As a long-time fan of The Umbrella Academy, I must say that this season has been nothing short of a rollercoaster ride. The focus on Jean and Gene’s storyline is particularly intriguing to me. They are characters who, despite their privileged circumstances, are deeply dissatisfied with their lives. They crave the prestige and recognition they believe they deserve, a desire that often leads them down destructive paths. It’s a tale as old as time, really – the rich kid syndrome!
The enigma known as “The Jennifer Incident” has puzzled fans of “The Umbrella Academy” since the series began. This mystery was initially hinted at in one of creator Gerard Way’s early comics, appearing as an intriguing headline framed on a wall. Later, he admitted, “I have no idea what it actually means. I just thought of something that sounded captivating and thought-provoking.”
16 years after the Jennifer Incident, it appears that this event could lead to significant revelations. Hints about Jennifer were dropped throughout season three, such as the sketches of a woman named “Jennifer” found in Ben’s room. Interestingly, we learn that Jennifer, who has been living under the name “Rosie” in New Grumpson all this time, could be crucial to the resolution of The Umbrella Academy’s storyline.
Title “The Squid and the Girl” implies a mysterious link between the enigmatic character Ben and Jennifer, while also hinting at a filler episode that lays groundwork for future events. Despite its role in advancing plotlines, it remains engaging. After the car accident and Jennifer’s abduction by Jean and Gene in the previous episode, The Umbrellas find themselves without a clear strategy. To remedy this, they devise a plan: Five, Diego, and Lila will investigate the Keepers’ headquarters for any leads on Jean and Gene; Luther, Allison, and Viktor will confront Reginald Hargreeves regarding New Grumpson. Meanwhile, Ben takes his own path, which we’ll address later on.
In this specific episode, it turns out that the trio doesn’t learn a great deal. Lila joins Five in a peculiar alternate world subway, which eventually takes them on a brief, enjoyable trip back to season one’s Apocalypse Suite future. There, the version of Five from that timeline attempts unsuccessfully to eliminate them. On the other hand, Diego unearths documents detailing Jean and Gene’s fixation on something they term ‘The Cleanse’, which is linked to the universe where Ben passed away on October 14, 2006.
Simultaneously, Luther, Allison, and Viktor arrive at Reginald’s mansion, prepared for conflict, but instead, they’re greeted warmly. This is due to a truce brokered by Reginald’s wife, Abigail (who, thanks to season-three events, survives in this version of reality), that allows them all to gather and discuss matters civilly. They find themselves puzzled as they share the same vague explanations about an event called the Jennifer Incident. Despite repeating phrases like “it was a tragic accident; Ben died because we failed as a team” for so long, none of them can recall the specifics of how Ben actually perished. It seems someone has tampered with their memories, and the episode concludes mysteriously, as many of the Umbrellas prepare to use a device designed to recover their lost recollections.
However, it’s clear that Ben doesn’t have the time for all these complications. He shares a profound emotional bond with Jennifer, but there seems to be a larger narrative at play. We had an inkling of this before the current episode; after all, one of the few undeniable facts about the Jennifer Incident was that it led to Ben’s demise. Yet, their connection appears to be not just emotional, but also physical: Throughout the episode, they both experience a similar, strange burning sensation on their arms and faces simultaneously.
In this tense situation, Ben gets motivated by their complex bond and unleashes his Beast Mode, storming into the compound shared by Jean, Gene, and Jennifer. He ends up killing anyone who stood in his path to reach Jennifer. Remarkably, they manage to flee, but only because Jean and Gene choose to deceive their own guards for this event to unfold. It seems they’ll go to any lengths to achieve the timeline that suits them best.
From a fresh perspective as a movie critic, I find myself captivated by the tale of Jean and Gene within The Umbrella Academy. Despite their recent introduction, these characters embody a unique blend of ambition and disillusionment. They’re not content with being professors at New Mexico’s Golden Mesa Community College; they aspire for the prestige of Harvard tenures and the esteemed MacArthur fellowships.
Raindrops
In another turn of events, Klaus – known for his dual traits of extraordinary power and self-destructive tendencies – breaks into Allison’s home, causing friction with her daughter Claire, and rekindles an old connection with a disgruntled ex-dealer who wounds him gravely. (Remarkably, Klaus recovers from the gunshot wound.) I must admit, I am hesitant about isolating Klaus in such a dark storyline, but I suppose we’ll have to wait and see where this narrative unfolds.
In the previous season and even in this current episode, I’m still left puzzled by how The Umbrella Academy is handling Allison’s character development. During a family argument, she expresses her anger about being portrayed as the villain within the family, saying “I’m done playing the bad guy here.” While I understand her frustration, it seems she has indeed been acting in ways that are harmful to others, such as betraying them and even assaulting some members. Despite this, the other characters seem surprisingly forgiving of Allison, which is quite intriguing. It’s possible that there’s a larger storyline at play here, perhaps Allison serving as the ultimate antagonist in the series, considering Ray is no longer an option. However, the writers’ interpretation of her character feels less clear than that of her siblings, making it challenging to predict whether there will be any satisfying resolution for her story arc.
It appears that The Umbrella Academy might be setting up a love triangle involving Diego, Lila, and Five. However, this could simply be a decoy – Lila seems to mock Diego when he brings up the mustached man at the diner. Yet, the series is investing considerable time in developing a distinct bond between Five and Lila, which suggests there might be more to their relationship than initially perceived.
In this episode, a number of familiar characters make brief appearances: Delores, who is Five’s companion in the post-apocalyptic world, resembling a mannequin; Pogo, the intelligent chimpanzee; and Grace, the robotic maternal figure from The Umbrella Academy.
In the quick scene, Abigail appears to give an odd glance when Reginald claims he’s unfamiliar with Sy Grossman. It seems quite possible that she might have more information than she’s currently sharing.
If you found the previous episode less than crystal clear, let me clarify: “The Squid and the Girl” likewise includes a repeat of the beloved “Baby Shark” tune.
In this episode, we also played “Money (That’s What I Want)” by Barrett Strong, “Jump Into the Fire” by Harry Nilsson, and an unforgettable tune titled “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves” by Cher.
• For anyone feeling as adventurous as Jean and Gene, here’s a primer on alpaca milk.
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2024-08-08 19:54