Roswell, New Mexico season 2 has finally begun, and we already have so much to talk about.

The Roswell, New Mexico season 2 premiere picked up right where season 1 left off. Rosa is back, Noah is gone, and Liz and Max are knockin’ cowboy boots. Just kidding. It was great to see Echo in action as the lovey-dovey dorks that they are, but it was also a tragic reminder that the ship is on an indefinite hiatus. You know, because of the whole death thing.

Related: Roswell, New Mexico season 1 refresher: 10 things to remember

That being said, despite what Isobel’s gloriously over-the-top funeral attire would have us believe, the show is already using Noah to establish that death probably isn’t the end of the line. It seems that the grave can’t hold everyone’s least favorite alien, because he was still causing all kinds of trouble in the Roswell, New Mexico season 2 premiere.

Noah has been fighting to survive for decades, and apparently, that’s not going to stop just because he’s dead. The handprint he left on Rosa affords him a psychic connection that’s stronger than we ever could have predicted. Apparently, Rosa has never seen the man’s face, yet he is all over her dreams. His memory is also still haunting Isobel in a very real and painful way.

If the Roswell, New Mexico season 2 premiere was one thing, it was a portrait of grief. Grief in many forms. Each character dealt with their losses in very different ways, but there was something beautiful, accessible, and relatable in each of their portrayals.

First, there’s Liz. On the surface, she’s keeping herself together, because that’s kind of her thing. Her care and worry for her sister, along with her passion for her work are keeping her moving, but her devastation was tangible upon finding Max, and the subsequent times that she let her emotions in.

Then, there’s Isobel. Despite her brief breakdown at the funeral, she’s in full on denial. She’s so connected to Max that she can’t fathom the possibility that he’s gone, and we probably shouldn’t discount that connection when considering if she might be right. Isobel and Max are about as bound as two beings can get, so if she thinks he’s coming back, I’m inclined to believe her, even if she is having trouble feeling him right now.

Isobel is also in the tough position of grieving a man who never really existed. Her relationship with her husband was beyond complicated, but he was still the man she chose to spend her life with. At the end of the day, she’s dealing with more loss than anyone, and she’s doing pretty great given the circumstances.

Finally, there’s Michael, who’s somewhere between anger and attempting to numb his way into acceptance. He’s mad that Max acted recklessly and left them, and he’s not ready to feel anything else yet. Also, even though Maria is being as cool as a chick can be and Alex is offering him the world, he’s pushing people away at every turn.

I’m already thoroughly enjoying getting to know Rosa Ortecho. In Roswell, New Mexico season 1, we only got to meet her in other people’s memories. Even though the picture was intact, it was always colored with their context. We finally get to see who Rosa Ortecho really is, and I really like what we’re seeing.

I loved that the Crashdown Cafe’s jukebox was her first stop and how music lights her up. I was pleasantly surprised by her reasonable approach to the “side effects” she was experiencing. I was living for the perfect sister fights, and Rosa calling out her baby brother for his completely obvious feelings for Liz. I beamed at the fun she had revealing herself to people who long thought her dead, and cried over her fear of ruining her fresh start. I am so excited to see what else Rosa Ortecho has to offer!

I really hope she gets involved with helping Liz bring Noah back. With the Alighting looming, Liz has been renewed with hope that Max’s resurrection is nothing more than a science project. It was amazing to see her work with Kyle and Guerin, as I’m obsessed with seeing the show’s resident geniuses working together, but I think Rosa’s signature spunk would be a perfect addition to the team.

Honestly, she’s already proven her worth in the Roswell, New Mexico season 2 premiere. Flint Manes almost thwarted their plan by taking Noah’s body, but Rosa’s quick thinking saved the day. Flint is going to need new leverage to get his father back, because Noah has officially been dissected. Freaky green nanotech tissue and all. Unfortunately, aliens must dissect a little differently than humans, because Kyle botched the heart removal. Guess it’s time for a new plan. Good thing they have a regenerative medicine specialist on hand!

Roswell, New Mexico is quickly becoming my favorite wielder of the double-edged sword. Liz got her sister back but lost Max. Michael found his mother and inadvertently caused her death. Maria finally found someone she liked only to learn her best friend was in love with him too. These writers are incredibly adept at building your hopes and then tragically and wonderfully crushing them. It’s really a thing of beauty,

The sword was masterfully brandished once again in the Roswell, New Mexico season 2 premiere. Just as we were becoming hopeful that we’d get Max back, Mr. Evans entered, in all his magnificent splendor (or at least a fraction of it), to say, “Halt! You shall not resurrect me!”

I am so stupidly, ecstatically here for this. I love the stakes that Roswell, New Mexico is jumping into season 2 with, and I can’t wait to see where the show goes from here. As terrified as I am to see what the consequences of Max’s return will be, because let’s face it, we all know he’s coming back, I am completely desperate to find out.

The Roswell, New Mexico season 2 premiere also gave us a couple more cliffhangers to obsess over. Mimi DeLuca has been abducted and Isobel is pregnant! With all of this drama, this is going to be really fun and grossly heartwrenching.

And the soundtrack is going to be perfect. Playing “Zombie” under a scene about bringing someone back from the dead? Perfect. Bring on the rest, Roswell, New Mexico season 2. We’re ready for you!