Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy has enjoyed widespread acclaim since its first season premiered in 2019. The show successfully blends superhero action with end-of-the-world scenarios while also delving into complex family dynamics and the emotions that come with them.
While it occasionally deviates from the Dark Horse comics, it still stays true to its roots, earning appreciation from longtime fans. Unlike the quick release of season two just a year after the first, season three took an additional year due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The past was complicated, but the present is even worse (Photo: The Umbrella Academy Season 3/Dark Horse Entertainment, Insider Entertainment, Borderline Entertainment, and Universal Cable Productions)The events of season two saw the Hargreeves siblings scattered across Dallas, Texas, in the 1960s as they attempted to prevent an impending catastrophe. After completing their mission, they managed to return to their original timeline.
However, what awaited them at home was far from what they expected. Many things had changed, and their reality was no longer the same.
What Was Season 3 of The Umbrella Academy About?
After their journey through 1963, one would expect some relief as the family finally makes it back to their present time. However, with the Umbrella Academy, things are rarely that straightforward.
Upon returning home, they are confronted with an unsettling discovery—their father, Reginald Hargreeves, is alive, despite having died in the first season. This shocking revelation is just the beginning, especially for Viktor (Elliott Page) and the rest of the group.
The Umbrellas soon realize they have been replaced by a different team of super-powered individuals known as the Sparrows. The only recognizable face among them is Ben (Justin H. Min), whom the Umbrella siblings had mourned after his farewell in season two.
In this altered timeline, Ben is not only alive but also a completely different person. Unlike his kind-hearted former self, this version is ruthless, calculated, and lacks compassion. A heated confrontation erupts between the two groups, and the Umbrella siblings quickly learn that the Sparrows have superior abilities.
Forced to retreat, they take refuge at Hotel Obsidian, a rundown location in Manhattan. Five concludes that this timeline seems stable, with no imminent disaster looming over them, and suggests they simply adapt to their new circumstances.
However, not everyone is willing to accept this, especially Allison, who is devastated to find that her daughter and husband no longer exist in this altered reality. Their troubles escalate when the Sparrows launch an attack on the hotel, but a mysterious figure intervenes.
His powers bear a striking resemblance to Viktor’s energy blasts, and he eliminates all but three members of the Sparrow team. The man later introduces himself as Harlan, the young boy Viktor helped in season two.
Around the same time, both groups uncover a terrifying threat—a kugelblitz has formed in the basement of the Hargreeves mansion. This swirling mass of energy is capable of consuming everything until nothing remains. With no choice but to work together, the Umbrellas and the Sparrows agree to find a way to stop it.
How Did The Umbrella Academy Season 3 End?
Efforts to halt the Kugelblitz prove futile. However, Reginald Hargreeves presents a solution. He reveals that Hotel Obsidian was deliberately constructed around a portal leading to a mirror version of itself, known as Hotel Oblivion.
Within this alternate space lies a way to reset the universe, but the process requires seven individuals and a battle against powerful guardians inside. Despite the urgency of the situation, fewer than seven members agree to take the risk, with some choosing to spend their last moments enjoying what little time remains.
This forces Reginald to take drastic measures, including killing Luther in an attempt to unify the remaining siblings. His strategy works, and the group reluctantly follows him into the portal. Once inside, they struggle to defeat the guardians, but their real challenge begins when they find a sigil designed to reset the universe.
As soon as seven members take their positions, Reginald initiates the process, using the hotel to drain their energy. The completion of this ritual would result in their deaths. Before he can finish, a briefly revived Luther intervenes, and Allison, urging the others to trust her, presses a glowing red button.
Everything fades to black. When they regain consciousness, they find themselves in Obsidian Memorial Park, disoriented and unsure of what happened. A statue of Hargreeves stands at the park’s center, surrounded by buildings bearing his name.
It does not take long for them to realize another shocking truth—Luther no longer has his gorilla-like physique, and none of them have their powers.
The reactions are mixed; Diego and Lila decide to embrace this new reality and move on together, Allison goes in search of her daughter, and the rest of the siblings begin to drift apart. Stopping the Kugelblitz had been impossible, but something far bigger had happened.
What to Expect in The Umbrella Academy Season 4
A lot of questions remain unanswered as the show heads into its fourth season. One of the biggest challenges the family faces is the complete loss of their abilities, which will make it harder for them to correct whatever has gone wrong.
New timeline, new problems, same dysfunctional family (Photo: The Umbrella Academy Season 3/Dark Horse Entertainment, Insider Entertainment, Borderline Entertainment, and Universal Cable Productions)Season three revealed that Reginald had a self-serving motive for adopting and raising them—he needed their powers to reshape the universe to his liking. The final scene of the season shows him alive and in control of a towering skyscraper, with his influence appearing to extend across much of New York City.
Meanwhile, a post-credit scene offers another twist. Ben—though not the version from the Sparrows—is seen boarding a subway train in Korea. The train bears a resemblance to the one where his mother mysteriously gave birth to him.
This strongly suggests that two versions of Ben now exist in this universe, which could lead to unforeseen consequences. The future of the Umbrella Academy remains uncertain.
The siblings may attempt to regain their powers, or they might decide to accept this new world and carve out different paths for themselves. Whatever the case, their journey is far from over.
