And so, we've arrived at this juncture. It's not quite the apocalypse – that was narrowly dodged in the previous chapter – but rather, the culmination of... something ominous, as the finale's title mischievously teases. A sinister shadow looms over Sissy's farm, necessitating the collective prowess of the Umbrella Academy to confront it and restore the timeline to a semblance of normalcy.
Given its superheroic nature, the resolution inevitably unfolds in a flurry of punches and kicks. If the penultimate episode delicately tied up the emotional threads of the Umbrella Academy, the season finale triumphantly flaunts its special-effects prowess, dedicating much of its runtime to a dazzling, cinematic action sequence that engulfs the farm.
At first blush, it seems Vanya must confront this challenge solo. Her plea for aid in rescuing her beloved falls on deaf ears, as her siblings awkwardly decline, until Klaus sparks a compassionate domino effect, uniting all six of them by her side. (Frankly, I'm astonished the series refrained from blasting "We Are Family" on the soundtrack.)
The Hargreeves siblings arrive at the farm to behold Harlan ensnared in a terrifying energy vortex, a maelstrom of power that curiously conjures snowflakes as well. (The logic behind Harlan's superpowers conjuring snow remains a mystery, but let's embrace it for its aesthetic charm.) As Vanya valiantly endeavors to aid him, the Handler swoops in, intent on abducting Harlan and finally eliminating Five and his meddlesome siblings. When Five playfully quips, "You and what army?" the Handler retorts, "This one," as legions of Commission agents descend upon the farmland, an overwhelming tide of black-suited operatives.
Our intrepid heroes miraculously evade the hailstorm of bullets from an overwhelming array of machine guns, testament to the fact that even the Commission's deadliest operatives struggle to land a hit on a mere mortal-sized target. Vanya's White Violin prowess proves more than sufficient to vanquish their foes, yet the Handler had a final ace in her cunning sleeve. She unleashes Lila, who harbors a hidden truth: a superpower of her own, akin to Rogue from the X-Men's ranks. Her ability? To borrow the extraordinary gifts of whoever she confronts. (While it remains a mystery why she refrained from employing this talent during countless opportune moments, we'll chalk it up to Umbrella Academy's penchant for a climactic twist.)
As Lila faces off against the Hargreeves siblings, she employs their respective abilities against them, assaulting Vanya with a sonic blast, commanding Allison to cease breathing, and teleporting in a dizzying dance reminiscent of Neo's battles in The Matrix, all while engaging Five in a tense standoff. This revelation retroactively sheds light on the Handler's enigmatic decisions throughout the season, revealing an ambition akin to Reginald Hargreeves' – to assemble a cohort of superpowered children and mold them to suit her twisted aspirations. Lila, too, shares the October 1, 1989 birthdate, hinting at a pool of 35 others whose existence remains shrouded in mystery.
But Harlan stands apart, a child whose superhuman abilities were bestowed upon him by Vanya's heroic rescue from drowning's depths. His abduction offers the Handler a chance to augment her formidable power, justifying her grim decision to infiltrate the barn and dispatch every member of the Umbrella Academy, along with Lila, in pursuit of a fresh slate with Harlan. However, fate had other plans as the surviving Swedish assassin, fueled by vengeance, arrives moments later to silence the Handler's ambitions for good.
For a fleeting instant, if you happen to be in a state of profound credulity, you might contemplate the fascinating premise of an Umbrella Academy third season, woven around a taciturn Swedish assassin and a youthful prodigy endowed with mystical abilities. (After all, it's not an entirely alien concept, reminiscent of the adventures in The Mandalorian.) Yet, this is merely a fleeting illusion, another cunning ruse. Five, harnessing his prowess in time travel, rewinds the tapestry of events, meticulously crafting a more favorable narrative, where only the Handler meets an untimely demise. And thus, the world is salvaged once more.
As the dust settles, the episode meanders through loose threads and tantalizing hints of a potential third chapter. Lila, armed with a temporal briefcase, vanishes into thin air, her return a certainty at some unforeseen juncture. The enigmatic Swedish assassin, having discerned the Handler as his true nemesis, departs without spilling any more blood. Vanya, embracing her power anew, assimilates Harlan's abilities, sparing him from a childhood fraught with the same agony she once endured. Their farewell, shared with tears and Sissy's plan to nurture Harlan in the tranquility of California, lingers with a promise of reunion, should the tapestry of time allow it.
With the pieces more or less in place, the Hargreeves siblings embark on their journey back to 2019. A cynical observer might ponder the very essence of this endeavor, questioning the significance of a second season that ultimately resembles a convoluted tale, designed solely to restore the status quo. Did it all truly matter?
The show's poignant response to this query lies in a letter Allison pens for Ray. The timeline may have reverted to its former state, she muses, but her journey through time has transformed her. "The struggle for a brighter world is eternal, and each of us faces choices that shape our destiny," she pens. "We must confront the consequences of our actions, until we find our rightful path home."
In the realm of 'The Umbrella Academy,' the narrative masterfully argues that the intricate tapestry of internal character evolution intertwines just as profoundly with the grand narrative of worldly events. The ripples of change, though perhaps subtle in their utilitarian hues for individuals like Ray and Sissy, resonate with seismic force within the hearts of those who cherish them—Allison and Vanya, to name a few. Their journeys, and the subsequent emotional upheavals they evoke, are no less monumental than the specter of an impending apocalypse.
While I acknowledge the thematic depth in this portrayal, I confess to harboring a tinge of disappointment at the prospect of Season Two solely unfolding as an elongated 'Wizard of Oz' homage, where the Hargreeves siblings merely stumble back to 2019 to relearn the lesson that there truly is no place like home.
However, my spirits soared when the Umbrella Academy found themselves back in 2019, only to discover a disconcerting reality—a world subtly askew. As they ventured through the halls of their once-familiar manor, they stumbled upon discrepancies that whispered of a different narrative. It seemed they hadn't quite returned to the same 'home' after all.
Indeed, meddling with the past had unleashed consequences more tangible than mere conjecture. For in this altered 2019, the Umbrella Academy was but a faded memory. "This is the Sparrow Academy," Reginald Hargreeves revealed, as our protagonists confronted their shadowy doppelgängers, led by none other than the seemingly resurrected Ben Hargreeves. "Dad, who are these intruders?" Ben inquired, as the Umbrella Academy awkwardly found themselves at the center of a living room filled with tension and unanswered questions. This, my friends, promises to be a tale as epic as it is enigmatic.
