It’s the End of the World and They Know It and It’s…Fine
Rating: ?
*Warning: Potential Spoilers! Read at your own risk! You have been warned!*
Alright, let’s do this one more time! On October 1st, 1989, 43 women across the world gave birth simultaneously at noon. However, this was particularly odd only in the fact that none of these women were pregnant when the day began. Enter eccentric billionaire, scientist, inventor, entrepreneur and secret alien Reginald Hargreeves, who scoured every corner of the world in desperate search of these enhanced children. He got seven of them, thus creating the Umbrella Academy.
For the past two seasons, we have found our favorite Hargreeves siblings in a seemingly endless battle against an impending Doomsday they cause. They have fought the Commission: a time agency that lies outside the bounds of reality and a strained and tense family dynamic. Not to mention, getting stuck in the 1960s in Dallas, Texas during the Kennedy assassination during the second season. They finally return to their own timeline…only to come to the conclusion that they no longer exist and have been replaced by The Sparrow Academy, creating a kukleblitz, ripping the fabric of time and destroying the world and all life as we know it.
Tensions and expectations were high for the third season. Its release date was pushed back to summer 2022 due to the ongoing pandemic. However, with a fresh set of diverse characters, another epic soundtrack and the highly anticipated introduction of Hotel Obsidian, fans were ready to welcome the newest addition to the UA franchise with open arms.
Yet what audiences were given were one dimensional characters that weren’t given enough screen time to become the complex and compelling individuals that we have become accustomed to throughout the series. The storylines were disorganized and hard to digest even if you were an avid fan, with major twists and turns seemingly coming from nowhere. They moved painfully slow and, as a person who binged the entirety of it in one sitting until one in the morning, left much to be desired.
Perhaps the worst part of the season was the character derailment of Allison Hargreeves. While played brilliantly by Emmy Raver-Lampman, Allsion had turned from a strong and independent character with a beautiful sibling bond, to a selfish monster who only cared about herself and stepped on everyone to get what she wanted no matter what the cost. Despite this, the introduction of Viktor Hargreeves and the incorporation of Elliot Page’s transition was executed beautifully, and not only provided much needed representation for the trans community, but also the brightest spot to this dark chapter.
Umbrella Academy has been confirmed for a fourth and final season.
Olivia Celenza is a Junior Writing for Film, TV & Emerging Media major who just wants to go on a roadtrip with Klaus. They can be reached at [email protected].