#TUA s4

[lokinightfury]

Some more code has come to light, this is from the map pictures from the current eBay prop sale

WE ARE NOT RES(P)ONSIBLE FOR LOST OR STOLEN ITEMS

Umbrella academy subway code

So the way my brain works, I love a puzzle. ADORE a puzzle. So seeing that encrypted language all over the subway in season 4? It gave me an itch in my brain that needed to be solved. Playing around with it, it looked like a substition cipher, simple switch for letters and symbols. But with any TV show and props, there is a chance that someone in the prop department just threw together something random.

However. When I started looking, excluding the subway station names, there were 26 unique symbols. Which couldn't be a coincidence.

And it wasn't.

I started off by giving each symbol a letter, and then looking at frequency analysis. This got me some of the way there, (managed to get THE as a consistent correct pattern) but for less common letters the system fell apart. I was shown an image from the propstore auction (thanks @hansodax) so decided to focus on just this.

By doing the conversion to letters and then running again through a frequency analysis it was looking consistent with english. A couple of runs through a substition cipher decrypter and the word time line popped out. Just some manual clean up then needed.

Here are my translations for some of the graphics we see in the season

Prop images are from the umbrella academy auction items on prop store.

SYSTEM MAP

ATTENTION

The timeline is important for your sanity. But there is no way to game the system. All will be revealed. When the answer is obvious the solution will be achieved. Until then the timeline must be respected.

ALENOSTU

I thought this was random until the incredible @hansodax thought to translate it.... It means loneliness. I'm 90% sure this still is from the first timeline they go to. The one where original Five is alone. Holy shit!

and the lettering on the subway car itself is also random, as using the same encryption just gives nonsense. I did suspect that might be the case given that the same symbols are repeated over and over on diferrent signs. Just in case I did invert, but upside down it doesn't match the alphabet.

Other signs used appear to be multiple letters and some new symbols mashed together:

I suspect a proper language was created for the initial prop of the map, and then the symbols used to decorate other surfaces without meaning behind them. Another consideration is that there are numbers in the mixed together symbols, but these are often harder to crack.

[radioheadt]

the most depressing part about the umbrella academy is that despite the trainwreck that was season 4, the first episode is hands down one of the best in the show. it had so much potential. i’ll just stay in the van scene with babyshark playing on the background

[topperscumslut]

to some of the hargreeves siblings that were in the 60s longer, the s1-3 eras of their lives lasted years for them. but for five, who was only in the 60s for a few days in s2, this was all happening in a really short period of time, since he’d also only had about a week before each apocalypse in both seasons 1 and 3 as well. between the 6 year time skip at the start of s4 and the 7 years he spent trapped in the subway station, by the time he reaches the end of his life at the end of s4, the events of s1-3 are just remembered as that one REALLY weird month 13 years ago to him

[kazuhahalol]

— workplace sunshine | five hargreeves x f! reader

five gets a new partner on the job and wonders if life is really worth living.

warnings: nsfw implications

The CIA office smelled like burnt coffee and old carpet—about as thrilling as Five had imagined it would be when he begrudgingly accepted the job. He was neck-deep in evidence on a group he’s been keeping tabs on, “The Keepers”.

“This is your new partner,” came the deep voice of his boss, Lance Ribbons.

He didn’t bother looking up. “Great,” he muttered, flipping a page. “Maybe they’ll know how to file these without stapling everything upside down.”

When he finally glanced up, there you were. You practically bounced into the room, all soft eyes and bright smiles. During your training, you’ve had the pleasure of hearing all of his stories from Ribbons, and you could only be amazed seeing him in person.

“Hi! You must be Five! It’s so great to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you!”

He stared at you, unimpressed. “That’s unfortunate,” he said dryly, turning back to his papers.

Your smile didn’t waver. “Don’t worry! I’m great at teamwork, communication, leadership, yeah, just ask and I totally got it! We’re going to make such a good team!”

“Mm,” he replied, already wishing he could fire you.

Ribbons smirked from the doorway, clearly enjoying the exchange. “Don’t scare this one off, Hargreeves,” he said, a teasing edge to his voice. “You’ve gone through three partners in six months. Derek is barely holding on.”

“Not my fault they couldn’t keep up,” Five replied without looking up, his voice as sharp as ever.

“Well, I’m not going anywhere. I’m broke and I really need this job.”

Five glances at you once more before shaking his head in annoyance.

Over time he’s found himself able to rely on you for simple tasks like taking over his shift. Right now, he was at his niece’s birthday party, so you took over for him. You picked up on his habits faster than his previous partners, handled your work with ease, and even covered for him when he needed to step away. It takes a few months for him to fully trust you, until you get a call from him.

“We’ve got a problem.” Five’s voice sounds out through the speaker.

You raise your eyebrows, crossing your leg over the other. “Apocalypse-level problem, or chicken wing-level problem?”

“Oh—shut up.” Five snapped. “Cant you be serious for once? The fate of the universe is about to collapse and you’re making jokes.” You could tell Five just rolled his eyes behind the phone.

You grinned. “What else am I supposed to do?Crash out and curse at everyone around me? That’s your job.”

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Listen carefully. I was right. The Keepers are an organization that knows about the time jumps my family and I have done in the past. This situation is not as tame as we thought it was. This isn’t just some fan club. I’ll explain when I get back, but I need you to pull the most recent voice recording I took from the gym—everything on their meeting. Got it?”

“Got it. Anything else?”

“Yes,” he muttered. “Don’t screw it up.”

Five returned to the office after dispersing from getting drinks with his siblings, his usual scowl firmly in place as he made his way to his desk. It was late, and most of the building had gone home for the night. But you were still there, sitting cross-legged in his chair, listening to the voice recordings from his hidden mic.

“You’re in my seat,” he said flatly.

You glanced up, grinning. “You’re welcome, by the way. I worked on saving the fate of the universe while you were eating cake.”

“Don’t flatter yourself,” he replied, brushing past you to check the files. “You saved me time. That’s all.”

You spin around in his chair, staring up at him. “Stressed, aren’t you?”

Five didn’t even glance your way, his eyes fixed on the manila folder. “I’m always stressed. It’s called existing in a world full of idiots.”

You feel the sides of your lips twitch up as you stare him up and down. As he always looked like that? You stand up and approach him, lifting a hand towards his hair. You mess with the brown locks of his scalp, causing him to stiffen.

The reaction was immediate. Five stiffened, his shoulders going rigid as his hand froze mid-page. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he said, his voice sharp, but the undertone of surprise betrayed him.

“You look like a mess.” You smirk, smoothing his hair down. Your faces were dangerously close.

He glared at you, though the faint pink creeping up his neck didn’t escape your notice. “You’re insufferable.”

“And yet, here I am, still your partner.” You leaned casually against the desk, tilting your head as you watched him return to the files. “Admit it—you’d miss me if I wasn’t here.”

He scoffed, his eyes narrowing as he tried to focus on the documents. “Miss you? Don’t be ridiculous.”

But you noticed how his fingers fidgeted slightly with the papers, a rare crack in his unshakable demeanor. The silence stretched between you, charged with something unspoken.

After a moment, he finally looked at you, his green eyes meeting yours with a flicker of something softer. “You’re lucky I’m too busy to deal with your nonsense.”

“Lucky, huh?” you said, smirking as you leaned in closer, your voice lowering slightly. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Well don’t,” he replied, his voice was soft, but quick.

You stayed there for a moment, the air between you thick with tension. For once, Five didn’t pull away, and the way his gaze lingered on you felt different—less like irritation and more like curiosity.

“Well,” you said, breaking the moment with a low tone, “if you ever need some stress relief…you know where to find me.”

Five’s eyes narrowed, the sharp retort you expected faltering on his lips. Instead, his gaze lingered on you, the tension between you crackling like static in the air.

“You should be careful with offers like that,” he said finally, his voice quieter, more deliberate.

You tilted your head, a teasing smile curling your lips. “Who said I wasn’t?”

He stared at you for a beat longer, his jaw tightening as though weighing a decision. Then, with a barely perceptible smirk, he leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a low murmur.

“Don’t tempt me.”

[feralnumberfive]

[acearcane]

As I’m trying to come to terms with whatever the fuck that was, I’ve decided that:

Seasons 1 and 2 are peak. Absolute masterpieces. Canon.

Season 3 can be taken or left. Has its moments, but overall not as good as the first two. Canon, but only if you want it to be.

Season 4 is a fucking crack fic written at 2am that the author rereads at a later date and decides to delete. Absolutely not canon.

[sunsickjune]

“i felt that five had to have a love story” okay steve !! fine. i’ll humour you. picture this : lila and five in the subway. they’re travelling to different timelines, loosing hope, trying to find a way home. then they get to a timeline and five sees dolores. but she’s a human, not a mannequin. he falls for her. loves her. wants to stay with her in her timeline. and that’s why lila has to force him to come home. she has kids, a husband, a life. five wants to stay with dolores more than anything. but he goes home, back to his timeline, because he knows he has to save his family. because he loves them more.

[twobraincells-art]

The 8th of August, 2024

Two mistakes of the universe go for a walk. Despite this, the universe doesn’t chew them up and spit them out. It lets them be. They deserve it, after all.

It’s a lovely day.

[currentlyonstandbi]

all the Deli Fives: *trying to figure out how to fix the timeline and stop the apocalypse*

Brisket Five in the kitchen:

[moon-trees]

Season 4 of tua is the opposite of fan service. Fan disservice if you will.

[c0ffeeb1ack]

tua in a nutshell ://

[suzieloveships]

Season 4 of The Umbrella Academy got me like

[fictionandescapism]

Me watching season 4 of the umbrella academy:

[very-straight-blog]

Number Five from seasons 1-3, you'll always be famous.

[feralnumberfive]

So let me get this straight: Five hid from Lila that he had found his previous journal that told them how to get home just so that he could deepen his relationship with her and hide from the world? So that he could completely forget about his beloved wife Dolores and go on to steal his brother's wife and the mother of their children? And nonetheless without any of his family members knowing where he and Lila are? Completely abandoning his family? And potentially letting them die in another apocalypse?

Fuck that. To the max

[couldnt-think-of-a-funny-name]

it would have been CHEESY as all hell, but- I think I would've liked the group suicide ending a lot better if, instead of standing there slowly waiting to get absorbed, they went out dancing. like they're all upset and scared and as a callback to season 1, Luther puts on some music to try and make them feel better. or, fuck, Viktor starts playing the violin. and they're obviously still upset and crying but they're letting themselves feel a little joy at the end, dancing together with their family. it also would've been a gut-punch bc everyone was waiting for a siblings dance break all season. instead of just standing there going 'I'll miss you guys' until they get absorbed they just...vibe and dance out of existence. I think it would've been more fitting.