Takeshi Kovacs is a chameleon of sorts. But in the world of Altered Carbon, that doesn’t make him unique at all. In fact, just about every human born (within the Protectorate, at least) has this ability, because the technology exists to upload a person’s consciousness as digital data which can then be downloaded into a variety of bodies, or Sleeves. Trippy stuff.

If you had trouble following that, you’re gonna have a tough time keeping up with Altered Carbon Season 2, which just arrived on Netflix today. That’s okay, we’ve got you covered. We’re recapping the events of Season 1, along with some terminology to explain why Will Yun Lee, Joel Kinnaman, and Anthony Mackie (and others) can all play Kovacs. It’s still pretty complicated stuff. Luckily, Netflix has a handy video recap before you jump into Season 2. Check it out below or watch the auto-play when you head over to the title’s launch page itself:

The past is haunting you. Anthony Mackie is Takeshi Kovacs in Season 2 of Altered Carbon, streaming February 27. Get ready to watch with this recap of Season 1!

Our quick recap of Season 1 follows below, after a handy terminology guide: