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Where — and When — Were We on The Umbrella Academy?

Aug 7, 2024

Where — and When — Were We on The Umbrella Academy?

Well now, let me tell ya ’bout this season of The Umbrella Academy! It’s been a real rollercoaster, full of twists and turns that left me scratching my head more times than I can count. But hey, ain’t no fun without a little mystery, right?

Imagine if your job was challenging? Consider the situation where you have to prevent not one, but three catastrophic events, all while grappling with severe PTSD and unresolved family issues stemming from an emotionally distant father. That’s the life of The Umbrella Academy characters!

If you’re a fan of the Netflix series with superhero elements, you’re familiar with this tale: On October 1, 1989, an unusual event occurred where 43 babies were born to women who weren’t pregnant earlier that day; these women had been mysteriously bestowed with “marigolds,” which granted those 43 infants extraordinary abilities. The billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves, later revealed to be an extraterrestrial from another world, adopted seven of these babies and trained them to form the unconventional crime-fighting team known as the Umbrella Academy.

In the original sequence of events, this is how their story unfolds. Since the start of the first season, the Hargreeves siblings – Luther, Diego, Allison, Klaus, Number Five, the late Ben, and Viktor (formerly known as Vanya in seasons one and two) – have hopped through various timelines in an effort to save the world. However, they often end up causing more chaos before rectifying their mistakes. If you’re having trouble recalling all the locations and time periods the Hargreeves family has been to over the past three seasons, you’ve landed at the right spot! As we gear up for the season-four premiere (the final timeline), here’s a recap of their key moments, challenges, and even the choreographed dances that preceded each potential apocalypse.

Season 1: The Original Timeline

Where — and When — Were We on The Umbrella Academy?

In this series, known as “Umbrella Academy,” the events unfold primarily within an undisclosed North American city, often called simply “The City.” Many of the storylines revolve around Umbrella Academy Headquarters, serving as a familiar and comfortable base for our unique Hargreeves family.

The story primarily unfolds in the year 2019, but we also catch a glimpse of Five’s long years in the post-apocalyptic era, along with a visit to an entity known as the Commission, which exists beyond the constraints of time and also in the year 1955. I hope that helps clarify things for you.

What gives off an apocalyptic feel?
Admittedly, I haven’t delved too deeply into the specifics, but if you had asked me to imagine an apocalypse, I certainly wouldn’t have conjured up images of a symphony hall, spectral tentacles, and the moon disintegrating right before our eyes. However, here we are! When Viktor stops taking his medication, discovers he can transform sound waves into energy, and finds out that dear old dad manipulated him into believing he was ordinary to prevent him from utilizing those powers, he lets loose a devastating force. He nearly drains the life from his siblings until Allison distracts him, but alas, this means his energy laser beam is redirected into space, inadvertently destroying the moon and potentially the entire Earth along with it.

Indeed, it seems that they prevent the apocalypse in this specific timeline. However, moving through time like the Hargreeves family often introduces a new apocalypse to the next timeline.

Which character is indispensable on our timeline based on their significant contributions? Although I have a deep affection for Number Four, it’s hard to deny that without his powers, the Hargreeves siblings would not have stood a chance against the Commission soldiers at the symphony hall. Klaus possesses the ability to channel Ben’s ghost, enabling him to use monstrous tentacles to eliminate the soldiers. Moreover, in the same week that the Hargreeves family battles an apocalypse, Klaus gets caught up in a year-long battle in the Vietnam War (those Commission time briefcases are quite complex!), where he encounters and loses his soulmate. Despite all his flaws, I find it hard to hold it against him!

In this narrative, it’s not straightforward to point out the main antagonist as various characters contribute to the unfolding events in different ways. While Viktor is responsible for triggering the apocalypse, he’s driven by the mistreatment and manipulation from Reginald Hargreeves and Leonard Peabody (Harold Jenkins). Furthermore, assassins like Cha Cha and Hazel attempt to eliminate members of the Umbrella Academy, but they are merely following orders from their superior, the Handler, who aims to preserve her authority within the Commission.

In what choreographed group dance should we focus on learning now that all Hargreeves children (excluding Five, who is still missing in time, and Ben, who passed away 15 years ago) come together following their father’s demise?

However, hold on! A second dance sequence is planned further ahead, where Luther and Allison envision a more joyful scenario dancing to “Dancin’ in the Moonlight” in the park. If it weren’t for the incest, it would be quite a romantic sight.

Hargreeves Sibling Relationship Strain Level: Extremely High. Trust among siblings is minimal, and an incident occurred where Viktor used sound waves and a violin bow to severely injure Allison, resulting in her losing her voice and powers for a year.

As a devoted admirer, I can’t help but wonder: How is our cherished, wise Pogo faring? He was more like a father to the Hargreeves children than Reginald could ever be, yet his long-held secrets for Reginald are now being unveiled. However, it’s unjust that he should meet such a cruel end at Viktor’s hands when all Pogo did was aid Reginald in his deception. Regrettably, there’s no recovery from the gruesome death by antler impalement.

Season 2: Welcome to Texas

Where — and When — Were We on The Umbrella Academy?

Where are we?
We’re in Dallas now, y’all.

What time period do we find ourselves in after Five transports himself and his siblings from 2019 to Dallas, only for them to be dispersed across the early 1960s? Five arrives last on November 25, 1963, smack dab in the midst of a nuclear disaster. It’s Hazel who rescues Five, depositing him on November 15, 1963 – leaving him with just ten days to prevent this catastrophe. If you’re wondering why those dates seem significant because they’re around the time of JFK’s assassination, that’s no coincidence at all.

What is the feeling of a second apocalypse?

In this narrative, the Umbrella Academy indeed thwart the apocalypse in their timeline. When they learn that a second apocalypse, dubbed “Apocalypse Part Two: More Apocalypse,” is linked to Viktor, Allison, Diego, and Klaus embark on a mission to save him from the FBI building. However, each sibling faces defeat in their attempts to halt Viktor before he destroys everything. In a poignant turn of events, only Ben manages to reach Viktor who was hiding in his own subconscious, tormented by his fear of being a monster due to his father’s actions. Ben reassures him that he is loved and part of the family, helping him regain control over his powers at an unbearable cost – Ben himself must depart from their world. The rules regarding ghosts in “The Umbrella Academy” are not explicitly clear, but the emotional impact of Ben’s final request to be held as he departs leaves no room for questions as tears stream down your face!

Who is the Most Valuable Player in terms of the timeline?

In this storyline, which character emerges as the main antagonist?

However, it seems that once more, Reginald Hargreeves may prove to be the most formidable adversary in 1963 Dallas. Upon locating him, the Umbrellas are met with such disgust from him, he chooses to distance himself from his offspring. His scathing rebuke of Diego, causing both Diego and myself to weep, is simply unjustifiable cruelty. Moreover, it’s worth mentioning that Reg was exposed as an extraterrestrial assassin in the process.

As a cinephile, I’m pondering over what groovy group dance number should we master in this critical timeline? After discovering that we have mere six days to prevent the apocalypse, Allison, Klaus, and Viktor decided to unwind with a day-long booze bash at her hair salon. The party took an unexpected twist when they cranked up Sam Cooke’s “Twistin’ the Night Away,” leading to a synchronized dance extravaganza filled with creative dryer-chair moves that would put any professional dancers to shame!

Hargreeves Sibling Conflict Level: Moderate (2/5). A significant source of discord arises between Klaus and Ben as Ben desires to control Klaus, intending to socialize with a woman in Klaus’s cult – let me add that Klaus establishes a cult here – and due to his frustration over watching Klaus indulge in alcohol rather than contributing to their family. The conflict is particularly heart-wrenching considering Ben’s selfless act of sacrificing himself for the world’s sake.

How’s our beloved Pogo faring nowadays? Here’s a fascinating tidbit about his past: Pogo was actually trained by the renowned scientist Grace, who worked with Reginald Hargreeves on NASA’s space program. That’s right, Pogo has been to space! However, things took a turn for the worse when an accident occurred, forcing Reginald to use a unique serum to save Pogo. Luckily, the serum worked, but it also initiated the transformation that eventually shaped Pogo into his familiar form as we see him in 2019.

Season 3: Something Doesn’t Seem Right Here

Where — and When — Were We on The Umbrella Academy?

You find yourselves once more at the Hargreeves residence, but with a twist – it’s now known as the Sparrow Academy and hosts seven additional super-powered siblings.

When are we?
It’s 2019 again, but everything is different.

What’s the sense of impending doom here? It’s like walking into a party and feeling as if you’re about to witness a cosmic event that will consume everything, sort of like This gathering is on a collision course with a swirling vortex of energy threatening to annihilate all of time and space. In the story of No. 3, the Umbrellas return from 1963 only to realize they’ve made a terrible mistake once more. Remember that disastrous meeting with Reginald? He despised them so much that he adopts six superpowered infants born on October 1, 1989, and Ben makes seven. To make matters worse, the Umbrellas learn that their own father has been replaced upon their return.

Greetings! Let’s discuss Harlan, shall we? In the year 2019, he’s an older gentleman who possesses a unique power: he can mentally connect with other super-individuals. One such instance occurred when he linked up with Viktor. Harlan confessed that back on October 1, 1989, when Sissy passed away, he felt a profound connection to the 43 women who were about to give birth to the superpowered babies. Overwhelmed by the situation, his powers malfunctioned, leading him to inadvertently kill most of these potential mothers. As a result, individuals such as Luther, Diego, Allison, Klaus, Five, and Viktor never came into existence in that timeline. However, astonishingly, they are present in this reality. This conundrum is known as a grandfather paradox, which the universe finds challenging to resolve; it does so by creating what’s called a kugelblitz. A kugelblitz might sound appealing, but it’s actually a destructive entity composed of black holes and flames that starts consuming all time and space until nothing remains, effectively erasing existence altogether. In essence, the opposite of an enjoyable occurrence if you ponder on it.

In this particular timeline, you’re correct that the group manages to prevent the apocalypse, but it’s a narrow victory. Here’s how Reginald pulls it off: he adopts seven superheroes as part of his grand Project Oblivion scheme. This project is designed to send these heroes into Hotel Oblivion, a machine created by the universe’s creator as a safety measure. The machine is guarded by four monstrous entities and can be used to reset the timeline and resurrect Reginald’s alien wife.

In a different rendition: The Umbrella Group and Sparrows vanquish the Protectors, then Reg carries out his scheme whereby the vitality of his offspring, symbolized by marigolds, are drawn to fuel the device. Allison, having struck a bargain with Reg that she’d aid him in return for reuniting her daughter, Claire, and husband, Ray, in the rebooted timeline, is the sole one spared from destruction. Unfortunately, she can bear witnessing her siblings succumb to slow, painful deaths for only so long. She slays Reg and liberates her siblings, yet she couldn’t resist the allure to push the final button and rewind the timeline. The apocalypse is halted again; however, this time the Umbrella Group arrives in a fresh 2019 without any of their abilities.

Who among the timeline characters stands out as the Most Valuable Player (MVP)? While everyone has their shining moments this season, it’s Lila who steals the spotlight. Despite causing some trouble for Diego with her lie about Stan, their turbulent relationship somehow manages to be endearing! Moreover, Lila’s talent for mimicking comes in handy on numerous occasions: not only does she contribute to slowing down the kugelblitz temporarily, but she forms crucial alliances with both Five and Viktor. In short, Lila has proven herself to be an indispensable member of the team now.

Additionally, a big salute goes to Sloane, who miraculously managed to design and sew her wedding dress in a short span of time, despite being under immense pressure that any bride throughout history could possibly experience, regardless of the specific timeline.

In this narrative, I find myself questioning who truly embodies the role of the antagonist. While Allison seems to be the obvious choice due to her actions, her circumstances are not simple. Losing a child and a husband would break anyone; it’s hard to judge her harshly. However, if we delve deeper, I believe Reginald Hargreeves is the real villain. Regardless of the timeline he inhabits, his treatment of the children he adopted is questionable at best. He lacks empathy and compassion, which are crucial for a guardian.

In this given timeline, which group dance number should we learn next? The situation unfolds when the Umbrellas and Sparrows clash, leading Sparrow Six, Jayme, to spray a venom that induces hallucinations in Diego, making him imagine an entire choreographed dance-off sequence set to “Footloose.”

Hargreeves Sibling Conflict Intensity: 4/5. Gosh, the altercation between Allison and Viktor is quite tough to witness. While it’s true that Allison isn’t entirely incorrect about Viktor escaping consequences for his actions, a significant part of it was beyond his control. The line “We should’ve left you in the basement” is particularly harsh.

How’s our dear Pogo faring these days? Is he bravely challenging Reginald over the questionable Oblivion mission for the Sparrows, potentially risking his life? Or maybe he’s secretly providing Marcus with medication to keep Reginald sedated, all in an effort to protect the Sparrows, even if it means being expelled from his family? Perhaps he’s found a new path and now leads a biker gang or practices tattoo artistry? Indeed, Pogo is a true ruler.

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2024-08-07 17:55