The Alternate Universe Theory That Changes Everything On The Umbrella Academy
When Gerard Way's Dark Horse comic series "The Umbrella Academy" first arrived on the shelves back in 2007, the writer likely had no idea that it would become a wildly popular TV series. The show follows a team of superheroes who attempt to prevent the apocalypse using a variety of unconventional abilities. The adventure only gets more bizarre thanks to time-traveling hitmen, alternate universes, and the Temps Commission, an organization that keeps the space-time continuum in check.
To put it bluntly, "The Umbrella Academy" is pretty weird, and that's what makes it so entertaining. But the show still has time for deeply emotional character arcs, like Klaus Hargreeves' (Robert Sheehan) doomed relationship with Dave (Cody Ray Thompson) in the Vietnam war, and Allison's (Emmy Raver-Lampman) role in the Dallas Civil Rights movement. The end of Season 2 left audiences shocked, as it introduces the Sparrow Academy in the 2019 timeline — clearly suggesting that something has gone very, very wrong in the past.
But there's an interesting alternate universe theory related to the Temps Commission in "The Umbrella Academy" that could change everything for Season 3 and beyond.
The Infinite Switchboard
Obviously, the Temps Commission has access to highly sophisticated technology since the organization can travel through time, but one of its most vital devices is something called the "Infinite Switchboard." Temps Commission agents use it to monitor the timeline for any abnormalities that would disrupt the proper flow of time, stamping out all threats. Yes, Marvel fans, that does sound like the Time Variance Authority in "Loki." But the Infinite Switchboard's presence in "The Umbrella Academy" has led some to question the state of the universe in the series.
As noted by Bustle — thanks to a now-deleted Reddit post — the Infinite Switchboard's presence suggests there are infinite universes that sit next to the main one in "The Umbrella Academy." Reddit user ultimatecaissie originally suggested that the heroes failed to stop the apocalypse at the end of Season 1, instead creating a brand-new timeline when they arrived in 1960s Dallas. That makes sense, especially since when the team arrived back in 2019 at the end of Season 2, Reginald Hargreeves (Colm Feore) is still alive and has created the Sparrow Academy instead of the Umbrella Academy.
So, will Season 3 see the team hop through various alternate realities in an attempt to find their own? It's possible, although they might be tasked with correcting their timeline. Either way, the Infinite Switchboard opens up a whole multiverse of possibilities for the hugely popular Netflix series.