The Umbrella Academygave a definitive end to the Hargreeves, but a theory claims one of them survived, all based on a sneaky Easter egg from the show’s final scene. The rise in popularity of the superhero genre, in large part thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, made way for other superhero worlds to jump into the realm of live-action adaptations. This also allowed for darker superhero stories to be adapted, and among them is Gerard Way’s and Gabriel Bá’s comic book seriesThe Umbrella Academy, which premiered on Netflix in 2019.
The Umbrella Academyfollowed the title team, formed by seven adopted siblings, all of them with unique superpowers. The kids were adopted, raised, and trained by billionaire Sir Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore), and after parting ways for years, the Hargreeves reunited to prevent the apocalypse, which became their recurrent mission throughout the show. Atthe end ofThe Umbrella Academy,the Hargreeves had to sacrifice themselves to save the universe, but one Easter egg in the show’s final scene has made way for a theory about the possible survival of one member of the team.
The Umbrella Academy’s Final Season Has A Sneaky Dolores Cameo
The Umbrella Academy’s final season is the show’s most divisive and controversialone, and with good reason – while I mostly enjoyed it, there were definitely many frustrating, confusing, and nonsensical parts in it.The Umbrella Academyseason 4 finally answered the mystery around Ben’s death andthe “Jennifer incident”, but Jennifer’s (Victoria Sawal) official introduction left many more questions than answers. Thanks to Reginald’s wife, Abigail (Liisa Repo-Martell), being alive in season 4’s timeline, the truth behind Jennifer, Ben’s death, and the apocalypses was finally revealed.
Abigail created the marigold particle, which led to the birth of those 43 kids on October 1st, 1989, and gave them superpowers, but in the process, an opposite particle she named “durango” was created. Jennifer was the host of durango, and if she came into contact with a marigold host, an unstoppable physical reaction was unleashed, leading to the extinction of everything. This event was called“The Cleanse” by The Keepers, and this was the only way to fix the multiverse and restore the main timeline, but for that, The Cleanse had to consume all the marigolds.
The final scene inThe Umbrella Academytook the audience to a park in the main timeline to show everything and everyone safe and happy, with neither Reginald, Abigail, nor the Hargreeves around anymore.
This meant that the Hargreeves and Lila (Ritu Arya) had to sacrifice themselves, without knowing if they would return somehow in the main timeline or not. At the end ofThe Umbrella Academy, the Hargreeves and Lila let themselves be consumed by the Cleanse, and so the main timeline was restored. The final scene inThe Umbrella Academytook the audience to a park in the main timeline to show everything and everyone safe and happy, with neither Reginald, Abigail, nor the Hargreeves around anymore.
The park scene at the end ofThe Umbrella Academyis packed with Easter eggs, including a very sneaky one that’s known thanks to showrunner Steve Blackman. Speaking toNetflix, Blackman revealed that Five’s beloved mannequin partner, Dolores, whom he fell in love with while completely alone in a post-apocalyptic world, appears in the park scene.Dolores can be seen in the background with a man when the camera focuses on the Handler, though they are blurry, but the man with Dolores made way for a wild theory.
The Umbrella Academy Theory Suggests One Of The Alternate Fives Survived
One Of The Many Fives Could Have Made It To The Main Timeline
The man accompanying Dolores has a similar outfit to those Five worethroughoutThe Umbrella Academy. Although the man and Dolores are quite blurry, the man wearing a Five-like outfit is a nice and heartwarming reference to him and his strange but strong bond with Dolores, but this has made way for a theory about Five’s survival… though not the Five the audience met.The Umbrella Academyseason 4 introduced a subway system that allowed those riding the train to travel to other universes, which is how Five and Lila got lost in the multiverse.
Five later came across other versions of himself in one of the subway stations, where he entered a small diner called Max’s Delicatessen, which was run by his variants. Thanks to another Five, Umbrella Five understood that he and the rest of the marigold children were responsible for the world’s end in countless timelines, and the only way to save the universe was by sacrificing themselves. However,someRedditusers have suggested that one of those alternate Fives survived, and better yet, he reunited with Dolores in the new and restored timeline.
The Problems With An Alternate Five Surviving The Umbrella Academy’s Finale
The Hargreeves’ Ending Was A Definitive One
As heartwarming as it would be that one Five variant made it to the main timeline and got to live a happy, peaceful life with Dolores (and, hopefully, human friends and loved ones, too), this isn’t possible.The Umbrella Academyseason 4 established through Abigail’s explanation of the marigolds and durango and Five’s conversation with his variant at the diner that the only way to fix and save the universe was with the sacrifice of the Hargreeves and Lila – andrestoring the main timeline meant the end of all alternate timelines.
[…] had that happened, the Cleanse wouldn’t have been successful, as there would be a marigold on Earth again, thus resetting the whole process.
This means that all those Fives from other timelines,the Phoenix Academy, and every other alternate timeline disappeared when the Cleanse consumed all the marigolds and restored the main timeline. Because of this, it’s not possible for a Five variant to have made it to the main timeline, and had that happened, the Cleanse wouldn’t have been successful, as there would be a marigold on Earth again, thus resetting the whole process.The Hargreeves and Lila are gone for good, butThe Umbrella Academypaid tribute to them withthe golden flowers in season 4’s post-credits scene.
The Umbrella Academy’s Final Scene Is Full Of Easter Eggs From Past Seasons
The Final Scene At The Park Has Many Heartwarming Surprises
No version of Five survived The Cleanse inThe Umbrella Academyseason 4, but Dolores was included in the show’s final scene at the park, as were many other characters. First were Allison’s daughter, Claire, Lila’s family, and Lila and Diego’s children, the only ones who could make it to the restored timeline from the timeline of season 4. Next werethe Swedes, who were sent by the Handler to kill the Umbrellas in season 2, and who, in the restored timeline, weren’t assassins, and instead were shown playing Frisbee.
Claire and one of Lila and Diego’s children are playing with a doll ofThe Umbrella Academy’s showrunner, Steve Blackman.
Strolling around the park with their bikes were Agnes and Hazel, happily together, and Hazel discreetly said hi to human Grace, who was walking around the park with her baby in a stroller. Right next to Grace was the Handler, with red hair and happily talking on the phone (becausethe Hargreeves’ absence finally allowed cellphones to exist). Next were The Commission’s Herb and Dot happily playing backgammon while Gabriel Bá himself made a drawing of them.All of these characters got a second chance at happy lives, but the Hargreeves had to die for this to happen.
