Why the Hargreeves deserved more than 'The Umbrella Academy' Season 4's brutal twist
Contains spoilers and speculations for 'The Umbrella Academy'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The more you reflect on it, the more disappointing the send-off to the Hargreeves siblings in 'The Umbrella Academy,' leaving many of us feeling misled by the bittersweet finale. We've watched the Hargreeves siblings cling to the precise definition of a regular sibling relationship until the very end of the show, making it difficult to believe how the creators could have come up with such a horrible conclusion.
In the finale season of 'The Umbrella Academy,' expectations were high that the siblings would finally find relief and a happy ending. Instead, their world was once again turned upside down. Even though they were on the verge of a happy and contented life, it was all taken away from them. To make matters worse, the show seemed to neglect honoring their legacy.
How did 'The Umbrella Academy' end?
While anticipation grew that the Hargreeves siblings would finally get their happy ending, it was quickly dashed by the shocking discovery of Marigold and Durango. The restoration of their powers and the introduction of Jennifer (Victoria Sawal) carrying Durango made things even more complicated for the siblings. Finally, the realization that destroying Marigold inside the siblings would destroy numerous timelines but also restore only the true one.
To top it all off, the stunning revelation that after their end in 'The Cleanse,' their existence would vanish entirely meant that the world would continue as if they had never existed. This made the conclusion of their four-season journey profoundly devastating. The siblings and Lila Pits (Ritu Arya) killed themselves, leaving the planet oblivious to their heroic sacrifice.
Why do the Hargreeves siblings deserve better in 'The Umbrella Academy'?
The siblings have endured more than anyone could imagine. From rapid time travels to their best efforts to save the world, often failing spectacularly, the superhero siblings faced constant struggles throughout the show. From childhood, they were adopted by eccentric businessman Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore), who treated them like things rather than his children.
Raised in a highly controlled and emotionally detached environment, the siblings were deprived of a normal upbringing. Reginald's relentless emotional manipulation only exacerbated their struggles. The siblings grew up to be dysfunctional as a result of their emotionally impoverished upbringing, which stemmed from Reginald's emotional abuse. Given these harsh realities, the Hargreeves siblings deserved the best of all worlds.
What might have been the ideal finale to 'The Umbrella Academy'?
The final season of 'The Umbrella Academy' provided the last opportunity for fans to bid farewell to the superheroes in a satisfying way, with everyone getting their happy ending. It could have been much more satisfying if the love triangle between Diego Hargreeves (David Castañeda), Lila, and Number Five (Aidan Gallagher) had been resolved, with Lila making a clear decision and bringing closure to this unwanted romantic entanglement.
Furthermore, Klaus Hargreeves (Robert Sheehan), who managed his drug abuse admirably, continued to live with Allison Hargreeves (Emmy Raver-Lampman) while raising Claire (Millie Davis), it would have offered a satisfying resolution and spared me the frustration of the show's disappointing conclusion.
In addition, my heart aches for Luther Hargreeves (Tom Hopper), who lost his happy ending twice—first with Allison and then with Sloane Hargreeves (Genesis Rodriguez) and was ultimately reduced to a mere shadow of himself in the final season.
There were certainly better ways to conclude Luther’s arc that could have given him a more fitting send-off. Perhaps finding a new love interest or thriving in his profession as a stripper—whatever brought him happiness—would have been a more fitting conclusion for the leader of 'The Umbrella Academy.'
Given that Viktor Hargreeves (Elliot Page) was already living the life of his dreams in Canada, a return to that could have provided closure. Similarly, Ben Hargreeves (Justin H Min) making amends with his siblings while enjoying life as a cool uncle to Diego, Lila, and Allison's children would have made for a satisfying and fitting send-off for the characters.
Overall, even after so much time has passed, the disappointing conclusion of 'The Umbrella Academy' will likely haunt me for a long time, and I'm sure other fans feel the same way.
How to stream 'The Umbrella Academy'?
To watch the show on Netflix, you must have a premium membership. The streaming site offers a variety of subscription plans based on various budgets. For a monthly membership price of $6.99, the Standard Plan with advertising offers full HD (1080p) streaming.
The Standard Plan costs $15.49 per month and does not include any advertising. It allows you to watch video in full HD (1080p) quality on two screens at once with a single account. Customers may watch content in 4K Ultra HD with Dolby Atmos and HDR on up to four screens at once with the $22.99/month Premium Plan.
'The Umbrella Academy' trailer