Many fans are still disappointed that Netflix cancelled Altered Carbon in February 2020. Although the show only lasted two seasons, it gained a large and dedicated following. The second season ended with an unresolved cliffhanger, and unfortunately, the books don’t offer much closure either, as the show significantly changed the story after the first season.
Netflix briefly revisited the world of Altered Carbon with Altered Carbon: Resleeved, an anime film released in March 2020. This project explored the early life of Takeshi Kovacs, before the events of Season 1. While the main show used flashbacks to show his past, Resleeved presented his story in real-time. Although it had some interesting moments building out the world, Resleeved wasn’t particularly memorable. However, it does add context and directly impacts the experience of watching Season 1.
‘Altered Carbon: Resleeved’ Reunites Takeshi Kovacs With His Sister Far Sooner Than Thought
Netflix
A major surprise in Richard K. Morgan’s 2002 novel, Altered Carbon, was the revelation that Takeshi Kovacs’ sister wasn’t dead, despite earlier assumptions. The first season of the Netflix series closely follows the book, and it recreated this twist very effectively. Both the audience and Takeshi Kovacs (played by Joel Kinnaman) find out Reileen (Dichen Lachman) is still alive at the same time.
Originally, both Reileen and her brother Takeshi were believed to be dead—Reileen for over two centuries, and Takeshi’s consciousness stored away. However, the Netflix series Resleeved changed things. It revealed that Takeshi was actually revived into a new body just a year after Reileen seemingly died. This led to a surprising twist: Takeshi ended up working alongside Reileen during the central mission of the Resleeved storyline, while disguised as an envoy.
Having both changed their appearances since they last met, the siblings didn’t recognize each other at first. Then, Takeshi started humming a tune from their childhood, and Reileen began to suspect the man before her wasn’t a stranger, but her brother. Determined to keep up the pretense of her supposed death, she acted as if she was simply another mercenary doing her job. During a moment of high tension, she instinctively called him “Tak,” and her brother clearly became suspicious, though he didn’t say anything.
How Takeshi & Relieen’s ‘Resleeved’ Reunion Changes ‘Altered Carbon’ Season 1
Netflix
The ending of Resleeved, with Takeshi asking “So tell me what’s next,” felt like a setup for another story. The show’s format would have worked well for a series of similar adventures. Unfortunately, after Altered Carbon was cancelled and Resleeved didn’t perform as hoped, we didn’t see Takeshi Kovacs on screen again. However, it’s reasonable to believe he continued working on missions for his new employer. Given that Reileen knew where her brother was, she probably collaborated with him in secret many times.
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Even without adding much new information, the Resleeved episode significantly expands the established story of the Altered Carbon universe by showing the siblings meeting centuries before it was previously known. It also retroactively explains how Reileen knew Takeshi was alive in Season 1, connecting it to the Latimer mission from the animated prequel, and opens the door to the possibility of other unseen missions from that time. Importantly, Resleeved suggests Takeshi subtly recognized his sister earlier than shown in Season 1, which lessens the emotional impact of his later discovery that she’s still alive.
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2026-01-19 00:32