The Umbrella Academy Season 2 Ending Explained: What That Time Jump Really Means and What to Expect Next

Let’s first go back a bit before we address how Season 2 came to an end, starting with a quick reminder of what happened in the final episode titled “The End of Something.” That title connects back to what The Handler told Five during their first meeting in that ruined future in Season 1.

Most of the action in the final episode happens on Sissy’s (Marin Ireland) farm, where Harlan is in distress as his powers get out of control. The trouble started after Vanya brought him back to life when he drowned, unknowingly passing on some of her powers to him.

Later, during the torture Vanya endured at the hands of the FBI, she created a mental connection with Harlan, pushing him into a dangerous state – something similar to Rogue from X-Men 1.

By the time all the Hargreeves siblings reach the farm to assist Vanya (having learned from their previous mistakes of leaving her alone), The Handler (Kate Walsh) and Lila (Ritu Arya) also arrive. Their mission? To “eliminate those suspected of killing JFK and wiping out the Commission’s leadership.”

Lila, now filled with rage after discovering that an older version of Five was behind her parents’ deaths, is ready to kill the Hargreeves family. Vanya quickly neutralizes a group of Commission agents using her powers, but then Lila reveals that she too has abilities.

She floats into the air just like Vanya and unleashes chaos on the farm. It’s then that we realize Lila’s gift: she can imitate the powers of anyone near her. She’s just as special as the Hargreeves children, born on October 1, 1989. After intense fighting, the situation finally calms enough for a proper conversation.

Five owns up to killing Lila’s parents but insists it was part of a mission – one that The Handler fabricated. It turns out The Handler created the kill order on purpose to steal Lila, knowing how powerful she was.

Diego tries to speak to Lila’s emotions, letting her know that the Umbrella Academy understands what it’s like to grow up under an abusive figure and offering her a place with them.

Diego’s words – “We can be your family if you just let us” – seem to reach her, but the moment is shattered when The Handler enters and shoots everyone except Lila. Lila, in disbelief, asks if she faked the order to murder her parents.

The Handler calmly responds, “I need to know that we can get past this, and be a happy family again.” At that point, Lila finally sees through her and declares, “They’re my real family.” But The Handler kills her too.

Suddenly, the last surviving Swede (one of the three brothers sent to eliminate the Hargreeves children) arrives and kills The Handler. Just when it looks like the ending is going to remain tragic, Five remembers what his father once told him – “Seconds, not decades” – while they confronted him earlier.

Reggie had been suggesting that Five should focus on traveling just a few moments back, not long periods. And that’s what Five does. He rewinds time by about a minute, just before The Handler starts shooting. This time, he manages to stop her.

The same conversation between Lila and The Handler happens again, but before any explanation can come from The Handler, the Swede walks in and kills her. In the chaos that follows, Lila takes the briefcase and vanishes.

Five, now with the upper hand, tells the Swede “Enough” and convinces him to walk away peacefully. The Hargreeves siblings are all alive. The violence has come to an end. Vanya draws out the energy she had given Harlan – or at least she believes she did – calming the disturbance he caused.

When it comes to the Commission, Herb arrives to inform Diego and Five that he’s now temporarily in charge until a new leadership team is selected. He even gives them a briefcase so they can return to their time. Before they leave, Sissy tells Vanya that she can’t follow them to the future.

She fears what might happen to Harlan if they get separated during the jump. But she also promises to move to California and says, “If you ever find a safe way back to me, you take it.” Our final view of Harlan shows him still with powers, levitating a toy in the car.

As for Allison, she leaves a heartfelt note for Ray, stating that even though her time in the 1960s shaped her, she doesn’t belong there. Eventually, Vanya, Luther, Diego, Allison, Klaus, and Five join hands as Five activates the briefcase, sending them back to 2019.

That Time Jump

The time jump gives the impression at first that everything went as planned. The Hargreeves siblings land on April 2, 2019 – just one day after the apocalypse was supposed to hit. The mansion still stands, and they are filled with relief.

But once they get inside the living room, something feels off. There’s a painting of Ben above the fireplace instead of Five. Then they see Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) alive, greeting them by saying, “I knew you’d show up eventually,” which means he remembers them from their 1963 encounter.

But when they refer to the mansion as home, Reginald shuts that idea down. “This isn’t your home,” he says. “This is the Sparrow Academy.” Suddenly, five unknown figures appear on the balcony, their faces hidden, and beside them floats a strange cube.

That’s when Ben walks into the room – alive, yes, but very different. He has longer hair, a scar on his face, and he’s not the same Ben. “Dad, who the hell are these assholes?” he says. All the Hargreeves children say the same thing together: “Shit.” And then the credits roll.

So, what exactly is going on here? There are two theories. The more likely one is that we’re dealing with a Back to the Future Part II type of situation. By staying in 1960s Dallas for a few years, the Umbrella Academy children caused unplanned changes to the timeline.

Their actions – especially meeting Reginald and telling him about events that hadn’t happened yet – likely made him adjust his choices. Because Reggie already knew about Vanya, Klaus, Diego, Allison, Five, and Luther, he may have decided not to adopt them again in the new timeline.

And since they told him about the “Umbrella Academy,” he probably chose to create something entirely different – the Sparrow Academy. Their presence in the past influenced his future decisions, creating a timeline different from the one they came from.

Similar to when Biff used the sports almanac to twist reality in Back to the Future Part II, Reggie now has his version of events. There’s another theory as well. What if the briefcase took them to an alternate dimension instead of their actual 2019?

This possibility depends on whether the Commission’s briefcase malfunctioned, or if the Umbrella Academy universe already includes different dimensions.

What Happens in Season 3?

Now the question is, what lies ahead? Assuming the first theory is correct – that they changed the timeline – the Umbrella Academy siblings are now the only ones who recall how things used to be. The big mystery now surrounds the Sparrow Academy.

Are these new characters alternate versions of the original siblings, or completely different people? Judging by how things played out, it seems likely that Reggie went out of his way not to adopt the original set of children.

This decision may have led him to find other children born on the same day and train them instead. That would mean the Sparrow Academy consists of entirely new individuals, with their powers, personalities, and histories.

What’s clear is that whatever they return to, it’s no longer their home – and things are about to change again.