, and showcase something quite important to the angel.

In that, they were capable of more than he thought and that if by chance… he wanted to strike vampirekind down, he would be wiping a species out that had potential, that had depth and stories to tell that went beyond just murder and mayhem. Which might save them, might not, but peace was in their hearts and that made for one powerful and beautiful episode. One that really did reflect upon some serious stuff and some hard philosophy and showcased just how deep this show can go. Because this is stuff you just don’t see in horror and vampire stories all that often, and this show deserves a round of applause and our awe for going this route and setting up a different kind of hero’s journey. One that may end in an unconventional manner when we tune into a final showdown between vampires and one angry angel. Until next time.

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