The Hazel And Cha-Cha Detail That Bothers Umbrella Academy Fans
Between the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the DC Extended Universe, and a host of other continuities, there's a lot for fans of comics adaptations to keep track of. The Umbrella Academy occupies a unique space in that pantheon, remaining fairly niche thanks to its darker undertones, yet garnering a committed and detail-oriented fanbase.
The Gerard Way comic book adaptation dropped on Netflix on February 15, 2019, and met immediate acclaim from fans and critics, who praised its stylish cinematography and distinctive tone. The story of the Hargreeves family will press onward with the impending second season, but many are not prepared to leave the first season behind just yet without figuring a few little things out, first. Aside from story and character arcs worth pondering, there are a handful of small details that persist in the minds of fans, and one of the biggest relates to the time-traveling hitmen Hazel (Cameron Britton) and Cha-Cha (Mary J. Blige), whose headwear baffles viewers.
What are Hazel and Cha-Cha's masks made of?
Hazel and Cha-Cha have a similar wardrobe that diverges greatly when it comes to their heads. The two guns for hire often wear oversized animal masks, just as they do in the source material. They don't have their masks on constantly, but they're shown on-screen often enough to satiate fan expectation for what the characters should look like. It's great that the costume designers made an effort to make the masks comic-accurate, as many adaptations fail to go all-in on such choices. At the same time, in bringing Hazel and Cha-Cha to live-action life, some logical questions have arisen.
Chief among them is what material makes up these giant helmets. Umbrella Academy fans have taken to Reddit to theorize, contemplating whether the masks were made of metal, rubber, or some sci-fi substance that doesn't exist in the real world. User Pica-BooTheBalloon considered the concept in the scientific realm, "Maybe they have a button that lets a chem mix and make the rubber like metal, a chemical bond that can be removed?" Alternatively, theblackfool argues that "I just assume they are magic. They are metal in some scenes and floppy rubber in others." The show supports a few different possibilities, but has yet to address the issue.
Hazel and Cha-Cha's masks are a product of their universe
In simplest terms, The Umbrella Academy is an off-the-wall show in more ways than one. There are superpowers, time travel, space travel, and a whole bunch of other things far from commonplace in the real world. Breaking it down to the smallest detail takes the quirkiness out of it, should it go too far. It should be allowed to exist within its own universe without attempting to apply the guidelines of this reality to it. Still, there's no shame in any kind of theorization as to how their world works relative to our own.
In the context of Hazel and Cha-Cha's mask debate, the discourse over their makeup is a fruitless endeavor. By all laws of physics, metal and rubber helmets don't act in the way the show depicts. Therefore, it's tricky to confine the science behind them to what society today understands. As theblackfool went on to say, "I mean it's a very supernatural world. Why not just assume it's literally magic? The moment you try to apply logic to it it's gonna fall apart." This is the most common rationale, which fits the fantasy elements of The Umbrella Academy and their characterization. Simply put, their masks are a product of their universe — detached completely from this one.