The Umbrella Academy Timeline After Season 3 Explained
"The Umbrella Academy" has already been through more than half a dozen different timelines in the space of three short seasons. Season 3 began with the Sparrow timeline, which was essentially another new world for the Umbrellas to face. In it, Reginald adopted different children in 1989 and created the Sparrow Academy instead of the Umbrella Academy, all from meeting his "disappointing" children in the 1960s.
However, just when everyone had gotten used to the Sparrow timeline, a time paradox threatened to destroy it, along with the entire world. Ultimately, the Umbrellas prevented total extinction by teaming up with the remaining members of the Sparrow Academy, but saving the world always comes at a price. In Season 2, it was the Umbrella siblings having to give up their lives and loves in Dallas, and in Season 3, the price was a total universe reboot with untold consequences.
In the final moments, some of the after-effects are revealed. While it may not have been immediately clear to the characters on screen, it was instantly apparent to viewers that the Umbrella-Sparrow clan had landed in an entirely different world — or, at least, an entirely new timeline. Keep reading for everything you need to know about that new timeline, which includes Reginald's resurrection (again) and the fate of several other characters.
How was the new timeline created?
The biggest questions from the first two seasons of "The Umbrella Academy" were about Reginald Hargreeves. Viewers were left desperate to know how old Reginald actually is and how long he has been on Earth. The first two seasons also left viewers with the burning desire to know exactly what he was up to on the dark side of the moon. Thankfully, Season 3 slowly started to reveal answers to these questions. First, a flashback in Episode 9 revealed that he actually sent Luther to the moon to guard the mysterious Abigail Hargreeves. Then dear old dad admitted to Luther he was "centuries" old before killing him.
Along with these revelations came more information about Reginald's plan, too, which has been in the works for some decades. After staging Luther's death (like he did his own in Season 1), he gathers his remaining children — Umbrellas and Sparrows alike — and herds them through the corridor in the White Buffalo Suite just in time to escape the Kugelblitz. With talk of sigils and bells, he promises them the world — literally. However, he doesn't explain to his children that there's a cost to reset the timeline, one that he is more than happy to pay.
When Allison realizes the price is the death of her siblings, she stops Reginald by chopping a third of his head off. However, she proceeds to finish resetting the timeline and unwittingly carries out his plan anyway, the details of which are quickly revealed.
Reginald Hargreeves has created an Empire
By carrying out Reginald's plan to reset the universe, Allison does initially appear to have saved the world. However, she unwittingly brings him back to life in the process. As the last moments of the Season 3 finale unfold, things are not quite what they seem, and — although the Umbrella-Sparrow clan might not know it yet — this is a different world, one that's nothing like any they've been in before.
This all becomes clear to viewers as the episode ends and pans out over a series of tall buildings. Viewers see Reginald's insignia — in the form of his name or the letter "H" — emblazoned on many of them. These great changes to his wealth and status must have been part of his plan all along. It seems that since Reginald was able to reset the universe in order to bring his wife back to life (more on that in a moment), he was also able to manipulate the timeline in his favor.
The return of Abigail Hargreeves
One other reveal from the final moments of Season 3 is that, in this new timeline, Reginald is joined by his late wife, who looks as alive and as eerily happy as he does. Reginald is often portrayed as a cold, calculating man. He didn't have any time or affection for his children when he was younger, and yet the events of Season 3 suggest that everything he's ever done has been for love. The flashback sequence at the beginning of Episode 9 reveals that the real reason he sent Luther to the moon was to guard over his beloved — though why she was there is not entirely clear.
"The Umbrella Academy" viewers would be forgiven for thinking Abigail first appeared in Season 3, but she actually appeared in a flashback in Season 1. While Abigail was on her deathbed, she shared her last few moments with her husband. In the scene, she handed over a violin to him (yes, the one that would eventually become Viktor Hargreeves'). Though the details of Abigail's life and death are shrouded in mystery, it is possible to deduce that these events happened a long time ago — possibly centuries ago — and that Abigail is also an alien and died during the destruction of her and Reginald's home world. Now that Reginald has succeeded in reviving her, it's not clear what the pair is planning next, but it's probably going to involve their growing empire.
What is Reginald Hargreeves' memorial park?
After the universe is reset following the events in Hotel Oblivion, the Umbrella and Sparrow Academy siblings (minus Allison and Sloane) reappear out in the world together. They find themselves in the Obsidian Memorial Park, which has a plaque showing it was donated by Reginald Hargreeves. It is engraved with the all-important "Umbrella Academy" date: October 1, 1989. This implies he dedicated the park to the memory of the children he was more than willing to sacrifice. This also lets them know that he's still alive in this timeline, though they don't know about Abigail yet. Once they arrive in the park, Lila quickly deduces that it is located where the Hotel Obsidian used to be. In this new timeline, the hotel, which Reginald constructed in 1918, doesn't exist.
His motivation for creating the memorial park isn't clear. Was this done out of a twisted sense of gratitude to his adopted children for saving his wife (and almost dying in the process), or is there a more sinister reason he donated a memorial on the day they were all supposed to be born? Perhaps it has something to do with the reason the hotel doesn't exist in this timeline. It's possible this was all done by Reginald because he doesn't want the Umbrella-Sparrow clan to be able to stop him by resetting the universe again at a later date.
The Umbrella siblings' injuries from Hotel Oblivion were reversed
During their showdown with the last of Hotel Oblivion's deadly Guardians, the Umbrella-Sparrow Academy siblings are fighting a losing battle. Diego had already lost several of his fingers to a deadly warrior in Episode 6, and in the finale, Five loses an arm. It's not until Klaus uses his powers to manifest Luther into physical form that they are able to defeat the bug-riddled Guardian and get on with the task of resetting the universe. However, this brings on another wave of injuries for everyone but Allison. As Reginald prepares to reboot the universe, Klaus, Viktor, Diego, Lila, Sloane, Five, and Ben take their places to form the sigil of the Seven Bells, which drains their life forces within an inch of existence. Allison stops Reginald from killing them, but they are still left weak and frail in the moments before the universe reset.
However, when they reappear in the Obsidian Memorial Park, the injuries they suffered in the Hotel Oblivion have been reversed. No longer on the brink of death, the Umbrella-Sparrow Academy siblings are all suddenly perfectly healthy again. Five's arm is back, as are Diego's fingers. The question, of course, is why did this happen? Given that the Hotel Oblivion is essentially another dimension, it makes sense that normal rules don't apply.
Luther is alive
Speaking of rules that don't apply, Luther's return from the dead makes no sense. Reginald Hargreeves kept everyone in the dark about his motives throughout Season 3. The fact that he and Klaus shared several sweet bonding moments led the audience to believe that he really could be different in this timeline. However, he shows his true colors at the end of Episode 9 when he runs Luther through with his alien tentacle, killing him in the White Buffalo Suite.
The next time viewers see Luther, he's chilling with Klaus — who Reginald also killed — in his version of the afterlife. Although Klaus is able to use his powers to return to life, he is only able to physically manifest Luther for a moment in the Hotel Oblivion before he has to let go. Viewers were left guessing about Luther's fate after the timeline reboot and it was touch and go there for a minute. Thankfully, though, he reappears alive with his siblings in the memorial park. And that's not all. He's not part ape anymore — he's "svelte," as Klaus would say.
Sloane is missing
The Umbrella Academy and the Sparrow Academy were rivals when Season 3 kicked off. They even competed against each other in a bizarre hallucination-induced Footloose dance battle. But, despite their growing rivalry, two members of the opposite academies managed to find some common ground. Luther and Sloane instantly connected, and eventually a relationship blossomed out of the friendship they formed. It progressed quickly, and they were married within days. Sadly, their union was cut short, but in the finale, Sloane and Luther proved that not even death would stop them from fighting for each other.
In one of the biggest shock twists of Season 3, Luther appears in the Obsidian Memorial Park with his siblings, while his wife is nowhere to be found. It's easy to think that perhaps just the original Umbrellas made it to this new timeline, but because Lila is there and the Sparrow version of Ben still exists, that's not the case. So, along with Luther, viewers are left questioning where exactly Sloane is. It's very possible that she's alive but just stuck in another location. However, it is "The Umbrella Academy," so it's also possible that there was some kind of cosmic switch when the timeline reset, which traded her life for Luther's. Only time will tell on this one.
Allison reunites with Claire and Ray
Other than Sloane, Allison is the only member of the Umbrella-Sparrow clan who was alive in Hotel Oblivion but doesn't make it to Obsidian Memorial Park. Moments after Luther discovers his wife is missing, the team realize Allison is also AWOL, but they presume that she's also alive.
The previous scene had revealed Allison was more than alright. In a sequence which mirrored one from the opening episode, Allison goes to her ex-husband's house to find her daughter. Unlike the first time, when she found a stranger in her daughter's place, she now finds her daughter Claire asleep in her bed. Instantly recognizing each other, Allison and Claire have a joyful reunion. It is made all the more emotional when Allison's husband, Raymond Chestnut (Yusuf Gatewood), who she left in 1963, welcomes her home.
This meeting was obviously a shock for viewers because Ray was committed to staying in his own time, so it didn't seem possible for Allison to reunite with Claire and Ray in the same timeline. However, we know that Allison made a secret deal with Reginald that was worth lying to her siblings about. Is this what he meant when he promised her that they could both get what they wanted?
Were the Umbrella and Sparrow siblings born in the new timeline?
Were the Umbrella and Sparrow siblings born in the new timeline? This is a complicated question, and one that "The Umbrella Academy" Season 3 finale left up in the air. Earlier in Season 3, the Umbrella Academy siblings discovered that they weren't born in the Sparrow timeline because Harlan (Callum Keith Rennie) unwittingly killed all of their mothers before they could be born. With Reginald's wife Abigail alive in this new timeline, we don't know if he ever adopted the Umbrellas or the Sparrows.
However, even if he didn't adopt them, it doesn't mean they weren't born. Showrunner Steve Blackman did provide one enticing clue in the finale's mid-credits scene, though. The scene shows Ben as a seemingly average citizen taking the train in Korea. This suggests that Ben was born but not adopted in this new timeline, making him the only one of the Umbrella-Sparrows to have been born in every timeline so far.
Ben's mid-credits scene did little to confirm what happened to the others. If they were born, viewers may well get to see alternate versions of these fan-favorite characters in the future. But, if they don't exist, it might be a reason for another apocalypse.
What happened to everyone who got blitzed?
Season 3 of "The Umbrella Academy" introduced some new characters, including Marcus, Fei, Christopher, Jayme, Alphonso, and Stan. Unfortunately, two members of the Sparrow Academy, Jayme and Alphonso, are killed by Harlan in Episode 3. Marcus has even less time, getting absorbed by the Kugelblitz at the end of Episode 1. The rest of the new cast also fall victim to the Kugelblitz — this season's apocalypse brought forth by a grandfather time paradox. It claims another victim in Episode 6, as Stan gets poofed out of existence after a wave of energy rushes through the city. In Episode 7, the Umbrella and Sparrow clan think they have a way to stop it. Christopher absorbs all the energy of the Kugelblitz and momentarily contains it. However, it overpowers him, claiming his and Fei's lives in the process.
As the remaining Umbrella-Sparrows run down the clock, the world around them crumbles and everyone gets blitzed. We can assume this includes Pogo, who reappears in Episode 6 only to vanish again. However, it's not clear if these characters returned to the newly rebooted universe. Given that the finale depicted another version of Ben living in Korea, the world has obviously been repopulated. However, this has all been by Reginald's design, so he may have had the ability to pick and choose who to bring back when he reset the universe.
The Umbrella Academy siblings lost their powers
After Luther, Viktor, Klaus, Five, Ben, Diego, and Lila reappear in the memorial garden, they quickly realize they don't possess their powers anymore. After seeing a newly "svelte" Luther and realizing that he's human now, they each test out their own abilities. Diego tries to flip a knife in his hand, but it falls flatly to the ground. Similarly, Five tries to teleport while Ben and Viktor attempt to use their powers, but none of them can do anything.
The rules of time travel and resetting the universe are complicated, but their lack of powers may indicate that they don't exist in this timeline, or that they were born without powers this time around. Ben is the most outraged about the situation, demanding that they figure out a way to get their powers back. Don't forget, he made a secret deal of his own with Reginald, and this probably wasn't part of the plan. Meanwhile, Lila is keen to see the brighter side, and when they question what their next steps are, she suggests simply getting on with their lives.
It's possible that the Season 3 finale could serve as a series finale if the show doesn't get picked up for Season 4. However, if it does, watching the Umbrellas and Sparrows navigate an alternate timeline where Reginald is all powerful, with no powers of their own, is certainly going to be interesting.
Lila and Diego are having a baby
Perhaps one of the reasons that Lila and Diego are so keen to take a step back from superhero-ing and just live their lives is because they've got a baby on the way. This storyline was built up steadily in Season 3. It first began when Lila rocked up at the Hotel Obsidian with a ten-year-old child in tow. She tells Diego that while it has only been a few days for him, it has been a decade for her and now it's his turn to be a parent to Stan. Although that turns out to be a lie, they eventually grow closer and Lila decides to stick around, becoming an honorary member of the Umbrella Academy.
After Stan gets blitzed in Episode 6, Lila lets slip that he's actually her friend's son. She admits that she brought him to Diego to see what kind of father he would be, because she already knew she was pregnant. During the remaining episodes, the couple struggle to come to terms with the fact that they're bringing a baby into a world that is literally ending. However, rebooting the universe provides them with the opportunity to be a real family, which will be interesting to see play out if Season 4 goes ahead.
Five is the founder of The Temps Commission — but does it still exist?
While most of the siblings leave the garden in search of Sloane and Allison (or to just live their lives), Five storms off with purpose, but he doesn't announce his intentions. Armed with the ironic knowledge that he founded the Temps Commission, he could be looking for a way to get there — if it still exists. If he is successful, he may be able to fix the timeline.
Back when he met the future version of himself at the Temps Commission, he noticed that he had the Hotel Oblivion sigil tattooed on his chest. The older version of himself told him not to save the world, which means he had some future knowledge about what was going to happen. It's not clear if future Five came from a timeline where they stopped Reginald before he reset the universe or if they faced him at a later date. But, either way, if the Commission — which exists outside of time — is still standing, viewers can be pretty sure that Five is going to find a way to get there to search for answers.